Small Market Flyers Get First Class Option on US Airways Express

[AtlanticBeach]

As far as the proportion of FC seats, depending on how you look at it, US Express will have the highest percentage of First Class-equipped RJs out of the three other big airlines, American, United/Continental, and Delta. The following numbers are just estimates, but I think they're very close to actual numbers, and current as of April 8. US will be outfitting 110 out of 301 aircraft-36.5% of their regional fleet. American only has 13.5% FC-equipped regional aircraft, 37 planes out of 274, while Delta has 154 aircraft out of 651, making the percentage of FC equipped RJs 23.6%.

United/Continental can be taken two ways. Considering only the United Express fleet, there are 132 FC equipped RJs out of 292, giving UA a total of 45.2%. If you include the Continental Express brand, the number plummets to only 25.8%, because all of Continental's ERJs do not have FC.


As far as what this will change for US Airways' public perception, it could potentially be very large. US Airways uses RJs on long routes, sometimes, such as PHX-OMA, and if they have better service and a better product, it would raise profits for them.

Sorry, Luke, but that perception will last for exactly one flight.

Let's use your example of PHX-OMA, which is blocked betweek 2:30 and 3:00 depending on the direction.

The passengers in F will get an unknown snack basket, free booze and seat pitch that is roughly equivalent to WN. If the equipment is a CRJ, there is minimal overhead space so there will be a wait for gate checked items and a sore neck from the poorly positioned window height.

The passengers in Y will have seat pitch that is marginally better than Spirit Airlines and all of the previously discussed issues regarding Bombardier seats. FA's will have less time to spend with Y customers as there will be more responsibilities in the front cabin. All equipment will have less overhead space per passenger resulting in more gate checked items and possible delays.

The non-stop competition on this route is WN. With their lack of change fees, larger equipment and other factors, even as a PP on US, I'd choose WN unless the flight times were completely in US's favor.

 

[~Luke]

Sorry, Luke, but that perception will last for exactly one flight.

Let's use your example of PHX-OMA, which is blocked betweek 2:30 and 3:00 depending on the direction.

The passengers in F will get an unknown snack basket, free booze and seat pitch that is roughly equivalent to WN. If the equipment is a CRJ, there is minimal overhead space so there will be a wait for gate checked items and a sore neck from the poorly positioned window height.

The passengers in Y will have seat pitch that is marginally better than Spirit Airlines and all of the previously discussed issues regarding Bombardier seats. FA's will have less time to spend with Y customers as there will be more responsibilities in the front cabin. All equipment will have less overhead space per passenger resulting in more gate checked items and possible delays.

The non-stop competition on this route is WN. With their lack of change fees, larger equipment and other factors, even as a PP on US, I'd choose WN unless the flight times were completely in US's favor.

Gotcha. It's too bad that with the West side of US, the Express side is stuck with CRJs or Dash-8s. Would be nicer to get the E-170/175s, but I guess that's how US did all their agreements with the regional carriers. Too bad.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Gotcha. It's too bad that the West side of US, the Express side is stuck with CRJs or Dash-8s.

The Express carriers can fly where ever management wants them to. That's how Mesa CRJ900's are able to fly in the East system.

Jim

 

[cynic]

My experience with the all coach Embraers has been positive, but the person who designed the interiors of the US's CRJs must have also been one of the developers of waterboarding.

PSA has much nicer seats than Air Wisconsin or Mesa. Nothing can fix the fact that they're RJs, but some are actually better than others.

 

[Crzipilot]

In addition to the seats, I can just imagine the first class service on the RJ's. Depending on which carrier is working the particular flight, I'm sure there will be a very wide variance on the service onboard the aircraft. I think one of our contract carriers had to remind some f/'as that it was a requirement to wear undergarments with the uniform. (while I can imagine it would be an improvement to the uniform if such situation was encountered by a nice looking 20 yr old, I'm pretty sure that's not what the memo was targeting...HAHA)