PHX PHLyer
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- Nov 22, 2006
- 235
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I thought it was interesting to note that when WN announced their expansion plans for the beginning of next year, there was absolutely NO expansion in PHX. That has to be the first time that that has happened in MANY years, if ever.
Recently, they added DTW, BUF, PVD service and extra frequencies accross the board. But not so much as an increase in frequency could be found this time around.
It is my theory, based on what I have heard from friends, family, and random people in the PHX area, that the "New" US Airways is to blame. Prior to the merger, people flew whoever was the cheapest, had the best time, etc., and oftentimes the WN effect of simply booking on WN because you think there is no way that anyone else could be cheaper (which is often false!) Now I have found that people make a concerted effort to fly HP/US because they can actually get some worth and usage from their FF miles. While the HP program offered preferred status, if you weren't a serious traveller you could only really fly to places in North America on FF miles. My father, for one, used to fly WN almost exclusively (all business trips) and now is a HP/US Chairman's Elite for the second year in a row flying on high yielding tickets. Other people said they used to be indifferent to who they flew, but now purchase HP/US over WN because of Caribbean, Hawaii, and Europe options. Many people have also changed their credit cards from AA, DL and United (they were using them for the points and intl travel) to US. I know good family friends that used to do all intl travelling on AA, but now switched to HP/US and bought full fare First/Envoy tickets for 4 this summer PHX-MAD, BCN-PHX. That's serious revenue that HP/US was not making before.
So I wonder if WN is starting to feel the heat in PHX? They used to be nearly neck and neck with HP at PHX and were always adding service, but I wonder if the FF program and newfound support for the hometown airline is putting a damper in WN's PHX plans? Has anyone else found this happening at other stations, or is WN still putting a large hole in the US market share at other airports around the country?
Recently, they added DTW, BUF, PVD service and extra frequencies accross the board. But not so much as an increase in frequency could be found this time around.
It is my theory, based on what I have heard from friends, family, and random people in the PHX area, that the "New" US Airways is to blame. Prior to the merger, people flew whoever was the cheapest, had the best time, etc., and oftentimes the WN effect of simply booking on WN because you think there is no way that anyone else could be cheaper (which is often false!) Now I have found that people make a concerted effort to fly HP/US because they can actually get some worth and usage from their FF miles. While the HP program offered preferred status, if you weren't a serious traveller you could only really fly to places in North America on FF miles. My father, for one, used to fly WN almost exclusively (all business trips) and now is a HP/US Chairman's Elite for the second year in a row flying on high yielding tickets. Other people said they used to be indifferent to who they flew, but now purchase HP/US over WN because of Caribbean, Hawaii, and Europe options. Many people have also changed their credit cards from AA, DL and United (they were using them for the points and intl travel) to US. I know good family friends that used to do all intl travelling on AA, but now switched to HP/US and bought full fare First/Envoy tickets for 4 this summer PHX-MAD, BCN-PHX. That's serious revenue that HP/US was not making before.
So I wonder if WN is starting to feel the heat in PHX? They used to be nearly neck and neck with HP at PHX and were always adding service, but I wonder if the FF program and newfound support for the hometown airline is putting a damper in WN's PHX plans? Has anyone else found this happening at other stations, or is WN still putting a large hole in the US market share at other airports around the country?
