Inflight service announcement

[NoMoreKoolAid]

Seth...he was fun to do events with in DCA. Were all laughed and rolled eyes. He has moved on to MUCH better things and paid attention in Marketing Class. The whole press release is a joke! Carts in the isle? Lines to the rest room? Doug....can it, shelve it and save it for another day. You are grasping and it's pathetic. Just admit that you **** up! We would have a lot more respect for you.

 

[Travelpro72]

While reverting back to a complimentary beverage service is a step in the right direction I don't think it will change the way a lot of VFF's feel. It's a slight glimmer of hope but how about improving the Farce class product. Oh wait...while the other airlines offer more for virtually the same fare we'll hear its "in line" with the competition. Well at any rate it's a start. Better start improving your product that your VFF's experience. If this economy keeps up the way it is you'll be relying on them more than ya ever have. THEY don't do priceline, travelocity or expedia for the cheapest business fare. But I guess the department that handles those issues know that already. HA

 

[Travels2mch]

While this is nice...I think it's too late...they have already alienated their best customers and even the recent Ma n Pa Kettle from the Burgh going to Orlando for Winter Break...

Reversing the beverage charges won't appease me as I won't be flying US domestically at all.

You and a few other people! Quite a few!!

 

[usfa304]

While the reversal of 'complimentary beverages' is a good thing in the public's eye, can Tempe also take this opportunity to reverse the 'checked baggage charge' policy? If only to allow at least ONE bag free per passenger. The size of carry-ons, in my 25year F/A opinion is ...O U T
O F C O N T R O L....this only leads to being late off the gate, because the 'general public' has figured out if you make it to the plane with your bag, it will be checked free of charge. I have had numerous flights where there's been at least 30 bags to be loaded at departure time. I'm not even addressing the frustration the agents have to deal with when this happens, nor the broken overhead bins that these overstuffed bags cause when they do DO make into the cabin. If Tempe is going to 'revamp' their earlier decision of 'Al La Carte' this would be a PERFECT time to consider its policy with regards to carryons and save face.

 

[Travelpro72]

US wouldn't get rid of bag charges until others did. That is half of the reason coupled with the complaints that US went back to comp soda etc. I don't think this is a trend to a friendlier carrier but simply keeping things at a minimum to the competition. Sad but true.

 

[FutureUScapt]

As others have said, you won't see US drop the first bag charge. Nearly every airline (WN and B6 are the exceptions) has this policy, and unlike the drink charge, it provides a significant amount of annual revenue. Also unlike the drink policy, any elite member is exempt from these charges. As for the "flight being late because of this," -- if that is true, it isn't having an appreciable impact on the D0 / A14 numbers.

I don't think this is a trend to a friendlier carrier but simply keeping things at a minimum to the competition. Sad but true.

Very true. I suppose it's better to strive to be average than to be content being below-average though.

 

[ClueByFour]

Why the qualification of "since the merger"? Didn't the pre-merger US Airways bring us Seth the GoFares guy?

In my view Marketing has sucked before and after, East and West.

Never thought I'd say that about BlowFares or CCY, but at least Seth was an object of ridicule that was good for a few yuks. Tempe's "NAP SACK" or whateverthehell they are calling selling a pillow and blanket pales in comparison to the comedic genius of Seth.

 

[az_wild727]

I think this move could be related to the WN enters BOS market press release. The only thing that US Preferred Members would not get on US what they would on WN is a free beverage, and with rumors of WN doing things like PHL-BOS and BOS-LGA and BOS-BWI, it's going to quite a battle with WN. Then again, WN ceded a couple of route to US in PHL, so US is still King in PHL.

That said, I am glad to have water back in coach. I don't agree with FFOCUS on almost anything, but their recent post on their home page about having at least water free of charge is spot on. And if FFOCUS had anything to do with this, thank you. Thank you for giving back free water to everyone. I've had that same view when it comes to every airline. I loved BD on my last trip and they can charge their 5 pounds for a toastie, but keep that water free!

All right, go back to your regular programs, folks. I'm going back to loving US, and everyone else do what you have to. ^_^

-Kinglobjaw

 

[Hope777]

Dear Fellow Employees:



Tomorrow morning we will make an announcement returning complimentary sodas, juices, tea, water and coffee to US Airways. The free beverage service will resume on March 1. This change reverses part of the a la carte business model we believe is right for our business and I’d like to explain why we made this decision.



When we launched the beverage purchase program in 2008 we knew it would generate additional revenue. From this perspective the program was very successful. What we didn’t know at the time, but later experienced, was that the cabin atmosphere would also improve with fewer carts in the aisles and shorter lines to the lavatories.



Today, while we remain firmly committed to the a la carte strategy – we also know it is a work in progress. We know customers don’t buy an airline ticket based on whether or not they will get a free soda onboard, but with US Airways being the only large network carrier to charge for drinks, we are at a disadvantage. More importantly, this difference in our service has become a focal point that detracts from all of the outstanding improvements in on-time performance and baggage handling that all of us have worked so hard to achieve over the past year.



We are not making this decision because the airline industry is now healthy. To the contrary, while oil prices have dropped, a global recession is having a material negative impact on industry revenues and our industry still needs business model changes as much as ever. Moving to an a la carte model has helped us build an airline that can withstand the uncontrollable factors that influence our industry and we need to keep trying new programs, like a la carte pricing. Frankly, it would have been a bigger risk for us not to have tried charging for drinks because innovation and a new business model are desperately needed.



In fact, we still expect to generate $400 to $500 million in 2009 from a la carte items like checked baggage fees, Choice Seats, and our new blanket and pillow offering – the US Airways Power-Nap Sack ™.



Aggressively managing our business by anticipating what our world may look like in the future is the cornerstone of our culture. In other words, we are always thinking differently about how we operate and are not afraid to take a chance on new ideas designed to provide career certainty and stability, great customer service and positive returns for our shareholders. It is also part of the reason we received a vote of confidence from our investors and business partners last fall when we raised close to $1 billion to help keep the airline strong.



We will be issuing a press release announcing this news early tomorrow morning, as well as posting it on Wings and theHub. Thank you for continuing to take care of our customers.









Doug

 

[john john]

Also unlike the drink policy, any elite member is exempt from these charges. As for the "flight being late because of this," -- if that is true, it isn't having an appreciable impact on the D0 / A14 numbers.



Very true. I suppose it's better to strive to be average than to be content being below-average though.

Active U.S. military personnel can check 3 bags up to 100 lbs free of charge
Try telling that to a kiosk

 

[PA18]

and with rumors of WN doing things like PHL-BOS and BOS-LGA and BOS-BWI, it's going to quite a battle with WN.

Although they have not announced their schedule, so your guess is as good as mine, I doubt you'll see WN fly from BOS to LGA. They would be competing with jetBlue (to JFK) and Amtrak for the market to which they cater.

And between BOS and PHL, there are already a million seats a day, and any more flights between those cities would just water down the fares even more. And unlike most airline managements, the people who run WN aren't stupid.

I also think it unlikely that WN would fly from congested airport to congested airport. That would be deviating even farther from their business plan. Route an airplane between BOS and LGA, or BOS and PHL, during a snowstorm or on a thunderstorm day, and you lose that airplane for most of the day.

Besides, the majority of the people riding US from BOS to PHL, aren't going to PHL. They are connecting to go someplace else, and are only going through PHL because they were practically given the fare on the Internet to keep them from flying non-stop to wherever they're going on a real airline.

So it would figure that WN would go after those customers, flying them from BOS and LGA to wherever it is they actually want to go, for a reasonable fare that still makes money for the airline.

BWI? That's more likely, as a means to siphon off BOS-DCA traffic, and to connect passengers to other WN flights from BWI to points not served non-stop from BOS.

 

[US1YFARE]

And between BOS and PHL, there are already a million seats a day, and any more flights between those cities would just water down the fares even more.

Are you kidding me? The fares between PHL and BOS are over $1000 excluding taxes for Y. Maybe WN will force them to be more in line with what they should be.

 

[N965VJ]

Sooo... where are the folks that said charging $2 for a coke was good idea, that the OAs would follow?

[/crickets]

 

[dash8roa]

A good first move in removing the beverage fee to treat the people who pay the bills,the fare paying passengers with the respect they deserve.Now,recind the $25.00 fee for the on line booking of frequent flyer tickets. This fee is out of line as the frequent flyer is making the booking themselves.American had a $5.00 fee for only a short time before dropping it.

Once oil goes up again and it will surely do so,this airline will need all the customers it can retain and even then with all the damage already done,it will be a shoot of the dice as to if us will remain or be sold off in pieces i.e. shuttles,lga,dca,clt gates.

Come on sand castle,do the right thing.Put the customer first.

 

[mrman]

I think this move could be related to the WN enters BOS market press release. The only thing that US Preferred Members would not get on US what they would on WN is a free beverage, and with rumors of WN doing things like PHL-BOS and BOS-LGA and BOS-BWI, it's going to quite a battle with WN. Then again, WN ceded a couple of route to US in PHL, so US is still King in PHL.


-Kinglobjaw

Um there are not as many Preferred Members flying anymore. So while US is not nickle and diming their Preferreds they are nickle and diming, I mean a la carting, the majority of their passengers. WN also provides the following that US is not on these flights

No change fees
No talking to an agent fee
No telephone fees
Fully transferable tickets on any fare without a change fee
Pillows
Blankets
Free cocktails for FF in coach
Faster free ticket on these short flights
On time stats that are real and not We are number one *except for the two we failed to mention
More leg room
Max walk up fare on any route of about $300 No BOS-PHL rape fares
No RJ
Full drink service on any flight no matter how short and the FA come back a second time to ask if you would like seconds
Clean planes
Free snacks

When you are talking "ceded" routes you failed to mention PHL-PIT, PHL-RDU