• Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Live and Let's Fly
  • Home
  • Reviews
    • Flight Reviews
    • Hotel Reviews
    • Lounge Reviews
    • Trip Reports
  • About
    • Press
  • Contact
  • Privacy
  • Award Expert
Home » American Airlines » As American Airlines Departs, Opportunity for United at Burbank
American AirlinesAnalysisContinental AirlinesUnited Airlines

As American Airlines Departs, Opportunity for United at Burbank

Matthew Klint Posted onJanuary 12, 2012 1 Comment

News that American Airlines will suspend service from Burbank/Bob Hope Airport next month compounds a problem for an airport that continues to lose passengers even as it invests in a pricey infrastructure upgrade that will enhance the parking facilities and connect the airport to a nearby Metrolink (Southern California’s commuter train service) station by pedestrian footbridge. But the news also presents an opening for United Airlines if they are willing to make a strategic investment in this strategic airport.

In the days of Lockheed-Martin dominating Burbank and even as recently as 2008, United had a much stronger presence at the airport. Mainline 737s and A320s operated multiple daily flights to San Francisco and Denver, with frequent shuttle service to Silicon Valley during the dot-com boom. In the 1980s, United even operated wide-body 767 service to Chicago.

But the bean-counters at United determined that the airport, about 30 miles from its LAX hub, was just not profitable and gradually shifted service from larger mainline aircraft to 50-70 seat planes operated by United’s regional subsidiary SkyWest. The airline currently only serves San Francisco and Denver using 50-seat Canada Air Regional Jets.

Burbank is my favorite airport in Southern California not only because it is so close to my house, but because it is so manageable: parking is easy, lines are never long, and the airport retains a laid-back feel that is so lacking at Los Angeles International. Even the TSA is on better behavior (on most days).

All this to say that United should take a closer look at Burbank now. While Burbank may have lost Lockheed, it still has Walt Disney, Warner Brother, NBC, and ABC. More importantly, it still has millions of residents in a 20-mile radius who are sick of long lines and crowds and who are willing to pay a little bit more (like me) for the convenience of flying out of an airport where you can arrive 40 minutes before departure and still have time to spare.

Competing with 2-3 MD-80 flights a day to Dallas and a Delta 757 to Atlanta was tough and it was understandable that United scaled back its operations in the face of a glut of capacity. But Delta is gone (now only serving Salt Lake City on SkyWest regional jets) and American soon will be. Surely there must be an opportunity to capitalize on this precipitous decline in traffic. Here’s my plan:

  • Daily service to New York JFK on United’s “Premium Service” (p.s.) 757s

JetBlue has done well with their Burbank-New York JFK flights, but does not offer first or business class, causing many business and leisure travelers to fly out of Los Angeles instead. With all the entertainment companies located nearby (and the Westside just as close to Burbank as it is to LAX when you factor in traffic), I am confident UA could sell enough premium seats on daily or five-times weekly service to New York to make the route worthwhile. With American gone, UA will have an extra gate and could even work in a small lounge if they wanted to.

  • Daily service to Houston on a CRJ-700 or ERJ-170 (or even a 737)

Houston now serves as vital United hub and link to the world. With American now departing, there is a void to Texas and funneling travelers to United’s “Southern Command” is much easier than flying to Chicago or Denver, where UA has recently scaled back operations.

*     *     *

With two flights a day to Houston, one to New York, and the return of mainline service at least once a day to Denver and San Francisco, United could quickly become a powerhouse at Burbank again and woo traffic from LAX in a way that airports like Ontario and Palmdale (both just too far away) cannot do.

Burbank is too valuable of a property and business proposition to just let this golden opportunity slide by…

Get Daily Updates

Join our mailing list for a daily summary of posts! We never sell your info.

You have Successfully Subscribed!

Previous Article TSA Defends Confiscation of Cupcake
Next Article Continental Airlines on the Phone vs. Continental Airlines at the Airport

About Author

Matthew Klint

Matthew is an avid traveler who calls Los Angeles home. Each year he travels more than 200,000 miles by air and has visited more than 135 countries. Working both in the aviation industry and as a travel consultant, Matthew has been featured in major media outlets around the world and uses his Live and Let's Fly blog to share the latest news in the airline industry, commentary on frequent flyer programs, and detailed reports of his worldwide travel.

Related Posts

  • a woman walking in an airplane with a luggage

    United Airlines Eliminates Instant Upgrades, Excursionist Perk, MileagePlus Upgrade Award Chart

    May 22, 2025
  • United Airlines Domestic Check-In Cutoff

    United Airlines Adjusts Check-In Window For Domestic Flights

    May 22, 2025
  • Influencer Dog United Airlines

    Unreal: Influencer Brings Her Massive Great Dane “Service Dog” On United Airlines Flight

    May 21, 2025

1 Comment

  1. Nick Reply
    January 12, 2012 at 7:56 am

    You forgot the added benefit of avoiding the TMZ crews that seem to camp out at LAX 😉

Leave a Reply

Cancel reply

Search

Hot Deals for May

Note: Please see my Advertiser Disclosure

Capital One Venture X Business Card
Earn 150,000 Miles Sign Up Bonus
Chase Sapphire Preferred® Card
Earn 100,000 Points
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture X Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles!
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Capital One Venture Rewards Credit Card
Earn 75,000 Miles
Chase Ink Business Unlimited® Credit Card
Earn $750 Cash Back
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
The Business Platinum Card® from American Express
Earn 120,000 Membership Reward® Points

Recent Posts

  • Delta Sky Club ATL F Review
    Review: Delta Sky Club Atlanta (ATL) – Concourse F May 23, 2025
  • a woman walking in an airplane with a luggage
    United Airlines Eliminates Instant Upgrades, Excursionist Perk, MileagePlus Upgrade Award Chart May 22, 2025
  • Flight Coffee Allergy
    Passenger Claims She’s Allergic To Coffee Smell, Demands Airline Ban It May 22, 2025
  • Trump Qatar 747-8
    Gift Or Grift? Trump Bets On Qatari 747-8 For Air Force One May 22, 2025

Categories

Popular Posts

  • a room with a table and benches
    Where To Smoke At Paris Charles De Gaulle Airport (CDG) April 26, 2025
  • United Airlines Polaris Lounge Chicago Review
    Review: United Polaris Lounge Chicago (ORD) May 1, 2025
  • United Airlines Refresh Polaris Lounge Chicago
    First Look: United Airlines Reopens Renovated Polaris Lounge In Chicago (ORD) April 29, 2025
  • a hand holding a blue card
    Chase Sapphire Preferred 100K Bonus Offer Ending Soon May 2, 2025

Archives

May 2025
M T W T F S S
 1234
567891011
12131415161718
19202122232425
262728293031  
« Apr    

As seen on:

facebook twitter instagram rss
Privacy Policy © Live and Let's Fly All Rights Reserved. Unauthorized use and/or duplication of this material without express and written permission from this site’s author and/or owner is strictly prohibited. Excerpts and links may be used, provided that full and clear credit is given to Live and Let's Fly with appropriate and specific directions to the original content.