Panaman From United States, joined Sep 1999, 439 posts, RR: 3 Posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 13 hours ago) and read 2027 times:
Got this in an email today.
Book flights now for your winter holidays.
Flights starting November 17th available for purchase now at:
1-800-359-7262 or www.flypanam.com
Due to the extraordinary rise in fuel costs during this traditionally "slow season" for air travel, the Pan Am Clipper Connection is closing all flights* between September 6th and November 16th , 2005. Our winter-to-spring flights, from November 17, 2005 through April 1, 2006, are available for sale now.
We believe that by taking this step now, it will allow us to devote our resources to providing our customers with efficient service at reasonable rates come November. We look forward to resuming our scheduled service as of November 17th to meet the holiday demands of the traveling public.
Our customers are vitally important to us. Each customer who scheduled travel on the Pan Am Clipper Connection between September 6th and November 16th WILL receive a refund of their air fare.
For rebooking or refund, please call our Reservations Center at 1-800-359-7262 or click here. You will be asked to provide your name, contact information, and travel plans. This information will be used to research your claim and establish its validity. Please enter the information as accurately as possible in order to expedite your claim.
We greatly appreciate your continued patronage and look forward to serving you during the holidays and thereafter.
*Pertains to scheduled service 727 flights only. Charter flights and J31 Jetstream commuter flights are unaffected.
Sorry I moved from SXM, looking for a new house on Anguilla now!
Srbmod From United States, joined Mar 2001, 13479 posts, RR: 43 Reply 2, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 1885 times:
AIRLINERS.NET CREW FORUM MODERATOR
I hope these guys don't come back from this seasonal shutdown. There have been rumors that the FAA is getting ready to put the smackdown on the airline, so perhaps they're doing this shutdown in order to get their house in order maintenance-wise.
Vegas means comedy, tragedy, happiness and sadness all at the same time.
Ssides From United States, joined Feb 2001, 3771 posts, RR: 20 Reply 3, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 12 hours ago) and read 1868 times:
I am usually a big advocate for freedom of business, etc., but you're right -- it just seems wrong to have the Pan Am name on this dinky little airline.
I invite people to read some of these reviews on a non-aviation consumer advocacy website. I'm not completely sure that everyone will be getting their money back in a timely fashion due to the shutdown.
IRelayer From United States, joined Jul 2005, 880 posts, RR: 2 Reply 7, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 10 hours ago) and read 1639 times:
I don't understand the whole point of this airline. From an operational standpoint, it seems to be run chaotically. The fares aren't **that** cheap, the equipment is comparatively old and poorly maintained at that, and they seem to just fly to and from random airports, with no real plan or goal in mind, and very slow expansion. It seems to me that, with a name like Pan Am, they could at least secure some funding, lease some new aircraft, advertise, increase the scope of the operation, and have a run at having a real airline deserving of the Pan Am name. Otherwise, what is the point of having a name like Pan Am on what is essentially a poorly-managed commuter/vacation airline?
Georgiabill From United States, joined Mar 2003, 481 posts, RR: 0 Reply 8, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 1613 times:
I have completely given up on the new PanAm! I flew then a couple times between Manchester NH and myrtle Beach. I would guess atleast 90% seats sold. The route was dropped? If you sell 90% of the seats is that not a good thing?
INTENSS From Czech Republic, joined Aug 2004, 317 posts, RR: 1 Reply 9, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 9 hours ago) and read 1565 times:
Quoting Georgiabill (Reply 8): I have completely given up on the new PanAm! I flew then a couple times between Manchester NH and myrtle Beach. I would guess atleast 90% seats sold. The route was dropped? If you sell 90% of the seats is that not a good thing?
It's not always HOW MANY seats you're filling up...but HOW MUCH you're making off those seats. The market there might have been dictating too low of a price per seat to make it feasible.
Georgiabill From United States, joined Mar 2003, 481 posts, RR: 0 Reply 10, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 1524 times:
I agree! Yes the seats were golf related junkets. I don't know what they paid for their 727's however I willing to speculate they were heck of a less than a brand new factory fresh Boeing 737 or Airbus A320 family aircraft. Thus making the costs less. Yes probably less fuel efficient but I am sure the cost of the plane versus a new airbus or Boeing still was economically viable in the market
INTENSS From Czech Republic, joined Aug 2004, 317 posts, RR: 1 Reply 11, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 1499 times:
Quoting Georgiabill (Reply 10): Yes probably less fuel efficient but I am sure the cost of the plane versus a new airbus or Boeing still was economically viable in the market
This is exactly what they - as a company - had to look at to see if this was a viable operation. Apparently it was not. We'll never know what their true costs were.....and/or the revenue coming in.
You gotta think something in the formula isn't right when they have to drop cities one after another. After a while you have to come to the conclusion that their "game plan" isn't panning out and that it's time for a new one - or none at all.
Georgiabill From United States, joined Mar 2003, 481 posts, RR: 0 Reply 12, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 5 days 8 hours ago) and read 1466 times:
Intess Not trying tobe argumentative. I was just trying to point out that I felt the economics of buying a used 727-200 even with increased fuel consumption and having a flight engineer could still be more viable than buying a factory fresh 737 or A320 family aircraft
MSYtristar From United States, joined Aug 2005, 4712 posts, RR: 52 Reply 15, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 18 hours ago) and read 1148 times:
This airline should just throw in the towel. It's a disgrace to the Pan Am name. Even though I love seeing that blue globe flying, enough is enough. I just wish the idiots that run this joke of an airline would realize how they are tarnishing a respected name. Railroad folk can't run airlines, and vice versa.
DAL767400ER From Germany, joined Feb 2005, 5434 posts, RR: 48 Reply 17, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 15 hours ago) and read 983 times:
Good riddance to them. I just wish that shutdown was permant and not temporary. What Guilford has done with the glorious name of Pan Am is just a big shame.
INTENSS From Czech Republic, joined Aug 2004, 317 posts, RR: 1 Reply 19, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 4 hours ago) and read 751 times:
Quoting ExFATboy (Reply 18): Good God, these people are pathetic. Hopefully Allegiant moving into NH will put one more nail in this joke of an airline's coffin.
Or another in their own.
Very quick expansion in a short period of time.......more times than not, a recipe for disaster.
Sulman From United Kingdom, joined Mar 2004, 1926 posts, RR: 28 Reply 20, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 727 times:
I'd suspect this is a consequence of using such old equipment. 727's are hardly cheap to run, and 90% loads or not, they must be struggling to cover costs.
INTENSS From Czech Republic, joined Aug 2004, 317 posts, RR: 1 Reply 21, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 2 days 3 hours ago) and read 723 times:
Quoting Sulman (Reply 20): I'd suspect this is a consequence of using such old equipment. 727's are hardly cheap to run, and 90% loads or not, they must be struggling to cover costs.
Agreed. Pan Am managmeent may have been salivating when they got the United 72's on the cheap, but are now paying the consequences with extremely costly planes to operate in this current environment.
I think they're past the point of where they can do a fleetwide swap of equipment.
NWOrientDC10 From United States, joined Mar 2005, 1305 posts, RR: 3 Reply 22, posted (3 years 3 months 1 week 18 hours ago) and read 546 times:
Quoting IRelayer (Reply 7): the equipment is comparatively old
Granted and you have a right to say this as do others here with similar statements.
However, I hope this airline stays around because this may be the last chance I have of ever flying a 72S again (unless I come into a lot of $$$ and charter one ). As for the Pan Am name being poorly represented, this may be so but I guess I'm being a bit selfish for wanting to fly a B727-200 again as it is my
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). As for the Pan Am name being poorly represented, this may be so but I guess I'm being a bit selfish for wanting to fly a B727-200 again as it is my