Request for PHL-China Extension to 3/25/11

[zethya]

Abstract:
Motion of US Airways, Inc. requesting the Department amend Order 2007-12-26 to the extent necessary to permit US Airways to begin scheduled combination service between Philadelphia and Beijing no later than March 25, 2011.

http://www.regulations.gov/fdmspublic/comp...07-28567-0690.1

Select PDF image for full document.

 

[beachboy]

Do the airline industry a favor. Stamp it DENIED and move on.

 

[fudgerunyard]

I was under the impression that you could only request a one-time 1 year extension/delay for service, at which point the route would go back up for bid.

If i were the DOT, before granting LCC another 1-year extension, they should re-open bidding to U.S. carriers for Beijing for a 3/25/2010 start date, versus the 3/25/2011 LCC is now asking for. Assuming no carriers showed interest, i would approve LCC the extension.

 

[nycbusdriver]

I was under the impression that you could only request a one-time 1 year extension/delay for service, at which point the route would go back up for bid.

If i were the DOT, before granting LCC another 1-year extension, they should re-open bidding to U.S. carriers for Beijing for a 3/25/2010 start date, versus the 3/25/2011 LCC is now asking for. Assuming no carriers showed interest, i would approve LCC the extension.

You have the perfect solution. Of course, expecting the government to do something that well is a bit of a stretch.

 

[Dog Wonder]

I am stunned and amazed at this request.

 

[bigbusboy]

This can not come as a surprise for anyone. If I were senior VP of Marketing, I would dump the route and focus expansion into the middle east from the east coast as well as build up CLT/Europe. Forget the far east for now. There is way too much competition from both coasts. And yes I know international travel is down, but it won't be down forever.

 

[hp_fa]

What do they do with the aircraft if they dump the route?

 

[A320 Driver]

What do they do with the aircraft if they dump the route?

What aircraft?

The company looked for A340s to fly this route and never leased any. Now, they say they can't make money with a two aircraft fleet. I can't begin to tell you the problems with trying to operate this route with an A330-200. If they want to wait until 2015 and try it with an A350, then fine.



Driver B)

 

[hp-csr-phx]

Didn't Delta just announce the suspenison of their ATL-China route?

 

[BoeingBoy]

Didn't Delta just announce the suspenison of their ATL-China route?

I haven't looked at the specifics of what the other carriers asked for, but all 5 network carriers have not sought relief on China/Asia service - delay start of new service, less flights per week, suspend some service for a while, etc. Two requests had already been granted before US applied for the additional delay and two filed after US.

Jim

 

[nycbusdriver]

What do they do with the aircraft if they dump the route?

:blink:

What aircraft?

Thank you!

 

[bigbusboy]

What do they do with the aircraft if they dump the route?

Ok, others have already responded with my first reaction to your question. So here is my other answer:

Amman, Cairo, Dubai, Doha, Istanbul, Athens (year 'round), Warsaw, Moscow, Mumbai (might be a stretch though)
Stick to markets within the range of these new A330-200s.

Also, depending on our situation in Star Alliance:

PHX-FRA and LHR

 

[nycbusdriver]

Ok, others have already responded with my first reaction to your question. So here is my other answer:

Amman, Cairo, Dubai, Doha, Istanbul, Athens (year 'round), Warsaw, Moscow, Mumbai (might be a stretch though)
Stick to markets within the range of these new A330-200s.

Also, depending on our situation in Star Alliance:

PHX-FRA and LHR

Straight line distance from PHL to Beijing: 6878 NM
Straight line distance from PHL to Mumbai: 7886 NM

So, yes, since Mumbai is a thousand miles FARTHER than Beijing, it "might be a stretch."

And Dubai is also further than Beijing, BTW.

Doha is all of 86 miles closer than Beijing, though.

Great Circle Mapper Geography homework?

Kirby addressed the PHX situation during the last PHX pilots town hall meeting. PHX does not have the population base to support European flights because it takes two aircraft to operate one route. That doubles the expenses in a market that has COMPARATIVELY little business traffic to Europe. If we're hurting on international routes out of PHL now, PHX would be equivalent to opening up an artery.

 

[gizmo_sc]

Delta is doing the following:

Suspending nonstop service from Atlanta to Seoul and Shanghai in the fall.

 

[ussnark]

If we're hurting on international routes out of PHL now, PHX would be equivalent to opening up an artery.

I am curious if the 330-200 is as sensitive to hot and relatively high takeoff performance as the 330's "Apache-like single engine performance" we enjoy now.

"Yeah, it maybe hot, but it's a dry heat."