Acela Competition?

[Palmland]

Saw this article in USA Today

http://www.usatoday.com/story/travel/flights/todayinthesky/2016/11/01/jetblue-lga-bos/93104554/

"On Monday, JetBlue launched service between New York’s LaGuardia Airport and Boston Logan International Airport.

With this route — which includes six weekday round-trip flights, two round-trips on Saturday, three round-trips on Sunday, and fares starting at $49 — the airline has introduced some extra perks......American (Republic Airways) and Delta (Shuttle America/DL Connection) also serve the LaGuardia/Logan route, with higher prices (for now) and more frequent service."

Among the perks are free beer, wine, snacks and a partnership with Lyft ride share service - presumably to make the trips to the airport less painful.

Will this make a differrence to Amtrak and its Acela ridership? Will Amtrak respond with some incentives of their own?

 

[jebr]

I'm not sure if it's going to make a huge dent in Acela ridership. While it definitely looks appealing, LGA is still a bit out of Manhattan and Penn Station would be a lot easier to get to. It might grab a few price-sensitive customers who aren't terribly close to Penn for their business, but between the Acela and NER I don't see the extra perks luring away people from Amtrak.

I could be wrong, though.

 

[JohannFarley]

It really depends. If you are like me, you don't want to fly unless that's the only way to get to a destination, ie across the ocean. The fact that it says delta and American already serve the same route says to me that it won't make much of a difference.

 

[tp49]

The answer is it depends. When I had to do that route I preferred the train because I could just hop on the LIRR take it to Penn switch to Amtrak and have the whole trip take about the same amount of time it did to fly. LGA is a pain to get to from the South Shore and delays there are common so anything I could do to avoid that mess I did. Now if the shuttle flew from JFK I'd probably have considered flying more because at that point both would have had the same level of convenience.

 

[Acela150]

Let's remember that travel time is about 3 and half hours from NYP to BOS. Which including travel time to and from airports, check in time, flight time, etc. Seems that Acela travel time beats flying here.

 

[StriderGDM]

I don't think it'll make that much of a difference. Acela definitely decimated NYC-WAS air shuttle travel because of its performance. I think it's grabbed about as much of NYC-BOS as it can because that's a longer route and flying can save enough time there.

Honestly, I'm a bit surprised Jet Blue would "waste" landing slots at LaGuardia for shuttle flight which are very price competitive and not save those slots for flights that presumably would be more competitive.

 

[seat38a]

I don't think it'll make that much of a difference. Acela definitely decimated NYC-WAS air shuttle travel because of its performance. I think it's grabbed about as much of NYC-BOS as it can because that's a longer route and flying can save enough time there.

Honestly, I'm a bit surprised Jet Blue would "waste" landing slots at LaGuardia for shuttle flight which are very price competitive and not save those slots for flights that presumably would be more competitive.

This is most likely just a ploy to hold the slots until something better comes up.

 

[OBS]

Not to mention LGA is such a mess right now with all the construction going on....

 

[Triley]

Not to mention LGA is such a mess right now with all the construction going on....

Thanks for reminding me. That trip I mentioned to you yesterday?

BOS-LGA-PBI-LGA-BOS

2:15 to make the connection going south, but coming back on Sunday Delta kept adjusting both flights slightly to the point where we now have a 38 minute connection. Greeeeeeat. At least tomorrow we'll have time to visit the famed American Express Centurion lounge and have a drink or two and some breakfast/lunch.

 

[Metra Electric Rider]

Maybe they are planning on decimating the Chinatown Bus market?

 

[StriderGDM]

I think given time the busses will do that do themselves!

 

[amamba]

Back in about 2004-2007 I flew a great deal for work on the US air shuttle between LGA and BOS. it was still a PITA. I honestly don't know why I didn't solely take the train back then - but all my colleagues flew and it was easy. if you got done earlier in the city, it was very easy to pop back over to LGA and they would put you on an earlier shuttle and there was like one every hour. Plus there were bagels in the morning!

But now that I live in PVD everyone takes the train to NYP. And when the acela arrives in PVD and it's practically full. I don't see that this will really matter that much.

 

[PVD]

Years ago it was no reservations required, show up, get on line, when the plane was full they would fill another, you were guaranteed a seat. Once, I was the only person left on line and to avoid flying a fourth section, they let me go free 20 minutes later on the 6 oclock. Fill out a boarding card on line, pay on the plane. Different world......727, DC-9, Lockheed Electra turboprop.....

 

[railiner]

Years ago it was no reservations required, show up, get on line, when the plane was full they would fill another, you were guaranteed a seat. Once, I was the only person left on line and to avoid flying a fourth section, they let me go free 20 minutes later on the 6 oclock. Fill out a boarding card on line, pay on the plane. Different world......727, DC-9, Lockheed Electra turboprop.....

When the L-188 Electra was the primary aircraft on the (Eastern) Shuttle, they used Constellation's for backup extra sections ...

 

[Alexandria Nick]

It really depends. If you are like me, you don't want to fly unless that's the only way to get to a destination, ie across the ocean. The fact that it says delta and American already serve the same route says to me that it won't make much of a difference.

JetBlue has much more comfortable seats. I'd be more apt to fly them before Delta or American.

 

[Palmland]

Funny this came up as we were visiting our soon outside NYC. He normally takes Amtrak but biz trip to Boston he is flying this am. Wife and our granddaughter to follow later this week. They always take the train but couldn't pass up a $39 air fare.

 

[jis]

Funny this came up as we were visiting our soon outside NYC. He normally takes Amtrak but biz trip to Boston he is flying this am. Wife and our granddaughter to follow later this week. They always take the train but couldn't pass up a $39 air fare.

See? Who says people will not fly simply because of TSA?

 

[PVD]

JetBlue is using the E-190 on this route. It is a step up from typical RJ comfort levels, but standard seat width and pitch are still well below Amtrak, even in corridor layout. There are 4 rows of extra legroom seats available at extra charge. There are limited numbers of the $39 dollar seats available, typical pricing will be well above that. My sister came in from Phoenix to Boston Friday, originally was set to go to EWR, got it switched to LGA on one of these flights, huge benefit for me, 10 minutes instead of 1 1/2 hours in morning traffic. Destination was my niece's house in Larchmont, another huge plus for LGA.Flight was fairly full, those planes are 2+2, so middle seating is not an issue.

 

[BoulderCO]

Yes, sometimes the almighty $ influences the decision. I just this morning changed my plan for returning from Chicago to Denver after some family events there in December. I was going to get a coach seat on the Zephyr, as I enjoy this as a relaxing change from flying from time to time. With my senior discount, it is $100 plus I would probably spend another $40 for drinks and dinner on the train. Checked United Airlines on a whim and got a direct fight Chicago to Denver arriving within an hour of the (scheduled) 5 train. $53 total. 2.5 hours vs. 18. I'll enjoy the train some other time ;>)

 

[PVD]

I don't believe I ever had a Connie on the shuttle, they left in 68, my first shuttle flights were in 72, but later I did have an A-300 a couple of times on the Boston route, I don't think they were allowed into National at the time.