Vega From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 15 hours ago) and read 1999 times:
I'm a little bored with the lack of exciting Topics so I invented this one, which I'd guess will pique some interest.
What major changes do you think the new US Airways (Parker and Co.) will/should announce within the next 12 - 18 months?
I would speculate they are planning to make some major changes to attain profitability as an LCC; otherwise US Airways simply = HP + USAir, with little changed except the name. It will be very interesting to see if they can manage the East Coast operations successfully from Phoenix (Tempe) alone, which seems to be their MO at this time. I'd guess they'll scale back to their most profitable routes and become a "lean and mean" machine before adding more than a very few, if any new routes. Also, I have a lot of difficulty understanding the rationale for 2 major Hubs (CLT and PHL) less than 500 miles apart, even with the understanding that PHL is saturated. Maybe they should be thinking in terms of eliminating or downsizing one and establishing something new in the mid-west to link east-west operations.
I hope this thread doesn't become another "wish list", but contains some real ideas of how the new airline should/will proceed. In other words, "Move all of PHL to PIT" or "Move the PIT Airport to PHL" is not very realistic, but I'm certain we'll still get a few like comments.
PanAm330 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 2601 posts, RR: 10 Reply 1, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 13 hours ago) and read 1854 times:
Quoting Vega (Thread starter): Maybe they should be thinking in terms of eliminating or downsizing one and establishing something new in the mid-west to link east-west operations.
Not happening. Both PHL and CLT will stay. If PHL was dropped, they'd lose a sh*tload of frequent fliers, real fast. Not to mention the premium routes to Europe which wouldn't be feasible from CLT (eg. BCN, MAN, etc.). If they dropped CLT, alot of Latin America/Caribbean routes would be forced into going to PHL (maybe FLL as well), or would be dropped - both of which aren't the best of ideas.
The new management team knows what they're doing. The new US Airways is going to be one hell of a powerful carrier if they play their cards right, and I suspect that they will. Good luck to all employees !
Centrair From Japan, joined Jan 2005, 3597 posts, RR: 21 Reply 2, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1803 times:
Maybe they will streamline their hubs and start some looking into other International destinations. They ordered the A350 for some reason.
Quoting PanAm330 (Reply 1): The new US Airways is going to be one hell of a powerful carrier if they play their cards right, and I suspect that they will.
Totally agree there. If they use their East and west ops effectively to connect the country and the world, they cannot fail. Maybe they will try to restart HP's dream of Japan.
Yes...I am not a KIX fan. Let's Japanese Aviation!
Aloha73g From United States of America, joined Jul 2003, 2301 posts, RR: 5 Reply 3, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1771 times:
The addition of Hawai'i routes should be interesting, and based on the good yields to/from Hawai'i since 9/11 I wouldn't be shocked to see PHL or CLT to HNL, which could easily make US a player in the growing and rather lucrative East Coast to Hawai'i market, now dominated by CO (EWR-HNL) and DL (CVG/ATL-HNL and ATL-OGG).
-Aloha!
Aloha Airlines - The Spirit Moves Us. Gone but NEVER Forgotten. Aloha, A Hui Hou!
PanAm330 From United States of America, joined Mar 2004, 2601 posts, RR: 10 Reply 4, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1755 times:
Quoting Centrair (Reply 2): They ordered the A350 for some reason.
I'd LOVE US even more if they started a non-stop PHL-HNL, especially if it was on the A330. The 767-200 will do for now . Are they still going to take the 332s? If so, I wouldn't be surprised to see a few longer routes to the west get some service, after the 762s are replaced.
TWA902fly From United States of America, joined Dec 1999, 3048 posts, RR: 4 Reply 5, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1741 times:
I dont think they need a midwest hub. If you think about it PHX LAS CLT PHL are very good hubs, and their west coast / northeast/FLL point to point networks help too. As far as i see it they need to midwest hub - they are not missing out on much. The Ohio Valley and Southeast USAirways has covered pretty well, everything East of Chicago. America West has got a good grip on the midwest as well with services from PHX. Anything from FSD to ELP. Instead of a hub i would think they need to give more to their loyal customers - establishing more connections taht before were not needed. Say something like DSM-PHL. There are not too many gaps there. The only passengers they are missing out on are midwest to midwest passengers, everyone else can be connected. People heading from MKE to STL for instance, or DFW to MSP. Those people i doubt would choose the new US for their flying needs. The midwest is well protected by NW and UA however, so i wouldn't worry too much about trying to disturb that. All other passengers are fine they way they are - everyone has a lot of choices now. flying SEA to FLL you can connect in any of US's new hubs,
anyways enough blabbering, my point is USAirways route network covers the nation pretty well. There are small gaps here and there. like the intra-florida market, northwest PDX-SEA type of routes, and midwest to midwest routes. Other than that they've got everyone.
'902
life wasn't worth the balance, or the crumpled paper it was written on
Ca2ohHP From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 932 posts, RR: 2 Reply 6, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1730 times:
I'm disappointed at what may be the beginning of a trend. For instance, CLE-DCA is dropped in the November schedule, after Indy Air pulls out of CLE.
CLE-CLT gets a mainline departure back for December, only to loose it to a CR9 in January. I guess this is just the begining of the cuts.
I would really like to see CLT-HNL and PHL-HNL but have not heard if that will become a reality yet.
FCYTravis From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 1191 posts, RR: 6 Reply 7, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1713 times:
They ordered the A350 as part of the Airbus financing package. All the recent purchases from both airlines have been Airbii, so it's more or less in keeping with fleet commonality.
The 10 A333s on order will replace the aging 762 fleet in transatlantic and Caribbean services, leaving the 20 A350s to expand service. The combined US Airways also has 30 A32x aircraft on order, presumably to replace some of the aging 737 Classic fleet.
I think it's rather presumptuous to say the airline "cannot fail," but I certainly think it has a good prospect for the future, giving US Airways what it needed to survive as a national carrier, namely a West Coast route network.
Unlike the last time USAir merged with a major player out here, the guys from the West are in control this time, so the dorks at CCY can't go dismantle it like they did to PSA.
As a frequent flyer who is elite on HP, I certainly hope the merged airline survives and thrives.
USAir A321 service now departing for SFO with fuel stops in CAK, COS and RNO. Enjoy your flight.
FCYTravis From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 1191 posts, RR: 6 Reply 8, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 12 hours ago) and read 1694 times:
As for the Midwest... that's what the UA codeshares are for. Why would US try and horn in on UA's stronghold territory, especially when doing so would surely antagonize their dancing partner for the Star Alliance?
What the new US should focus on is connecting existing outstation dots in the system... US stations to HP hubs and vice versa.
USAir A321 service now departing for SFO with fuel stops in CAK, COS and RNO. Enjoy your flight.
Stirling From Italy, joined Jun 2004, 3943 posts, RR: 27 Reply 10, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 1656 times:
Quoting PanAm330 (Reply 4): Are they still going to take the 332s? If so, I wouldn't be surprised to see a few longer routes to the west get some service, after the 762s are replaced.
From what I've read, the A330 is not all that efficient on stage lengths of less than six and a half hours.
The Trans-Cons from Philly are barely that.... (about 5:30 east/6:00 west)
Jetdeltamsy From United States of America, joined Nov 2000, 2984 posts, RR: 8 Reply 11, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 1613 times:
I think we can expect to see a lot of the smaller USAir markets throughout the northeast dropped...at least mainline service.
The low-cost model will be diffcult to maintain in these secondary cities.
Worked for too many airlines to list. Banktupcy after bankruptcy after bankruptcy.
Vega From , joined Dec 1969, posts, RR: Reply 12, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 1614 times:
Quoting Stirling (Reply 9): Other hub distances for comparison purposes:
Alaska/Horizon*
Portland/Seattle
112nm
US Airways
Phoenix/Las Vegas
222nm
American
Chicago-O'Hare/St Louis
224nm......
Yes, but none of the airlines which you mention are/or are actively persuing being an LCC.
FCYTravis From United States of America, joined Sep 2005, 1191 posts, RR: 6 Reply 13, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 11 hours ago) and read 1601 times:
Quoting Jetdeltamsy (Reply 11): I think we can expect to see a lot of the smaller USAir markets throughout the northeast dropped...at least mainline service.
The low-cost model will be diffcult to maintain in these secondary cities.
I don't know that those smaller markets haven't already had their mainline dropped. US has squillions of RJs and turboprops out of BOS, PHL and to a lesser extent PIT. HP has long had a thriving RJ/prop Express network so I don't see this going away, especially as it's one of the profitable parts of the US system - lots of captive BloFare markets.
Quoting Vega (Reply 12): Yes, but none of the airlines which you mention are/or are actively persuing being an LCC.
Umm... America West has its hubs at Phoenix and Las Vegas and *is* an LCC. Although Las Vegas is downgraded to a "focus city" by the new US metric.
USAir A321 service now departing for SFO with fuel stops in CAK, COS and RNO. Enjoy your flight.
Bridogger6 From United States of America, joined Apr 2005, 710 posts, RR: 11 Reply 14, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 1464 times:
Quoting FCYTravis (Reply 13): Umm... America West has its hubs at Phoenix and Las Vegas and *is* an LCC. Although Las Vegas is downgraded to a "focus city" by the new US metric
No, Las Vegas was never downgraded to a secondary city, in all the employee publications I've received, they tell us it will be one of our FIVE hubs. Also, people keep forgetting that the new USAirways plans on retaining PIT as a hub in addition to CLT, PHL, PHX, and LAS. PIT and LAS are still considered hubs, just secondary ones. Focus cities are entirely different, i.e. SAN, LAX, DCA.
ERJ170 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 6626 posts, RR: 19 Reply 15, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 1420 times:
Quoting Vega (Thread starter): Also, I have a lot of difficulty understanding the rationale for 2 major Hubs (CLT and PHL) less than 500 miles apart, even with the understanding that PHL is saturated.
.
Quoting Stirling (Reply 9): Other hub distances for comparison purposes:
Quoting Vega (Reply 12): Yes, but none of the airlines which you mention are/or are actively persuing being an LCC.
Brokenrecord From United States of America, joined Jul 2005, 772 posts, RR: 0 Reply 16, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 1411 times:
Well, I've already noted the changes to Dividend Miles, such as adding the Platinum level, and bumping up the segment requirement (same miles though) to attain Chairman's Preferred.
ERJ170 From United States of America, joined Apr 2004, 6626 posts, RR: 19 Reply 17, posted (7 years 7 months 1 week 1 day 3 hours ago) and read 1423 times:
I say those are good moves..
It was getting way to easy for people to get to Chairmans.. so much so that it was getting to be less and less of a thrill.. Chairmans should be a very lucrative and small group..
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