Mike Boyd Makes No Sense

[fr8tmastr]

The Dash is larger inside than any RJ, (the 170 is not an rj) And the Dash 400 is quiet and fast 350kts cruise. With fuel so high and no signs of it coming down US should really consider leading the pack for once and get some of the 400's

 

[funguy2]

As for INDY, you are right, not having someone around offering 49$ fares all the time will have no effect whatsoever

I think the idea here is that FlyI, even with $49 fares, is flying around 50 seats at 50% load factors. In otherwords, even with fares as low as $49, they cannot even come close to the record load factors that other airlines are enjoying. This suggests that many of the 25 people/flight who fly FlyI may be doing so only because the fares are dirt cheap. If these seats go away, and the $49 fares go away, the impact on US Airways is almost none. The market will shrink when fares rise, and supply will shrink. US Airways will probably see an impact, but not a very big one, since FlyI just isn't drawing a whole lot of people to begin with.

 

[mweiss]

I agree, except I think the EJet family should be branded as mainline and the DH8/CRJ as Express (or something snappier).

[post="243199"][/post]​

This may be related to the lobbying for using Express slots. If they made it look and quack like Express, then it should use Express slots. Now, if they make it look and quack like mainline, the slot exemption by be revisited.

It's a precarious balance.

 

[Rico]

the slot exemption by be revisited

.

It is not a slot exemption. The aircraft is certified by Embraer at a weight, that falls just below the maximum set by the goverment when they allocated specific slots to be used by "commuter aircraft".

Because of an inevitable end of markets supporting 125-seat aircraft

Strange you would say such a thing, but claim that the E-170 makes little financial sense right now. If there is a finite number of markets that can only support a 125 seat aircraft, then logically there are a given number of markets (or flight segments) that could instead support a 90 seater, or 70 seater as well. Thus the need for the E-170/190...

No the point was that there are only so many good LCC markets left, with the stiff competition that SWA is already getting from jetBlue, AirTran, and Spirit, that means that they have had to expand into markets in places that they used to avoid.

US Airways on the otherhand can establish new service from old markets using the slot, gates, and counter space that they already have. US Airways can expand into new markets as well, using the UA code and stations to tap an established customer base and UAL facilities. For example, DSM might be an attractive place to fly to from DCA or LGA, use the UA station and add a UA code, and you have yourself a new market to tap revenue from. (why conect through ORD on AAL when you can go direct instead...?

Funny thing about brand...it's a hungry beast. US Airways has a negative-value brand in much of the country. Don't believe me? Ask people in California (the nation's most populous state) what they think of US Airways

Yeah, whatever. Ask the same people what they think about America West nowadays too. AWA had as bad, or worse a rep going until their own turnaround, but not anymore. Continental is yet another example of a hard case carrier that was able to reestablish it's brand loyalty from wht had been in the basement.

Perhaps because ATL is a much better positioned hub for most of the nation's traffic to and from the southeast?

Yeah, so...? That is like saying IAH is a waste of CAL's time, because DFW is a better positioned hub. Without connections, CLT is positioned to draw from both piedmont triad and RDU areas, ATL just has Atlanta to draw from. Sure, it is a couple hour drive from GSO to CLT, but try getting from north of the perimeter to Hartsfield, and that takes a couple of hours in traffic too...

Also, CLT belongs to US Airways, ATL is shared between DAL and AirTran.

US has had much lower-hanging fruit than the other legacies.

IMO meaning we can more easily make operational changes and lower our costs than the other legacies which have already sought savings in these areas.

 

[Dog Wonder]

Bias is in the eye of the beholder.

 

[FM2436]

The Dash is larger inside than any RJ, (the 170 is not an rj) And the Dash 400 is quiet and fast 350kts cruise. With fuel so high and no signs of it coming down US should really consider leading the pack for once and get some of the 400's

[post="243204"][/post]​

I've heard Piedmont is looking for as many as 12 more previously-owned 300's.

 

[mweiss]

The aircraft is certified by Embraer at a weight, that falls just below the maximum set by the goverment when they allocated specific slots to be used by "commuter aircraft".

Interesting. I wonder if that would be changed if it started looking like mainline flights. In any case, I've learned something new here.

If there is a finite number of markets that can only support a 125 seat aircraft, then logically there are a given number of markets (or flight segments) that could instead support a 90 seater, or 70 seater as well.

One does not necessarily beget the other. The steepness of the demand curve at the 10 cent mark puts you in this strange twilight zone with the smallest aircraft.

No the point was that there are only so many good LCC markets left, with the stiff competition that SWA is already getting from jetBlue, AirTran, and Spirit, that means that they have had to expand into markets in places that they used to avoid.

That will happen, but 2004 isn't the year for it.

For example, DSM might be an attractive place to fly to from DCA or LGA

You'd need about 75,000 annual passengers to make this profitable, at a traditional legacy fare mix. That's almost three times the DCA-DSM market, and well over three times the LGA-DSM market.

Yeah, whatever. Ask the same people what they think about America West nowadays too.

Of course. But you were talking about leveraging an existing brand, not building one up. I'm saying that it has to be rebuilt before it can be used, and you're agreeing with me.

Yeah, so...? That is like saying IAH is a waste of CAL's time

You're putting words in my mouth again. I said that's the reason it wasn't mentioned, not that it's a waste of time.

Also, CLT belongs to US Airways, ATL is shared between DAL and AirTran.
IMO meaning we can more easily make operational changes and lower our costs than the other legacies which have already sought savings in these areas.

[post="243323"][/post]​

Once again saying that you have farther to go, so it's easier to get there. Not true now, just as it wasn't true a couple of days ago.