Light Years
Veteran
- Aug 27, 2002
- 2,878
- 0
Once again, theres not an entity called US Airways Shuttle to be sold. Shuttle Inc (formerly Trump Shuttle) fully merged into US Airways in August 2000. There is no longer a dedicated Shuttle fleet (because that worked so well in Florida and California 
), in fact, to my knowlege no a/c even wear Shuttle titles anymore or are configured with the Shuttle cabin (another mistake in my opinion.) Despite that, they still market it as "the US Airways Shuttle" and use the logo on marketing.
The only thing for sale would be the huge number of slots in the 3 corridor airports, that could be used for Shuttle flights or for whatever the acquirer wants to do with them (though they would still be held to the same silly perimeter rules US and everyone else is in New York and Washington). Not as valuable as they were a few short years ago, but still the most sought after rights in the country. If US was throwing in gates and terminal space that makes it all the better. But there's no carrier with a high enough offer to make a sale of such valuable assets worth it. And for US, the price is higher than finances- they are arguably what makes US Airways a serious airline and merger consideration.
These assets are much more important to US Airways than an Ohio based commuter airline with a few RJs. Without the major presence in the three business capitals of the east, US is left with an even more ridiculous route system with arguably the three lamest hubs in the nation. To do this weeks plan of point to point, they need to retain, and beef up the presence in these high O&D, important cities, and de-emphasize stuff like Pittsburgh. So giving away the Shuttle, or really the tools to have one, is pretty dumb- those Shuttle routes are precisely the high O&D point to point US wants. The loss of it would lose a huge percentage of US FF base, not to mention the negative public connotation- although not as lucrative at the moment as it once was, its still considered US's crown jewel. It'd be the equivalent of when Pan Am sold Heathrow.
As for PSA, no one would notice if the name by the door changes on the US Express RJ that serves thier hometown, nor would any of U's plans change, or the number of RJs flown under its colours. They have made it screamingly clear, even to its customers, that they dont give two hoots who actually does the flying of the plane or how good a job they do, as long as its cheap. If PSA can be sold to Mesa they get instant cash and get to outsource even more of that pesky business of running an airline. Since its a seperate subsidiary, they dont have to worry about labor and fragmentation stuff either.
I hope our PSA employees aren't sold to the devil, but if it came down to the assets we use for the Shuttle and the W/Os, its not hard to see what would go.
), in fact, to my knowlege no a/c even wear Shuttle titles anymore or are configured with the Shuttle cabin (another mistake in my opinion.) Despite that, they still market it as "the US Airways Shuttle" and use the logo on marketing.The only thing for sale would be the huge number of slots in the 3 corridor airports, that could be used for Shuttle flights or for whatever the acquirer wants to do with them (though they would still be held to the same silly perimeter rules US and everyone else is in New York and Washington). Not as valuable as they were a few short years ago, but still the most sought after rights in the country. If US was throwing in gates and terminal space that makes it all the better. But there's no carrier with a high enough offer to make a sale of such valuable assets worth it. And for US, the price is higher than finances- they are arguably what makes US Airways a serious airline and merger consideration.
These assets are much more important to US Airways than an Ohio based commuter airline with a few RJs. Without the major presence in the three business capitals of the east, US is left with an even more ridiculous route system with arguably the three lamest hubs in the nation. To do this weeks plan of point to point, they need to retain, and beef up the presence in these high O&D, important cities, and de-emphasize stuff like Pittsburgh. So giving away the Shuttle, or really the tools to have one, is pretty dumb- those Shuttle routes are precisely the high O&D point to point US wants. The loss of it would lose a huge percentage of US FF base, not to mention the negative public connotation- although not as lucrative at the moment as it once was, its still considered US's crown jewel. It'd be the equivalent of when Pan Am sold Heathrow.
As for PSA, no one would notice if the name by the door changes on the US Express RJ that serves thier hometown, nor would any of U's plans change, or the number of RJs flown under its colours. They have made it screamingly clear, even to its customers, that they dont give two hoots who actually does the flying of the plane or how good a job they do, as long as its cheap. If PSA can be sold to Mesa they get instant cash and get to outsource even more of that pesky business of running an airline. Since its a seperate subsidiary, they dont have to worry about labor and fragmentation stuff either.
I hope our PSA employees aren't sold to the devil, but if it came down to the assets we use for the Shuttle and the W/Os, its not hard to see what would go.
