FAQ - FREQUENTLY ASKED QUESTIONS
NEXT BEST SPOKE REPORT
4) HOW DOES THIS REPORT DIFFER FROM ROUTE SPROUTS?
5) THAT ROUTE IS ALREADY SERVED?
2) HOW DO I READ THIS REPORT?
Ever wondered what the next best market is for an airline's hub? This is another attempt to answer that question. While ROUTE SPROUTS attempts to forecast new routes, this report simply ranks the next largest market by traffic size not flown by the carrier highlighted that day. It includes both domestic and international data using DOT data for domestic and our homegrown source for international that we use in other reports. A route is considered currently served if it has more than a few departures in the selling schedule. Even if a route is planned to end in several months it is still considered served to avoid issues with seasonal markets.
(1) Chicago-Midway (MDW) (SAME), Last Flown June, 2010
(RANK) Largest Missing Spoke Airport (IATA Code) (CHANGE FROM LAST RUN OF REPORT), Last Operated By This Airline or Past Merger Partner since 2000
3) THAT ROUTE CAN'T BE FLOWN?
No attempt is made to determine if a route CAN be flown. There may be a lack of an F.I.S. or a perimeter rule or slots or a curfew or who knows that that stops a route from being added. We are are only showing the largest routes in local traffic not being flown by the airline at this hub or focus city. Also, notable that another airline may fly the route. These are just unserved by the airline that the report is detailing.
4) HOW DOES THIS REPORT DIFFER FROM ROUTE SPROUTS?
While ROUTE SPROUTS attempts to forecast new routes, this report simply ranks the next largest market by traffic size not flown by the carrier highlighted that day. So, ROUTE SPROUTS attempts to consider connecting passengers beyond the potential leg, while this report measures only local traffic.
5) THAT ROUTE IS ALREADY SERVED?
An unserved route on this report only relates to the airline noted. Another airline may fly the route. A route is considered currently served if it has more than a few departures in the selling schedule. Even if a route is planned to end in several months it is still considered served to avoid issues with seasonal markets.
6) THE DATE THE AIRLINE LAST SERVED THE ROUTE IS WRONG?
We only have a database back to 2000 to check that. We may not representation what took place prior to 2000. Also, all predecessor carriers through mergers are considered. So if Northwest flew the route since 2000 it considered served by Delta on those dates. Regional carriers are treated based on their primary marketing brand. A route is considered currently served if it has more than a few departures in the selling schedule. Even if a route is planned to end in several months it is still considered served to avoid issues with seasonal markets.
7) DOES THIS INCLUDE INTERNATIONAL?
International routes and data are included. They are based on the same International traffic method used for the INTL OVERVIEW report and DOT traffic date for domestic.