The Cities Are Announced!

[PITbull]

Wallmart,

Hope you're working there.

I would buy the $2 hotdog from the stand who had two people. Main reason for my type, I would be served faster, and could get my dog and sit down and watch the game, before the other guy who is still waiting in line for his $1 hotdog. Service is just as important in many customer's view.

 

[Walmart Greeter]

I don't work at Walmart yet, but if we don't get our costs down, I could end up there.

Actually, I find myself interested in the no-line experience too. But our company is not just $1 more than Southwest. We are $400 when WN is $299. And most customers are not willing to pay the difference.

 

[PITbull]

Well than I suggest you go next door and tell good ole Dave, he needs to change the HUB and spoke system to Point to Point.

In the meantime, get your application ready for Walmart so you'll be first in line.

 

[CLT-Douglas]

US Airways will have to bite the bullet on these routes and match the fares Southwest offers. However, at some point it has to take a stand, and instead of trying to defend each route Southwest decides to add in the future, it should go on the offensive before this gets any further, and before a Southwest plane arrives at it's gate in PHL.

US Airways needs to market PHL, not as one of it's hubs. A "global gateway" is fine for international service, but what I am talking about is market PHL for the people that live in Philly exclusively. Make it truly their hometown airline. This needs to be done for CLT and PIT as well, but start with PHL since this one is under the most pressure from the LCC right now and has the most O & D Traffic.

People already know the name US Airways and see all their planes at the airport in their hub cities, but apart from that, what do they really know about US Airways? Paint the city dark blue gray, white and red if they have to. Make it's flag logo stand strong all over. Get connected with the city and it's people from small local events to large local professional sports. Create an advertising blitz from local newspapers to local TV commercials about all aspects of US Airways. Host events, parties, and donate to local communities. Create a downtown center or small store front to purchase tickets, check in for flights, and maybe even hourly shuttle bus service from it's downtown store to the airport compliments of flying US Airways. Anything to get people to embrace US Airways as part of their home town and to gain as much loyalty as possible, people will think twice about supporting a competitor into the area.

US Airways will eventually need to expand out in advertising from it's hub cities into focus cities and down from there. This all might seem backwards to you, but if they come across as the home town kid in the cities they dominate, then they can go the other route in cities they compete with. Sell the international gateway in PHL, advertise it's A330 and passport IFE. Advertise the efficient and stress free international and Caribbean connections out of CLT over the other over populated airports.

I think advertising is the key at this point, in case you haven't noticed. I wish US Airways well in PHL, it's going to be tough no matter what they do.

 

[phllax]

All we need is for US to put their name on the stadium, and it's the 4th name in about 4 years! First it was CoreStates, the then FU Center, now it's the Wachovia Center. At least the possibility of the US Airways Center is better than Hoagie Free Field that's across the street!

 

[Colby]

Hey I would love to see US AIR on a Stadium...IE AA in Miami.....


Since everyone thinks LUV is Going to run US out of the "City of Brotherly LOVE(notice the Spelling change)"

God, Guess it's time to raise the white flags and Run..remember the way you all are blaming mgnt for running out of BWI..... The way you all are talking is just as bad..... Would you for once stop and look at what you're saying.... Stay and fight the battle for what is rightly yours..... and hopefully one day MINE !!!!

 

[deelmakur]

Defending PHL would be a lot easier if it ran better. Moving ahead without curing that probem was like sitting on a 3 legged stool.

 

[robbedagain]

as far as US defending PHL, this is what their type of doing is: Well since SWA is going to go from PHL to MDW, we'll just throw about 2 or 3 RJs and hope that works. Well that aint going to hold folks! What the airline needs to do is fix the fare structure to either match SWA or go just below them and add more amenities
otherwise I think that this may doom US. hopefully not but I dont know

 

[autofixer]

It is nice to be on the outside looking, in these days. There is life outside UAIR and it is enjoyable. Just open your own business and forget about UAIR and the numbskulls attempting to operate the airline.

 

[coolflyingfool]

I was originally under the assumption that with only 14 flights a day that there would be no way that SWA could really have any effect on USAirways. I think I might be wrong and Art at ISP is right. It is the fares. I took 1 route that SWA is going to fly PHL-PVD and compared it to SWA routes of comparable length. I tried to book a r/t on US from PHL to PVD with 4 days notice and was given a fare of $932 for a coach seat. On SWA MDW-CMH was $206.50, BWI-ISP was $176.50, and PHX-LAS was $204.50. If US comes down to match the fares of SWA, figuring that their fares will be in line with these, that could be a revenue drain on US. I still think that with even 40 flights a day that US should be able to retain most customers, partly due to FF program and extensive frequency and cities served on the East Coast. This will be an interesting story to follow over the next couple of months.