oct-2017

8 9 Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson—ranked second in connec- tivity.Interestingly,the airport offersmore scheduled domestic capacity than ChicagoO’Hare,but offers less connecting opportunities between flights. “To increase efficiencies, airlines continue to consolidate travelers across key hubs, particularly in heavily trafficked domestic markets in the U.S.,” said John Grant, senior analyst at OAG.“Airports like Chicago O’Hare and Atlanta Hartsfield-Jackson build connectivity through capacity, new routes, and infra- structure development.” American Airlines’ two premier hubs,Dallas/Ft. Worth and Charlotte/Douglas, rank third and fourth in domestic connectivity, almost exclusively driven byAmerican Airlines flights. Even low-cost carriers drive connectivity, as Denver Airport ranks fifth in OPENING LINES domestic connectivity. Southwest Airlines, Frontier Airlines, and Spirit Airlines are responsible for 44 percent of capacity at the airport. While coastal locations limit domestic connec- tivity options, Los Angeles Airport ranks eighth in the U.S. due to a large schedule of short connecting flights to cities on the West Coast. Coastal locations are beneficial for international connectivity, as Los Angeles ranks 11th globally.Other notable U.S. connectivity ranks and scores: Houston (ranked #11, Connectivity Index of 102), Boston (#12, 95), San Francisco (#15, 84),Newark (#21, 54), and NewYork LaGuardia (#24, 51). Globally, London Heathrow fin- ished first overall (Connectivity Index of 379), Frank- furt Airport second (307), and AmsterdamAirport third (299).