More European Expansion?

[USA320Pilot]

Back from the Brink

WASHINGTON (Air Transport World) - Philadelphia also is building nicely as an international hub. During the second quarter, the carrier inaugurated seasonal service to both Shannon and Dublin, bringing to 10 the number of transatlantic destinations served out of the city. Star membership is expected to do wonders. “We want to make it into the international gateway for Star partnerships,â€￾ CEO Dave Siegel said. He thinks that US Airways will ultimately will be flying to 20 European destinations from the city.

Respectfully,

Chip

 

[USFlyer]

And with what planes seeing as no Airbus deliveries are scheduled until 2007?

 

[Hope777]

We will have 20 or so destinations from Philly.....only they wont be in our metal...

 

[USFlyer]

If no US metal, then no US revenue. So, if the route is a potential profit center, it's in US's best interest to fly it itself.

 

[ITRADE]

And with what planes seeing as no Airbus deliveries are scheduled until 2007?

Well, nobody said that planes could not be ever ordered or that delivery schedules couldn't be accelerated. I'm sure that Airbus would love to move a couple deliveries up to 2005.

Moreover, don't underestimate the value of the 2d hand aircraft market. There are lots of 767-200s and -300s sitting around to be leased out.

 

[flyin2low]

Codeshare, anybody?

 

[AOG-N-IT]

Well, nobody said that planes could not be ever ordered or that delivery schedules couldn't be accelerated. I'm sure that Airbus would love to move a couple deliveries up to 2005.

Moreover, don't underestimate the value of the 2d hand aircraft market. There are lots of 767-200s and -300s sitting around to be leased out.

Accelerated deliveries are a possible solution...especially if the IAM loses out on the Airbus heavy maintenance?

I could see Boeings droppng from the ranks like flies under this possible scenario.

I do not see Dave and Dave going after second hand 767's at all...especially with the above situation looming...and the fact that orders have already been converted to take future deliveries of the A330-200....that can definately be accelerated if We lose the work? This can also expedite the loss of thousands of more jobs at U...while insuring future jobs in Europe and possibly Alabama. (Yuck) !!!

U's manuevering insures little too nothing for anyone whom works here presently...except the required number of pilots to fly the planes....and the skeleton crew of F/A's that are required to staff a given flight.

By and large...until U decides to treat it's people like the assets we are....and build tangible promise into a long term future for those of us whom have done everything asked to keep this company going....I see nothing to get excited about in such issues as this at all .

 

[AM49AAA]

I have heard that Stockholm and Glasgow are in the works for the spring.

 

[phllax]

I don't know what the status of the following is, maybe Chip can tell us. Earlier in the summer there were loud rumblings that some of the leases on UA 757 and 767, including the 300ER, aircraft held by the Retirement Systems of Alabama would not be renewed and the aircraft would me making their way to Airways. Is this still a possibility or is it dead in the water.

Also heard that Glasgow was a definate for next summer. Also heard that Vienna and Zurich were also in the works.

 

[ITRADE]

I don't know what the status of the following is, maybe Chip can tell us. Earlier in the summer there were loud rumblings that some of the leases on UA 757 and 767, including the 300ER, aircraft held by the Retirement Systems of Alabama would not be renewed and the aircraft would me making their way to Airways. Is this still a possibility or is it dead in the water.

Also heard that Glasgow was a definate for next summer. Also heard that Vienna and Zurich were also in the works.

I've been p-mailing with a couple folks on this.

There is a "wish" list and a "likely" list.

The wish list would be:
LHR
MXP
VIE
ZRH
GLA

The likely list probably is:
VIE
GLA
ZRH

I put VIE at #1 as VIE is a Star alliance gateway for Austrian Airlines which covers one he11 of a lot of Europe and the Mid-east.

 

[mrplanes]

“We want to make it into the international gateway for Star partnerships,â€￾ CEO Dave Siegel said."

That is the key to the quote. This guy has no plans for expansion of U's flying. This will all be us feeding a codeshare partner using our facilities. It will bring in revenue to U with little overhead. Overhead being flying our own jets on the routes. Get it in you head people: "Super-Regional" was the term Seigel used. Not super-international. Not super-national. "Super-Regional".

mr

 

[ITRADE]

“We want to make it into the international gateway for Star partnerships,” CEO Dave Siegel said."

That is the key to the quote. This guy has no plans for expansion of U's flying. This will all be us feeding a codeshare partner using our facilities. It will bring in revenue to U with little overhead. Overhead being flying our own jets on the routes. Get it in you head people: "Super-Regional" was the term Seigel used. Not super-international. Not super-national. "Super-Regional".

mr

Well, if this was necessarily true, then US would never have commenced SNN/DUB service.

 

[a320av8r]

Just a note about this website.
You will never hear anything positive.
If something positive is posted it is immediately turned to the dark side.
Go ahead- here comes the negative...

 

[ITRADE]

Just a note about this website.
You will never hear anything positive.
If something positive is posted it is immediately turned to the dark side.
Go ahead- here comes the negative...

No kidding. I kinda miss the good days of USAviation and PlaneBusiness when there was actual, enlightened discussion of matters; not simply, I hate my job, I hate US Airways, I hate management, I don't get paid enough, but I'm too chicken to quit.

Yes sir. I remember the recent announcements by US that it was going to start service to SJO and MEX, and the only response by the naysayers was, "Well, there goes another aircraft stolen from mainline service. What city are they gonna close now."

Sheesh.

 

[Dea Certe]

Itrade,

It is indeed very sad that our employees have gotten so cynical. I don't believe most of us are cynical by nature. In my opinion, we have been made cynical by management. We were told paycuts and benefit cuts would allow US Airways to stay in business: that wasn't enough, they came back for more. Several times. Bases and stations have been closed, TPA was shut down with no warning. It's like we are in a shell-shocked state, waiting for the next shoe to drop and praying it won't hit us in the head. This isn't just in one department, it's system wide.

I don't hate my job. I hate not having the tools to do what I consider a good service. I hate it that my pax are so unhappy about all the cuts (glassware, in particular seems to be the biggest complaint) and there's nothing I can do about it. Other day, a US1 asked my name and told me this was his last flight on US Airways. He said he wanted to use his last coupon to write me a good letter. I asked why he was leaving US and he tells me the service has fallen off so much he's tried other carriers. Apparently, we no longer offer mainline service to his most used destinations. He hates the RJ's and another carrier has jet service with a "real" first class. He claimed he would miss the employees, especially the agents in PIT who have always treated him so well but since he spends so much time in the air, he needs to be comfortable. All I could do is thank him for his business all these years and ask that he please check back on US from time to time. Maybe we would reinstate mainline service in the future. I also asked that he write a letter telling our mangement all of this. He told me he's done with letter writing as he's never gotten a satisfactory response. That broke my heart.

So, it seems our management is driving away good business. Our best customers are leaving us and there's little we rank and filers can do. We listen to the constant drumbeat from the Palace that labor is the problem. It's frustrating and disheartening. Of course it takes a toll on us. Very sad and a sign to my mind that management is the problem.

Dea