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You would think we could handle a non-stop to Tokyo as well. There are plenty of asian folk in Sacramento/Central Valley.
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This is, in my view, another problem with the airport's master plan. It discounts any future market to Asia. I am told there are at least 100/pax a day traveling to the major Asian markets. I am further told this represents a fraction of total Valley/Asia travelers as most book straight from SFO.
If the SMF/BA talks are at this point nothing more than hopeful discussions, anything regarding service to Asia is even less formal - and hopeful - than that. I've heard some talk has taken place with Japan Airlines regarding service to Tokyo. These discussions occurred when airline executives were here negotiating use of SMF for training exercisies. There have also been very informal discussions with Cathay Pacific regarding flights to Hong Kong. If we were to classify any talks with BA regarding service to London as a "ten," any discussions about service to Asia would be considered, at best, a "two."
The airport's international priority at present are flights to Europe. Many airport officials feel that SFO is too much of a detriment to SMF-Asia service in the near future. That would, of course, change if the right opportunity presented itself. Having said all that, the few airport people who have discussed service to Asia think that a 2014-2017 time frame is possible and that anything can happen after the new terminal is completed in 2010.
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Regarding our US Airways flights, why Charlotte and not Boston? Is it because Charlotte is a hub?
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Yes - the Charlotte hub is one of US Air's most efficient and rapidly growing stations. Although Philly is the main US Air European hub, Charlotte will be used to feed both European traffic and the Caribbean.