$50 Million A/C Interior Upgrades

[Non Rev]

Cant make link work, here is the article in USA Today travel blog:

Monday, December 10, 2007
US Airways to refurbish its planes

US Airways is spending $50 million to upgrade the interiors of 300 aircraft, according to The Business Journal of Phoenix (free registration). The publication says US Airways also is "upgrading first- and business-class services and testing out in-flight entertainment and television systems for individual passengers. The latter could mirror entertainment systems provided by JetBlue Airways, which has a TV screen at every seat with access to DirecTV, XM Satellite Radio, movies and the Internet." The entertainment systems are expected to be tested on some flights beginning next year. The airline also plans to upgrade its food and wine offerings, according to US Airways president Scott Kirby.


Here is a bit of positive news, hopefully it will come to fruition.

Personally I have not flown Jetblue or any other airline with personal TV or Satellite Radio(luv XM have it on my DirectTV), I imagine it would be great inflight entertainment.

Leather seats are pretty classy and I imagine they have as much or more durability than cloth. Just make it dark in color to hide those ink marks.

Edit: to fix link

 

[Diamondbacks2004]

Source from Phoenix Business Journal:

US Airways Group Inc. is embarking on a $50 million effort to refurbish the inter­iors of 300 aircraft, as well as upgrading first- and business-class services and testing out in-flight entertainment and television systems for individual passengers.

The latter could mirror entertainment systems provided by JetBlue Airways, which has a TV screen at every seat with access to DirecTV, XM Satellite Radio, movies and the Internet. British Airways and other carriers have similar systems.

Tempe-based US Airways will test entertainment systems in some of its planes next year, said spokeswoman Valerie Wunder.

President Scott Kirby said during a Dec. 4 investment conference that the airline's interior refurbishing includes installing leather seats in the coach cabins and upgrading worn materials on 300 of its planes.

Kirby said the airline also wants to upgrade meals, offering better food, wine and other amenities.

"They are trying to do it to remain competitive with people like JetBlue," said Robert Mittelstaedt, dean of Arizona State University's W.P. Carey School of Business.

Mittelstaedt said a number of airlines are upgrading cabins, adding amenities and offering better in-cabin service to make the flying environment more comfortable -- and, sometimes, to ease passenger gripes about delays.

"I think they need it to be broadly competitive," Mittelstaedt said.

 

[EMBFA]

Before they spend 50 million dollars, why not get a design that is pleasing to the eye and makes the cabin appear spacious and airy? I'm not sure many of you have seen the dreadful new interior, unless you fly the few E190 or B767 fleets often. It's awful. Flat blue and gray bulkheads with the infamous 'swoosh'. Tacky and amateur looking and the dark colors make the cabin feel smaller than it is. It's awful.

Since they are into being cheap and doing silly things, why not have an employee contest? I'm sure we have employees with design experience, and I know we have some with taste. We do not have to be so drab- we have two shades of blue, red, amd gray to work with, and they should bring back that light teal they used to use for things in Envoy for first and Envoy. They could make a consistent, contemporary look that is durable and aesthetically pleasing instead of a stuffy one that looks like it was done by a six year old with really poor artistic vision. Please kill the swoosh.

PTVs I'll believe when I see.

 

[Diamondbacks2004]

New 2nd generation changes and new attitudes in 2008: (including with FA uniforms, unveil new looks website, much more)

Bring back more passengers to US Airways!!!!

Here's new look of Leather Seat Covers on 757, AC N910AW Gets a little makeover

New US Airways Website (2nd Version), Debut in early 2008!!!
http://www.usairways.com/awa/content/about...12007_sneakpeek

Launch January 28, 2008 unveil new uniforms! (see gallery links)

http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images...nd-Scarf_tn.jpg
http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images...itage-Shirt.jpg
http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images...-with-Scarf.jpg
http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images...tage-Scarf1.jpg
http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images/Heritage-Tie1.jpg
http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images/Ladies-Zip.jpg
http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images...hort-sleeve.jpg
http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images...-Turtleneck.jpg
http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images...-Twin-Set_2.jpg
http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images...-with-Group.jpg
http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images...Piece-Skirt.jpg
http://www.afausairways.org/Uniform/images...-Zip-Jacket.jpg

 

[FWAAA]

$50 million will buy a lot of pig lipstick, but will it make a difference?

 

[LGA777]

EMBFA, I think the above photo's of N910AW's new interior make it pretty appealing, more so than the redone 767's and the E-190's, and I agree the new swoosh bulkheads look very chessey and amaturish. As I mentioned in another thread the darker leather on the 767/190 would make pen marks less visible than the lighter blue on 910. Not seeing pen marks on the seatback in front of you would make the cabin more appealing to me.

My 2 cents

LGA777

 

[UWCactus]

Sorry EMBFA, the decision on the interior was made more than 6 months ago, I doubt you will see any change at this point.

 

[EMBFA]

Sorry EMBFA, the decision on the interior was made more than 6 months ago, I doubt you will see any change at this point.

Actually, catch-up, it's been around for almost a year now.

The fact that there are less than 20 aircraft in the cheeesy get-up, and about 300 to go between existing and delivery aircraft, I'd say it's not too late to kill the swoosh.

 

[SegmentKing]

Me thinks EMBFA has yet to be on an HP 757. They have a very fashionable multi-color "mountain" on each bulkhead

 

[SKY HIGH]

sky high states: I like the idea of having leather throughout the entire aircraft. I am surprised, though, that blue was chosen AGAIN. We already had blue (in First Class) in the 1980's!

Thank You, Tempe. Leather in coach was a good decision!

only stating opinions

 

[US1YFARE]

I find the "Swoosh" graphically appealing just the material doesn't look right, I can't totally put my finger on it.

Did they offer you that new bogus and b/s Executive Preferred status? I can't believe you would say that without being bribed.

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

Did they offer you that new bogus and b/s Executive Preferred status? I can't believe you would say that without being bribed.

PB being bribed????

Say it ain't so Joe!

Wow.

 

[PHL]

You can't please all of the people all of the time.

I kind of like the swoosh and the lighter blue seats, although the black pen marks will not be hard to spot.

 

[US1YFARE]

I'm no pushover but I can be bought.

me too, unfortunately no one is willing to pay

 

[Be Careful What You Wish For.]

me too, unfortunately no one is willing to pay

?????