BOS,LGA,andLAS bases to close in 2010

[NoMoreKoolAid]

I thought a lot of the flying being added to DCA through the slot/swap transfer business with Delta was going to be majority mainline or Republic at the least. That wouldn't involve the express mosh pit.

From what i was just told...DCA will get 44 new f/a and little time on the first round. Then the 190s will come when they finish up the Delta swap.
Who knows what the sandcastle is thinking... it all looks like a set up for a merger soon.

But this is only my two cents.

 

[VAflyGal]

The agent that sounds like an auctioneer is a trip. I commute out of that gate a lot and those agents always take care of me. One time my flight was delayed so I went into the crew room to nap. The plane miraculously was repaired quicker than originally thought. The agent CAME AND WOKE ME UP so I wouldn't miss the flight home. It's nice when we take care of each other.
But in general, 35A - 35B is a zoo nightmare. All the pax stand around the escilator like vultures. I'm waiting for the pigpile of people and bags to logjam at the top or bottom where someone gets hurt. Especially when they have the Honor Flights and the horn-blowers by 36.

It's part of the trademark charm of the place. Commuter World works despite the difficulties.

 

[ontimetada]

The agent that sounds like an auctioneer is a trip. I commute out of that gate a lot and those agents always take care of me. One time my flight was delayed so I went into the crew room to nap. The plane miraculously was repaired quicker than originally thought. The agent CAME AND WOKE ME UP so I wouldn't miss the flight home. It's nice when we take care of each other.
But in general, 35A - 35B is a zoo nightmare. All the pax stand around the escilator like vultures. I'm waiting for the pigpile of people and bags to logjam at the top or bottom where someone gets hurt. Especially when they have the Honor Flights and the horn-blowers by 36.

Yes the agents at gate 35a are wonderful. They do a very good job and handle a lot of passengers in a zoo like setting!

 

[does this plane go to paris]

LAS is very near and dear to WN which includes the expansion of the walkway between B and C terminals and they have also put a large Pilot and F/A base there just in the past 2 years. I'm sure that WN paid very close attention to yesterday's announcent, just as B6 did and today announced that they are increasing BOS flight activity by 30%.

 

[usa1]

Jetblue picking up the slack in BOS http://finance.yahoo.com/news/JetBlue-to-i...ml?x=0&.v=7

 

[FlyOnWall]

What slack? US is closing a crew base, not some sort of giant hub there. US Airways does not fly to any of those destinations JetBlue is expanding in. The only thing US is dropping is it's Caribbean flights, the rest is Shuttle.

 

[Furloughd4now]

NO, they're closing TWO read TWO crew bases! Both bases were not exclusive to Shuttle either.

 

[CactUS Mech]

NO, they're closing TWO read TWO crew bases! Both bases were not exclusive to Shuttle either.

There closing 3 crew bases..2 are Shuttle LGA and BOS and 1 is non shuttle-LAS. This should have been done a long time ago. It was just a matter of time. Its all about saving 10 cents today in these tough economic times and trying to make a dollar tommorrow when the economy picks up. You gotta be in it to win it.

 

[VAflyGal]

There closing 3 crew bases..2 are Shuttle LGA and BOS and 1 is non shuttle-LAS. This should have been done a long time ago. It was just a matter of time. Its all about saving 10 cents today in these tough economic times and trying to make a dollar tommorrow when the economy picks up. You gotta be in it to win it.

What Kool-Aid are you drinking there, friend? Obviously you've never been through base closures, displacements, or furloughs. If I hear "in these tough economic times" one more time I'm gonna throw something. The company has been saving "10 cents" with the horrendous contracts we flight attendants and pilots have had before and since the bankruptcy. What would make more sense is the executive bonuses getting cut or done away with all together. We are so sick of being kicked around.
*digs in heels*

 

[Dog Wonder]

Save ten cents, lose a dollar.

 

[FlyOnWall]

NO, they're closing TWO read TWO crew bases! Both bases were not exclusive to Shuttle either.

I read perfectly fine. My response was in regards to Boston, where another poster claimed JetBlue is picking up service US Airways is abandoning. The impression is that US Airway presently serves tons of destinations non-stop from Boston, and they do not. I pointed out that while the crew base is closing, the only non-stop service from Boston US Airways is dropping is the Caribbean service. The rest remains- Shuttle and service to the hubs. None of those destinations JetBlue is adding are US Airways routes.

Maybe YOU should read.

 

[Furloughd4now]

What Kool-Aid are you drinking there, friend? Obviously you've never been through base closures, displacements, or furloughs. If I hear "in these tough economic times" one more time I'm gonna throw something. The company has been saving "10 cents" with the horrendous contracts we flight attendants and pilots have had before and since the bankruptcy. What would make more sense is the executive bonuses getting cut or done away with all together. We are so sick of being kicked around.
*digs in heels*

AGREED...They've been tripping over the dollar picking up the pennies for years .. . off the backs of the frontline employees :angry: :angry:

Oh and LAS, with the exception of the Pilots, FAs are a "satellite" RSV base. Don't beat me,I worked it. But LGA and BOS are/were REAL bases :down: So easy to say when you out west and perhaps don't know how it works...... We (back east) have accepted it and are ready to move on.... NEXT!

 

[NAPAUS]

Well USairways is YET AGAIN shooting themselves in the foot. BOS and LGA are major US cities and US just cant and WONT compete. Always has been a TIER II airline, now they just moved to TIER III. Just handed over yet another major operation to another carrier. GOOD FOR JB. They know how to run an airline. US never has known and NEVER will. SO SAD! h34r: :down:

 

[USA320Pilot]

What I find interesting is that US Airways will increase service in PHL and PHX and Southwest is cutting service in these markets. What those interested US Airways' success need to realize is that with the pilot contract minimum fleet count, minimum block hour requirement, and recent Transition Agreement minimum block hour grievance victory, the LGA, BOS and LAS ASMs will be transfered to PHL, DCA, CLT, and PHX. Next year the company's ASMs will be flat with a slight increase in international ASMs and a decrease in domestic ASMs.

Do I like the crew base closures, markets eliminated, and furloughs? No, but I understand the logic. That does not make this any easier on those employees affected by the restructuring. What both Southwest and US Airways are doing is re-deploying assets to cut CASM, increase RASM, and improve earnings. Is that not what management and its employees should focus on?

For example, I was recently told the LGA terminal lease and maintenance expense is $71.5 million per year and when the Delta Slot Transaction is complete the LGA lease and maintenance expense will drop to $4.5 million per year, which is a $67 million per year savings.

Furthermore, the House and Senate have legislation headed to Conference Committee that is expected to lift the DCA perimeter rule in 2010. Once this occurs Doug Parker indicated in a recent Crew News session that US Airways will fly from DCA to West Coast cities, which is expected to further increase the company's RASM.

As far as Southwest moving assets to other markets and away from US Airways' key operations last week the following article was posted on AOL.

Wall Street airline analysts loved the details US Airways executives dished out Thursday to support their optimism that business finally appears to be getting better.

One called the figures President Scott Kirby rattled off to show improving business-travel demand and airfares "refreshingly blunt."

Dan McKenzie of Next Generation Equity Research thinks the executives left out an important factor behind the airline's bullishness: flight cutbacks at rival Southwest Airlines.

US Airways is able to more easily raise ticket prices at two key hubs, Phoenix and Philadelphia, he says, because Southwest is making significant capacity cuts there. The airline isn't growing this year for the first time because of the recession but it has been aggressively starting service in new markets such as Minneapolis, Boston and New York by cutting flights at existing airports.

In Phoenix, McKenzie said in a report Friday, Southwest is offering 10.4 percent fewer non-stop seats each week to cities where it overlaps with US Airways. In the first three months of next year, it will offer 6 percent fewer seats on the same basis, McKenzie said in a report. US Airways and Southwest dominate Sky Harbor International Airport, carrying nearly three out of four passengers.

The Southwest cutbacks on overlapping routes are even greater in Philadelphia, according to his research.

Southwest has 20 percent fewer non-stop seats per week out of Philadelphia to cities where it overlaps with US Airways. In the first quarter, the cut is 22 percent.

At both hubs, the Southwest cutbacks on non-stop routes where it competes with US Airways are significantly higher than overall flight cuts at the airport and US Airways' cutbacks.

"It's really Southwest's capacity cuts in US Airways' markets that give us the confidence that revenues are in fact improving for US Airways," he said in the report.

He said Tempe-based US Airways has one of the better competitive dynamics in the industry right now.

Speaking of Southwest I understand many Southwest Captain's are now being downgraded back to First Officer as the Texas-based company downsizes.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[FlyOnWall]

GOOD FOR JB. They know how to run an airline. US never has known and NEVER will.

Again, please tell us what service (and major operation?) US is handing to JetBlue? US Airways does not fly any of those routes, and the Boston operation is far from major.

I do agree though that US Airways has become a third tier airline.