NYT article on the Shutte

[john john]

I don't believe that any Express carriers are CATII certified. On Thanksgiving Day there was 1 mainline cancellation and 76 at Express, I believe mainly for this reason. CLT was below Cat I and the Express operation was, well, to be kind, a zoo.

All express and USAirway mainline E190 are not CAT II or III

 

[N924PS]

I can see management playing the game again with the pilots. Take what we offer or we are going to sell. Putting jobs on the line. The shuttle is just a pawn I think USSAP is a different animal the company is not use to a in house union whereas ALPA was predicable

John Boy-

May I suggest you take a remedial writing class and at least use a dictionary or spell check and preview your posts.

It is difficult to fathom your message when it is so poorly composed and submitted.

Thanks in advance.

 

[Pi brat]

All express and USAirway mainline E190 are not CAT II or III

The 190s are CAT II, headed for CAT III.

 

[Pi brat]

Maybe I interpreted you post wrongly - I thought you were saying that mainline operating US shuttle flights provided an advantage over DL because a contractor operated some of their flights. If you were saying that mainline operating US Shuttle flights was better than having a contractor operate some of those US Shuttle flights, then I agree with you. Not so much because of the CAT II issue (how often is that really an issue?) but because of not having FC in US Express operated planes.

A couple of things you do need to consider with respect to Express on time stats, unless you've got access to info I don't - is that what is reported in the daily newsletter is for the Express operation as a whole. A specific Express operator could have better or worse on time stats than reported. Also, dispatch has the ability to swap ETD's between flights when there are delays, so how much of the difference comes from mainline getting preference in making those swaps?

Jim

It really depends on the operator, but as you say the Express division has lower stats than mainline. I asked a management type once why we didn't hold them to a higher standard and he said it was not that simple, as there were good reason for the higher cancellation rate, as you mentioned in the ETD swaps. You are right, CAT II doesn't come in to play that often, but when an airplane operated 10 flights a day it can really hammer an operation for that day.

I have been on Express carriers that put the mainline to shame and Express flights that I was embarrassed to have US Airways on the side. Pretty much just like the mainline, but in general mainline completion is better.

 

[BoeingBoy]

It really depends on the operator, but as you say the Express division has lower stats than mainline. I asked a management type once why we didn't hold them to a higher standard and he said it was not that simple, as there were good reason for the higher cancellation rate, as you mentioned in the ETD swaps. You are right, CAT II doesn't come in to play that often, but when an airplane operated 10 flights a day it can really hammer an operation for that day.

I have been on Express carriers that put the mainline to shame and Express flights that I was embarrassed to have US Airways on the side. the mainline, but in general mainline completion is better.

Remember that cancellations can also be out of the Express operators control and that what is reported is a composite view of the entire Express operation, not any particular Express operator. But enough about Express vs Mainline.

There's also that "monster" lurking under the bed - the "how much is US going to lose and can US afford to lose that much" monster. That load factor chart someone posted showed that LF is not much over 50% even with the E190's on the Shuttle. I know the plane is efficient, but making money with only 50 passengers isn't an easy task. Put Republic's E170's on those routes and LF goes to over 70% immediately - much easier to make money with 70%+ of the seats filled than only 50%+.

Keep in mind the beginning of this post. To use a hypothetical as an example and fill in what Kirby didn't say in that article...

In Oct 2008 US was standing at the top of a staircase called RASM that has 100 individual steps. By Oct 2009, US had gone down 35 of those 100 steps. In Nov 2009 US stopped descending. We believe that US will turn around and go up 10 steps during 2010. While that is good news, we really need to reach the top of the staircase again.

Profitability is the name of the game. If Parker/Kirby thinks selling the remaining E190's and using Republic 170's or 175's instead will help US become profitable, they'll do it in a heartbeat.

Jim

 

[Pi brat]

There's also that "monster" lurking under the bed - the "how much is US going to lose and can US afford to lose that much" monster.
Jim

We've been living with that monster for a while haven't we? Rightsize, shrink to profitability, restructure-nothing has seemed to slay the monster, just stay a step ahead.

I thought the same thing you did about improving RASM-10% over early last year sucks. Seems RASM is Kirby's favorite term. If they had taken better care of our best customers maybe the improvement would be faster and steeper. I guess we will see when we compare our numbers to our competitors that(IMHO) did.

 

[flybynite]

Regarding the E-190's....will we be selling the Sim too? Or will we keep it and train pilots for the other carriers for a fee?

 

[BoeingBoy]

Regarding the E-190's....will we be selling the Sim too? Or will we keep it and train pilots for the other carriers for a fee?

I've been out of the house for a while so maybe something new is out, but as far as I know US hasn't said anything definite about selling the remaining 15 E190's so I assume that the sim will be retained. If they do sell the rest of the 190 fleet, I'd expect the sim to be sold also.

Jim

 

[john john]

John Boy-

May I suggest you take a remedial writing class and at least use a dictionary or spell check and preview your posts.

It is difficult to fathom your message when it is so poorly composed and submitted.

Thanks in advance.

Sorry you do not understand that the slots and the shuttle are in play and management is using them as bargaining chip
Don’t like me ignore me
You talk a big game but no gonads
From my side of the tracks we have a name for that
I need no thanks from types like you

 

[john john]

headed for CAT III.

Don’t hold your breath

 

[BoeingBoy]

Sorry you do not understand that the slots and the shuttle are in play and management is using them as bargaining chip

I hate to be the one to break it to you john john, but the slots aren't "in play" - that hand was played a while back. The only part still in limbo is the Feds' approval - if approved the deal goes through, if not it doesn't without modifications. I don't recall any bargaining between the company and unions where those slots were the chips - maybe you could provide details on what the company was demanding in exchange for keeping those slots.

The Shuttle - it's not "in play" as of now - it's still being flown by mainline. If the company decides to sell the remainder of the E190's it remains to be seen if the Shuttle becomes "in play" or not, but I suspect that it will be like the slot deal - it'll just be announced with no "If you'll give up X we'll keep the 190's for the Shuttle, if not they're gone."

Jim

 

[john john]

The Shuttle - it's not "in play" as of now - it's still being flown by mainline. If the company decides to sell the remainder of the E190's it remains to be seen if the Shuttle becomes "in play" or not, but I suspect that it will be like the slot deal - it'll just be announced with no "If you'll give up X we'll keep the 190's for the Shuttle, if not they're gone."

Jim

We will see I think the slots are up for grabs and HP is entertaining all comers. The slots have always been involved because their noted and USSAP is getting some attention to bargain with management. You better believe the slots are a topic of discussions with management and USSAP especially with their statement. Management could threaten to sell or
handover all slots to express

 

[BoeingBoy]

We will see I think the slots are up for grabs and HP is entertaining all comers.

I suspect that DL, agreement in hand, would disagree with you.

The slots have always been involved because there noted and USSAP is getting some attention to bargain with management.

I'm not sure what the first part is saying - how are the slots "there noted"? Where is "there"? Noted how?

I haven't seen any indication that management is paying more, or less attention to pilot negotiations since the slot deal was announced. Could you provide some examples?

You better believe the slots are a topic of discussions with management and USSAP especially with there statement.

Any evidence? And again, where is "there" statement - I didn't know places could make statements?

Management could threaten to sell or handover all slots to express

Sure they could, at least the remaining slots if the swap with DL is approved. Are you just realizing that? Of course it would mean basically giving up at LGA. With no mainline service at LGA US would be throwing in the towel there - why even keep the slots to use them only for Express?

Jim

 

[john john]

if the swap with DL is approved.
Jim

A big if

 

[john john]

I suspect that DL, agreement in hand, would disagree with you.

Not a done deal