1st Class Seats Removed from 757''s

[TomBascom]

Reducing the number of upgrade opportunities is not going to improve the bottom line. It will only serve to drive your premium customers to SWA and the ilk even faster.

If you''re going to be a "network" carrier you have to remember why you have a network -- just where do you think your premium customers take their families & friends when they''re burning their miles? (Or actually buying tickets for a vacation?) Do you really think that someone who flies 50 times a year and who almost always upgrades wants to ride from LGA to FLL in coach? Don''t you think that he might even want to bring his wife (or her husband or whatever) up front too?

Oddly enough there''s even some business transacted in FL.

It''s not like the planes are routinely flying with only 4 out of the 24 F seats taken.

If there''s really such a crushing demand for cheap coach seats why not start flying the 767s or 330s on those routes? Wouldn''t that be cheaper still?

I''ll grant that this is a less bad idea than MJ or Song. But it''s not fixing the real problem.

 

[AtlanticBeach]

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On 5/8/2003 12:03:20 PM LavMan wrote:


A330, we were told months ago about the move, before staffing levels were changed, informed us that they were not getting the revenue out of the expanded F/C on the 757s and they were going to be used on NE to FL, and from the hubs to PHX and LAS, low yield, high density routes as the 757 is more suited for that use.

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Does this mean that we are going to see the return of non-stops between Florida and the Northeast? If yes, is US going toe-to-toe with Song?

What does not make sense is for this equipment to be used through the existing hubs.

In the mid 90''s AA made virtually all of the Carribean a dedicated A300 operation. They kept a spare aircraft at SJU or STT. Might the US 757s be headed for the Carribean instead of Florida?

 

[LavMan]

Mark we have seen the job cards and it calls for 8 seats in F/C and 193 in the back. Staffing with 5 F/As makes sense for 201 people for customer service besides safety.

 

[AnalyzeThis]

Markmywords-

I agree that the removal of all but eight First Class seats makes sense on these low yield runs. While it would be nice to offer the CP and upper tier customers the expanded first class, it makes no sense when we can generate more revenue in these markets in the main cabin.

Facts are facts, more seats equals more revenue. The eight seats will still offer the CP the option to upgrade and it''s win-win.

I see good things at US Airways when this economy starts to grow, although we all have had to give to make it this far.

Keep up your positive posts, it''s refreshing....

 

[PHL]

Would someone please submit a suggestion through that new "employee suggestion program" to thoroughly give those 757 F cabins a good cleaning from top to bottom. Those light grey leather seats are riddled with pen marks. The seat back pockets are freying and starting to rip off. The beige/ivory side panels on the walls and seats are filthy. The air vents(on the floor) are caked with who knows what. The center consoles are loose and some come off. Need I go on?

Replacing those aging screens hanging from the aisle(throughout the plane) might not be a bad idea either. They're pretty hard to watch these days. I've got another suggestion along this line to put in another post.

 

[gogogadget]

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On 5/8/2003 12:09:30 PM USAirBoyA330 wrote:

So how involved will this realignment be? Is it as simple as moving the seats and adding coach? I take it a new bulkhead will be put in place but we are not moving lavs or anything right?

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It involves relocating the seats, relocating the emergency equipment, relocating any wiring that goes with the seats, adjucting the center of gravity on the aircraft for weight and balance calculations and it means a re-weigh of the aircraft. A fairly detailed process just to change seats. Probably more that I havent mentioned.

Gadget

 

[PHL]

The 757 serves 89 mainline stations??! I never thought it was that many. Maybe Dave should take after his counterpart - the other Dave - at JetBlue. He gets his hands dirty and helps the crew clean the airplane after pax deplane.

 

[LavMan]

no us airways flies to 89 mainline stations and we have 31 757s only have utility at 18 of those 89

 

[LavMan]

Well PHL that is what you get when you fly into 89 mainline stations and you only have Utility at 18, vendors don''t care and at the 18 stations where we have Utility on third shift, we are so short handed that things dont get done.

 

[mbmbbost]

This will be fine if they actually fly from the Northeast to Florida. If they keep tossing in stops in one of the hubs though, there are plenty of nonstops on other airlines that make more sense for the money spent. It''s been the likelihood of an upgrade going from BOS to FL that has kept me flying US even though I''d much prefer a nonstop of the old Metrojet style.

 

[LGA777]

The former EA 757''s had 16 F seats (4 rows) and some of the new from Boeing aircraft started out that way as well. I remember flying on 617 when fairly new with the F16 configuration. I can not remember the Y capacity but there
were 3 rows of Y between First and the 2LR doors. Perhaps with this configuration US can re-enter the LGA-Florida market to compete with Song which takes over all LGA to TPA/MCO/PBI/FLL flying from DL during August. I think this configuration is much more logical than the Y199 of Song.

 

[LavMan]

They are only changed as needed unless they are in for the annual C-Check or three year Q-Check. Bottom line is we do not have enough utility to keep the airplanes in the shape they require.

For example we have so many overnighters in CLT that not all airplanes get an RON cleaning, they cut the man power back too far, that numerous airplanes on the RON only get a thru flight cleaning and security check.

 

[USAirBoyA330]

I second the idea of giving these 757s a good scrub-down. They are just filthy and over the past year or two passengers have started to make comments. It''s mostly the 757s but the 737s are just as bad. I mean some of the seat backs are just nasty and the carpets stained. Would it hurt to take a steam cleaner to them? How often to we change out the seat covers on these aircraft?

 

[USAirBoyA330]

PITBull:

While this sounds all well and good...lets not go sounding the staffing alarm. They might change their minds and put on 199 or something. Lets not spoil it...but it does sound hopeful.

 

[PITbull]

Actually, if the 757 are having first class seats taken out...what I understand is 8 f/c seats and 193 coach...when I count that makes for 201 passengers. That translates to an extra f/a body on the 757 to 5....

AFA will be asking when the company plans to do this.