Reconfigured A321s

[ONT_CP]

Everything you said is true...
there is a difference between profitability and making the customer suffer... funny how Southwest can have 34" seat pitch and extremely profitable... US decides it does not care about the customer (think infinite demand) so they can continue to tighten the screws....

East passengers the hardest hit:
- reduced pitch from 34-33 to 31"
- reduced bonuses on previous Gold -CP who are now Gold/Platinums - 50% and 75% as opposed to 100%
- reduced inventory of awards and discounted awards (think off season Europe flights).

Not a good company... and now reduced on-time availability with fuel stops... that is pathetic. I would not fly them PHL-LAX. I would fly UA... just because I know my plane is not going to stop on the way.. at least Southwest is honest about your stops.

NonStop means NonStop. a refueling stop should make them give MONEY back to the customer.

Example
A flight from PHL-LAX DP 8:15a AR 11:15a
Rarely it takes 6 hours.
Plane takes off Philly at 8:25a
Land in Denver for Re-Fuel 10:15a
Refuel
Take OFF Denver at 11:15a
arrive Los Angeles 12:15p

ON TIME RATINGS GONNA BE ZERO

That if the plane takes off almost rightaway and the plane still be 1 Hour late. OK, Here is the CUSTOMER being SCREWED again! There is NO possible way for that flight to be ON TIME. And Customer Happy books the flight cause its a nonstop, and when they get into LAX, That Customer becomes Customer P!ssed off, and rightfully so.

Its all about MONEY, Doug is a DRUNK! Add seats and squeeze people in. 6 Hours PLUS flight being squashed.

Southwest has MORE Seat Pitch and they have 2 Nonstops from PHL to LAX. United has 2 Nonstops and they have a TRUE FIRST CLASS and Economy Plus which is ALOT better than US. US offers CRAP. Southwest gets more gates come fall, more Nonstops to LAX, SFO, SAN, DEN, MCO, FLL and others. UA at times does 3 LAX and 3 SFO flights. I can see AA and DL joining in on the nonstops. US is setting themselves up to be killed.

 

[DrBeth]

Actually, the word "cheesy" comes to mind when describing LCC.

As someone who has spent hundreds if not thousands of hours on US metal transcon since 1991, I can tell you it's not much better now than when they slammed 120/140 bodies in the B737-300/400's at USAir prior to the B757/Airbus entering the fleet.

Seat pitch with new configurations is noticeably tighter. Reconfigured First Class is the talk of the premium customers, and the talk is not good. It almost seems as if the SandCastle is trying to drive customers away with their decisions.

Bottom line is, as always, poor planning decisions will be covered by the front line employees and not the Andrew Nocella's that make these "cheesy" decisions.

I think we should change the call sign from Cactus/USAir to "Velveeta", since that's what were giving the customers these days.

Velveeta Airlines...smooth, but processed, and very bad for your health. Sounds pretty accurate. My adjective is similar...tacky...

If they continue to use them as transcons, but with stops, people will get wind of that (no pun) and avoid those routes...talk about not profitable then...

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Not a good company... and now reduced on-time availability with fuel stops... that is pathetic. I would not fly them PHL-LAX. I would fly UA... just because I know my plane is not going to stop on the way.. at least Southwest is honest about your stops.

I hope UA will upgrade their planes from A319/320 on the routes PHL-LAX and PHL-SFO. They are gonna need those 767-300's on some of their flights. The fail DL Takeover is looking better and better everyday now, at least now we will have a choice.

 

[UWCactus]

The dumbos at the Sandcastle OBVIOUSLY didn't learn from their mistakes when they reconfigured the A320......just saw the Bulletin concerning the A321- NO Closets, tiny F/C galley and cramped seating in Coach (20 more pax). The A321 is a flying pig....nice to look at but NOT ideal for a Transcon.......and now they will be stopping for fuel. The IDIOTS ARE RUNNING THE ASYLUM! Have another Bud Lite! :down:

In general, a fuel stop is not necessary but in cases where the jet stream and or headwinds are stronger than usual, with no alternative route, a stop may be needed. They will not routinely make fuel stops.

 

[BuffaloJoe]

In general, a fuel stop is not necessary but in cases where the jet stream and or headwinds are stronger than usual, with no alternative route, a stop may be needed. They will not routinely make fuel stops.

Cause the way the are going they may not have any passengers on them.

 

[Itestwell]

In general, a fuel stop is not necessary but in cases where the jet stream and or headwinds are stronger than usual, with no alternative route, a stop may be needed. They will not routinely make fuel stops.

Fuel stops already happen on the A321 in certain cases. Adding seats will only make it more frequent. FYI, headwinds are "stronger than usual" all winter! :blink:

 

[Art at ISP]

I am sorry but this further shows that they just don't care about the customer. I wonder if they have balanced the extra cost of fuel stops, and related expenses caused by missed connections, late arrivals ,diversions, etc. against the potential revenue addition of perhaps 8 to 10 extra seats...

Couple that with the exodus of many frequent fliers to whom this is the last straw, and this will cost much more than they can hope to gain.

My email box has been deluged with emails from angry Elite members who say this is it--say bye bye to US Airways. Other airlines smell blood and are going out of their way to steal US customers.

Again, they underestimate the consumer backlash which is headed their way...

 

[hp_fa]

FYI, headwinds are "stronger than usual" all winter! :blink:

That much they know and build in to the times in the routings and pairings, but they are approximate numbers based on historical averages over time. However, the statement that really catches my attention is the one where they will restrict sales when those situations arise. It's usually way too late to stop sales on the day of flight, or even (usually) in the three day period before flight. By then the flights are way oversold and it is way too late to do anything about it.

Stupid is as stupid does..... (Forrest Gump)

 

[jerseyfinn]

OK, just so I get things straight in my own mind, so maybe some US folks could clarify.

Depending upon winds & aircraft weight etc. there might an instance in which a transcon A321 will have to refuel. This should not ordinarly effect routes such as PHL-PHX and PHL-LAS, but more likely longer transcon routes with an A321. US has a contigency plan to attempt to anticipate when such a situation may occur in which case inventory will be held ( to avoid refueling? ).

To me, the question to ask if how often does this sort of situation presently occur? This might help one to figure out what sort of problem may or may not occur in the future.

It does seem rather foolish to put yourself into a position of reconfiguring cabins in which you take out F seats, increase Y seats ( and reduce seat pitch ), but in the process add weight which might disrupt flight operations during certain times of the year.

A question of my own. Is this a temporary situation? Does US have future plans to rejigger the fleet and eventually keep the A321s out of these situations as aircraft acquisitions occur & routes can be adjusted? Or is this a self-inflicted wound?

Commercial aviation is a chess game played many levels over my head. I do agree with the poster who says make DP fly coach in his own planes. Only don't let him use the lav and give him a barf bag to go with his gin and tonic .

Barry

 

[N924PS]

In general, a fuel stop is not necessary but in cases where the jet stream and or headwinds are stronger than usual, with no alternative route, a stop may be needed. They will not routinely make fuel stops.

Why don't you check the data so far this winter and see how many times USAirways aircraft had to stop for fuel so far this year?

I have been flying those trips in multiple aircraft types since 1991, and I don't recall as many fuel stops in the past. Even on the B737-300/400.

Doing the maximum with the minimum. That's our motto.

 

[twoturnin]

I knew these folks couldn't run a bubble gun machine----now were going to add one stop flights westbound and still keep the best A/C we got(75) running back and forth to MCO. Let me go to Scottsdale and get loaded with DP. :blink:

 

[Flying Titan]

Twoturnin -

You've got it exactly right. Seeing the domestic 757s wasted the way they are is such a shame. If the Sandcastle is determined to make this move on the A321s, then it should reconfigure the 757s to 16F and put them back on transcon runs. Overall capacity will be very similar and then both of these fine aircraft (the A321 and the 757) will be performing as they were originally intended by the manufacturers.

 

[fanlube]

In short, with some preplanning, the number of stops should be minimal.


Now thats funny right there, with some PREPLANNING obviously these guys running the show now are no different then the ones who ran US Airways East they couldnt plan a one car funeral! The incompetence at the top of this airline will surely doom it. New Boss Same AS the Old Boss :down:

 

[BuffaloJoe]

Come FLY with US out of PHILADELPHIA!

with Daily NON-STOP* Service to CITIES LIKE
Los Angeles
San Francisco
San Diego
Seattle/ Tacoma

Enjoy The Beautiful West Coast Sun

Fares are SO LOW**

*non-stop means there are no connections, passengers on these flights may incur additional fuel stops along the way
** Fares include seating in a luxurious chair that offers limited leg room, and softer than MOST Park Benches.

 

[Travelpro72]

Now thats should be plastered on the side of the garage in PHL. I cannot believe what management has said about the reconfiguration. Put the 757 on the transcons and use the 321's for the north south operations. It doesn't take Einstein to figure that out. This is really going overboard now folks. I use to say, "hey im not in control" but if this keeps happening we'll have no passengers. As folks catch on be it the FF or the casual flyer they will go elsewhere. The product is HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE, HORRIBLE. People are NOT as resistant to change as to being treated like crap. Management obviously DOESN'T care. This is terrible folks. Disgusted. Now I must go fly.