U.s. Files Application To Cover The Caribbean

[ITRADE]

Filed with DOT yesterday - Application of US Airways to commence service to Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago, Haiti, Curacao, and Bonaire.

No firm schedules set, but request for authority made. They've covered the Caribbean at this point.

 

[More Facts and Less Emotion]

Just when you thought US Airways already flew everywhere in the Caribbean, they found a few more islands? On Saturday mornings the list of flights on the monitor at the airport already looks like the "Top Honeymoon Spots Ranked By Bride Magazine".

 

[Light Years]

So how many destinations (Carribbean, Mexico, LatAm etc) does this make? What about when you include The Go Carribbean carriers?

 

[usairways85]

There are 26 Destinations in the Caribbean/Mexico. PHL has 20 destinations, CLT has 18 destinations. And 10 Go Caribbean destinations. However some of those destinations are part of these new applications...Dominica, Trinidad and Tobago.

 

[ringmaruf]

Dominica is surely just to codeshare with Caribbean Star. They'll also be able to codeshare with Caribbean Star to Trinidad & Tobago, although I think POS will be one of, if not the, next new destinations for US. Haiti is a bit weird...US seems to do much more of the leisure destinations than the VFR ones, but I certainly wouldn't call PAP service unrealistic. I can't see them flying into both Bonaire and Curacao. Curacao is more likely, but perhaps there's a new codeshare partner (DCA?) in the works that will cover them both.

 

[ITRADE]

You may be right. I personally can't see Dominica being operated with a 120 seat aircraft - even once a week. Its quite a poor country with not too much in the way of tourism - with the exception of a periodic cruise ship and some ecotourism.

POS is a definate candidate for daily service, as is Haiti - assuming US can pull in some "native" passengers.

As to honeymoon spots, Im surprised that you don't see more Saturday only service being converted into Saturday and Sunday service. Most people get married on Saturday and leave for the honeymoon on Sunday.

 

[sfb]

Well, a lot of that Saturday-only service uses aircraft which would otherwise be idle since US flies a reduced schedule on Saturday, like most airlines. Sunday mornings are slow, too, but the schedule is pretty much back to normal by Sunday afternoon if memory serves. Plus a lot of resorts/tour operators in the Caribbean schedule Saturday-to-Saturday packages.

Delta tried weekly CUR flights from ATL a couple of years ago with a 757 and gave up after about 9 months; perhaps an A319 from CLT might be a better fit sizewise. I'm not sure DCA still offers non-stops from BON to MIA, so CLT-BON could be an option for getting divers on a Saturday flight.

 

[Atlantic]

Haiti!!!
You got to be kidding me!

 

[TransatlanticFlyGuy]

Haiti!!!
You got to be kidding me!

Actually, from what I have been told..service to PAP can make money just on the amount of cargo going into Haiti. Lots and I mean lots of aid to that country is sent in the cargo holds of airlines.

 

[diogenes]

Actually, from what I have been told..service to PAP can make money just on the amount of cargo going into Haiti. Lots and I mean lots of aid to that country is sent in the cargo holds of airlines.

FWIW, U is getting out of the freight business in a lot of places. There are some sizable places that have been expressed that do not accept freight, period. And a lot more, that while that is not the de jure case (where U has made it policy not to accept cargo) it is the de facto case (because you can't move much freight in express holds, the customers have elected to ship via other means.)

 

[ringmaruf]

Actually, from what I have been told..service to PAP can make money just on the amount of cargo going into Haiti. Lots and I mean lots of aid to that country is sent in the cargo holds of airlines.

That is true. But lots of money can be made on cargo flying *widebodies* into PAP. Not A319s.

That's why AA/CO/DL fly A300s and B767s and even B777s to places like PAP and SDQ.

 

[diogenes]

That is true. But lots of money can be made... flying *widebodies* into PAP.

Seen some of our crews lately?

 

[ringmaruf]

LOL!

 

[Light Years]

Seen some of our crews lately?

Aint that the truth. People may not believe it, but we've got more domestic widebodies than any other airline.