Author Topic: TripleA alliance thread  (Read 3185 times)

alex

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TripleA alliance thread
« on: August 21, 2018, 10:32:01 am »
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depo

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #1 on: August 21, 2018, 10:57:50 am »
Hi Alex,

SudAmericana here! Thanks for accepting me in  ;D
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alex

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #2 on: August 21, 2018, 11:51:21 am »
Starlight has actually been speculating about the possibility of allying with you since the feature was released. You have a great network that really complements ours.

AlpineUngulate

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #3 on: August 21, 2018, 12:08:47 pm »
Starlight here.

I thought I'd write some general principles of organization for the alliance:

1. Connect to each others' hubs.

We want synergy from connecting routes within the alliance. That means if you're building routes from one of your hubs into a new region, see if there are alliance hubs in the area and head towards those. You're likely to get some spillover demand from the ally, and they from you.

For some examples where this is particularly relevant: the southern and southwestern US have many cities with high income and moderate population. It would take too many routes and bases to give them all directs everywhere. So we operate on a hub-and-spokes model with a focus on Dallas-Fort Worth (DFW) and Hartsfield-Jackson (ATL). It would've been a valid choice to use different bases, like Phoenix, Charlotte, or Miami, but we happen not to be structured that way, and at this point we've invested dozens of routes and billions of dollars in our choices.

So if you're connecting from your home country to the southern US, you might find more demand for continuing passengers if you go through those airports first. For another example, there are plenty of good airports in southern Japan with direct demand, but the most likely place to get connecting passengers is Kansai International (KIX) because we have invested the most in that.

2. Don't direct-compete with each others' routes.

While you want to connect your hub to other allies' hubs, you should check to make sure it isn't already done. We don't ever need to spend more than one route on a particular route. It's a big world out there with lots of better opportunities for expansion. Piling too many people into the same route grinds down profit margin.

3. Expand in relatively-contiguous blocs.

It's easier for allies to work with you and build a strategy around you if your strategy is obvious. Don't build a new, far-flung base in a country you don't have a good shot at earning a reputation bonus in. Leave those to allies and just build flights out to them. Instead focus on your areas of advantage and build a cohesive network that's attractive for other allies to build links to.

4. Some countries have room for more than one of us.

While direct competition isn't fun, there are some countries valuable enough to have more than one ally in. Definitely discuss it here and coordinate, but don't shy entirely away from the large markets where even a 4th or 5th place trophy is valuable.

I'm writing this especially with respect to the US, which is just so huge and so fragmented that it's very difficult for me to cover it all, even though I have more North American volume than anyone in the game. Remember that if you HQ over one of my bases, you'll still be able to join the alliance.

But even a not-quite-as-big market--like Italy--can yield us benefits by having two alliance members earn reputation from it.

5. Expand to new territories.

There's a lot we haven't covered yet, and those areas are the ones where a new ally could probably do the most good. Here I'm especially thinking of Mexico, central/eastern Europe, the Middle East, Africa, and Russia, but also really any country that seems under-covered.

6. Talk it out here.

Talk through expansion plans here. Sometimes people have bases they're not particularly attached to and are willing to turn over the territory to someone else. Other times there's a place they really want to go to. Just let people know your plans and it'll keep our alliance organized. If it seems like an airline has been away for a long time, and someone really wants one of their bases, we'll try to address that. But it's early in the alliance feature and I don't see us having a problem with that any time soon.
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AlpineUngulate

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #4 on: August 21, 2018, 12:10:36 pm »
And SudAmericana: if you want Rome let me know. I think the two reasonable things to do in Italy are either (a) I hold 3rd and you hold 2nd, as we have it now, or (b) I leave Rome, you build a base there, and you push for 1st.

alex

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #5 on: August 21, 2018, 12:28:38 pm »
TBH I think 1st Italy is easily within reach for SudAmerica without a fourth Italian base.

A minor addition to Starlight's point about the US: LAX is a fantastic choice of HQ if you are going that route. There are tons and tons of direct flights from it that Starlight doesn't cover, and there is a tremendous and constantly increasing amount of alliance passenger volume through there. I just added SYD LAX and will be beefing up that, HND (Tokyo) LAX, and TPE (Taipei) LAX substantially. Expect to get around 30k connecting passenger volume from my flights alone.

As for expansion plans: a quick glance at my Rival page or the alliance map should make my strategy obvious. I'm a simple regional airline (my region is Asia). I'm testing the waters in Australia and depending on how well that expansion goes will aim for 2nd or maybe 1st (marking the third prestige market I'll have taken from Air Canada :D). I'm thinking of a third Australia base in Melbourne, Canberra, or Brisbane (on top of Sydney and Perth).

I'm also about to set up a Hong Kong base since Starlight left it but I'm not married to that.

Outside of that I really don't have much in the way of expansion plans and am mostly just defending / optimizing my current territory and filling out international routes.

A word of warning: India is a trap. Don't go there. It's worth almost nothing by way of points and you'll never run a profit there unless your airline is completely dedicated to operating in very poor countries (low service funding, no planes larger than an A318, etc.).

edit: oh, and there's actually room in Japan for another airline. It may be a little tough to get to 2nd, but I think you could make a reasonable profit off of Osaka (ITM) and Tokyo (NRT). Fukuoka (FUK) is another possibility although Auburn is using it heavily.
« Last Edit: August 21, 2018, 12:31:25 pm by alex »

alex

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #6 on: August 21, 2018, 02:19:50 pm »
Uvita I just noticed we're competing on HND SHA. Let me know when you're ready to drop a few thousand more passengers on it and I'll cancel the route.

losgatitospeligrosos

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #7 on: August 21, 2018, 06:22:03 pm »
LGP runs Mexico. Advising your alliance to focus there only courts failure.
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AlpineUngulate

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #8 on: August 22, 2018, 12:20:24 am »
Or you could join us.

Don't you want that rep bonus and the extra flight capacity?

patson

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #9 on: August 22, 2018, 01:35:33 am »
Don't you want that rep bonus and the extra flight capacity?

Yes! So we Unisky are going to topple u guys just like 2 days ago...watch out  ;D
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Catweazle

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #10 on: August 22, 2018, 02:17:23 am »
I can't believe, and am a mite annoyed, you got the "Triple A" alliance... and i couldn't even join...

 :o
signed on behalf of
AAA Air
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Vani56

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #11 on: August 26, 2018, 05:13:11 am »
Hi all!I just wanted to say thank you for accepting me! My airline is Galactic Republic, Based at JFK. I have been playing for 2 days now and its much fun :). I'll probably focus on New York for now, later on I want to open bases in Seattle and Miami/Fort Lauderdale( Cant decide between the two yet) :D I hope that's ok?
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alex

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #12 on: August 26, 2018, 12:55:16 pm »
Those are all A-OK. I know Starlight had some theories about good bases for a second US-based airline. JFK is a fantastic choice of hub and we have a ton of big, intercontinental routes to it - the connecting flights through there will help us as much as you.

Vani56

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #13 on: August 27, 2018, 04:07:52 pm »
By the way, is taking a loan a good decision? I took 15 mil at the beginning and now the allowance i up to 70 mil.

alex

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Re: TripleA alliance thread
« Reply #14 on: August 27, 2018, 05:04:28 pm »
Loans are very good. For almost the entire game you will want to borrow at the maximum duration, which is actually the lowest annualized interest rate (the rate quoted is total over the lifetime of the loan).