Aca Replacement

iflyjets & 2shrtdks,

Since I fancy myself as an archer, I can tell you that the word loosing is still used in regards to a gathering of archers or the actual act of releasing an arrow from a drawn bow. Most archer's would refer to an event as a "shot" but I rather prefer to call it a "loosing". You take a "shot" with a gun, but you "loose" a bow. When a group of archers get together to practice on targets the gathering can be referred to as a loosing....

Sentences.... (as a noun and verb)

Are you going to the loosing at the club tonight?

I am not loosing this arrow, until the wind calms.

See what happens when you argue over words? Some one always feels like they have to offer their two cents....

best to the both of you.... :up:
UsPerfEngr
 
46Driver,

Do you honestly think UA is going to simply roll over when Independence Air launches service? You must have a short memory. Remember what happened when Wolfie decided to bring MetroJet into IAD? How long did that last?

You can bank on the fact that ACA is gonna have a war on its' hands. Their success will ultimately come down to how well they market/brand themselves beyond their being a feeder operation for mainline United. That's a tough nut to crack while you fend off retaliatory actions from a major network airline.

My opinion is that in the short term, UA will hang on to several mainline narrowbodies they were planning on returning in order to replace much of the ACA flying. Longer term, look for either expanded agreements with existing UAX carriers to replace the feed or possibly even a new UAX partner. Good luck ACA, errrrrrrrrrrrrr Independence Air, you're gonna need it!!!
 
UsPerfEngr, thanks for the clarification (and actually using the word in a sentence). It looked like one of those 'leftovers' from the Middle Ages that still exist in the dictionary, such as doest, thou, ye and other words no longer used in daily vernacular.

I found the debate amusing; a way to while away the hours. No offense was meant to United Chicago or anyone else; sorry to hijack the thread.
 
Interesting topic, but lets turn it around--is UA over a barrel here? Mesa would love to fly for UAL but that would put U's nose out of joint if it were IAD. And does anyone--MESA, Skywest, you name em--have enough spare RJ's to replace ACA in less than 3-4 years? I think that UAL under its bankruptcy has the right to reject or accept the current deal, but cannot say, "we want all of your planes for the next 6 months, then 3/4's after that, then in 18 months a half, then in 32 months a quarter" unless ACA agrees. If UAL rejects, they'll be flying the int'l flights with a lot less connecting traffic and those flights will perhaps be uneconomical for a couple years. Or if they accept, they're stuck with the original terms until the end of the contract (which is when, by the way?). So could it be that UAL is the one with a big problem short term?
 
For anyone still thinking that United is just going to roll over and leave its IAD hub upon the arrival of Independence later this year, this press release issued by the carrier this morning should remove all doubts about United's intentions and staying power there.

United is going to spend about $22 million for a new commuter facility in a location that is called the "F Apron", which I interpret to mean the ramp for the next concourse location further away (to the south) from IAD's main terminal. In fact, a lot of concrete for a new ramp has been poured in that area recently. According to the press release, United will bus passengers from an expanded waiting area at gate C30 to the new commuter facility, which the carrier says "is modeled after many very successful similar operations run by United and other major airlines at airports including Dallas, Cincinnati, Los Angeles and San Francisco." If this facility is anything like Comair's terminal at CVG, it will be far better than the current ACA/Independence facility on IAD's A Concourse. Time will tell.

It looks like the competitive situation will get "verrrrry interrrrrresting" (for those of you old enough to remember Artie Johnson's comical portrayal of a German soldier on the "Laugh-In" TV show from the late 1960s :lol: ) at IAD in 2004.
 
HJM said:
I've visited IAD frequently. Where exactly is gate C-30? Is it located near gate C-10 or gate C-25?

Could it be D-30 or B-30???
HJM:

According to this Concourse C map produced by MWAA (the operator of IAD), there currently is no gate C-30 at IAD. I presume United intends to build a waiting area where such a gate would be, including stairs/escalators/elevators to the ramp level to board the buses. And I doubt United would use gates B-30 or D-30 since they are not especially close to the carrier's current gates on the C Concourse, although United does use some of the lower-numbered D Concourse gates as well. But this is just speculation on my part, and maybe someone from United can give a more definitive answer.
 
Interesting...definitely quiets anyone who thought UA would walk away from IAD.

Also - I still have a hunch that UA and ACA will reach some 3-6 month (post ch11 emergence) agreement where ACA provides either full UEX or reduced UEX service to give UA time to complete this terminal and replace the flying. It also gives ACA time to finish planning, repaint planes, etc. Also gives them an addition 3-6 months of actual profit. Haha. Sorry - had to throw in a jab.
 
UnitedChicago said:
Interesting...definitely quiets anyone who thought UA would walk away from IAD.

Also - I still have a hunch that UA and ACA will reach some 3-6 month (post ch11 emergence) agreement where ACA provides either full UEX or reduced UEX service to give UA time to complete this terminal and replace the flying. It also gives ACA time to finish planning, repaint planes, etc. Also gives them an addition 3-6 months of actual profit. Haha. Sorry - had to throw in a jab.
Hmmmm, this might be why the rumors are running rampant that we are going to keep the J-41 turboprops around longer. I could see those flying UEX a little while longer while we start re-painting the CRJ's in Independence Air colors. Now if we could just get rid of the always-broken DoJets....
 
Magsau wrote: "I spend alot of time in the UK on layovers and get an appreciation for the aviation centered citizens. There is probably not a country in the world that has such informed travelers. "


Thank you for the kind words Magsau. Although I am certainly not one of those chaps that goes to the airport to spot planes with camera and notebook in hand I must say that air travel still has a very strong draw for many reasons. Technical, operations/scheduling, and the personalities involved are among the more interesting points.
Apart from the pure techinical and engineering rigour that is involved in flight, I am also amazed at the operational aspects. It seems to be one of the few industries that does not gain from economies of scale and production. In other words, when the assembly line was developed it was of benefit to have as many automobiles that the market would bear passing along the conveyor belt. It was simply easier to build a thousand cars than start all the machinery for just one. In the airline industry though it seems as if complexity is added when the operation grows and this complexity grows exponentially. Moving an aircraft from A to B is simple. Add in C, D, and E, with weather, diiferent aircraft, and staffing requirements and it is a very serious enterprise. I do not envy those who have to make these planning choices.
The industry also seems to be as no other just from the personlaites involved. Could anyone envision a forum such as this with such lively debate among chartered accountants? Among those who proffer insurance? No, call it the beauty of flight, technical interest, or business curousity, it certainly is a field open for all and any to lend a viewpoint. This is where many of us in the U.K. fit into the picture of the interested customer. You are correct that England does have a strong interest as a whole in aviation. I can only wish that we would take the same interest in unclogging our motorways!
Cheers
 
Don't have that info yet, Ukridge, but Mr. Tilton said that UA has intentions of bringing TED to IAD if all goes well with TED's start-up operation. Bookings to date are going well. I can only assume that Orlando from IAD would be a rewarding market for TED, plus other leisure markets on the East Coast. TED could be an effective competitor to Independence Air on the East Coast. United is building a new more modern terminal at Dulles for its regional jet service.