Air Tran Looking At Usairways Shuttle

[us0004us]

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/20...huttle_service/

"What happens at US Airways will have a tremendous impact on what goes on in this industry," Fornaro said in a telephone interview. "We think we'd take a very close look if somehow their plan does not make it."

 

[oldtimer]

http://www.boston.com/business/articles/20...huttle_service/

"What happens at US Airways will have a tremendous impact on what goes on in this industry," Fornaro said in a telephone interview. "We think we'd take a very close look if somehow their plan does not make it."

[post="196199"][/post]​

Considering that Bob Fornaro was a VP with USAir before he jumped ship and went to Air Tran, I'm sure he would love to get a piece of USAir as it crumbles.

 

[funguy2]

If I personally were running AirTran or any other carrier for that matter, and I were interested in the shuttle assets, I would probably consider dismantling the shuttle, or maybe portions of it. I just have to think greater profits could be achieved by using those valuable slots to run flights from LGA and DCA to other places... But thats just my opinion.

 

[luvn737s]

The shuttle has been and can remain one of the most profitable routes in the country. It must rely on a large volume of service, high reliability, the use of inexpensive (paid for) equipment and last, but most importantly, extremely high fares.

The shuttle should not be marketed with advance purchase fares. The idea is that someone needs to get between New York and Washington right now and is guaranteed a seat (which requires a standby airplane and crew). It's only real competition would be chartering a plane, and thus it should be priced accordingly.

This is one area where value and price are perfectly matched.

 

[Light Years]

Another thing they need to focus on with the Shuttle is the time it takes to hop out of your car and get onto the plane. Remember the ads they used to have "Time Flies... it doesn't take the train"? Well, unfortunately alot of people do take Acela simply because it's less hassle. The prices may be the same and the train takes obviously longer, but customers don't want to face the lines and waiting around of the airport.

There are seperate security checkpoints and ticket counters for the Shuttle to an extent, but they need to really focus on it and make it so it's never more than 10-15 minutes curb to seat. I don't know if they still deplane from both ends, but what would be really helpful would be if they could board from both ends, with a dual jetway, commencing boarding 15 minutes prior to departure. They need to make it feel less like "going through the hassle of a flight" and more like "catching the Shuttle" as you would a train.

If they were to bring E190s or E195s online they would probably be a more suited aircraft for the Shuttle. They have less capacity, are cheaper to run on short routes, and are much more comfortable than the 737. They could have Shuttle branded aircraft with gallies designed for extra storage and therefore quicker turns, and laptop power ports in the seats. The Shuttle is a great product, and should be a seperate brand for the sake of advertising. Just me dreaming again!

I wonder if they ever consudered making PHL part of the Shuttle? PHL-BOS is already pretty much hourly. PHL-DCA and LGA alternate between mainline and Express, and probably wouldn't support an hourly service. If they did have Shuttle in PHL, it would have been a great use for those couple of gates in D. A seperate, small, Shuttle only check-in counter in D ticketing, avoiding the crowds, with the gates right after security.

AirTran Shuttle. It just doesn't sound right. Doesn't have the same ring to it as "Eastern Shuttle", "Trump Shuttle" or "US Airways Shuttle."

 

[BartlettAve]

Another thing they need to focus on with the Shuttle is the time it takes to hop out of your car and get onto the plane. Remember the ads they used to have "Time Flies... it doesn't take the train"? Well, unfortunately alot of people do take Acela simply because it's less hassle. The prices may be the same and the train takes obviously longer, but customers don't want to face the lines and waiting around of the airport.

There are seperate security checkpoints and ticket counters for the Shuttle to an extent, but they need to really focus on it and make it so it's never more than 10-15 minutes curb to seat. I don't know if they still deplane from both ends, but what would be really helpful would be if they could board from both ends, with a dual jetway, commencing boarding 15 minutes prior to departure. They need to make it feel less like "going through the hassle of a flight" and more like "catching the Shuttle" as you would a train.

If they were to bring E190s or E195s online they would probably be a more suited aircraft for the Shuttle. They have less capacity, are cheaper to run on short routes, and are much more comfortable than the 737. They could have Shuttle branded aircraft with gallies designed for extra storage and therefore quicker turns, and laptop power ports in the seats. The Shuttle is a great product, and should be a seperate brand for the sake of advertising. Just me dreaming again!

I wonder if they ever consudered making PHL part of the Shuttle? PHL-BOS is already pretty much hourly. PHL-DCA and LGA alternate between mainline and Express, and probably wouldn't support an hourly service. If they did have Shuttle in PHL, it would have been a great use for those couple of gates in D. A seperate, small, Shuttle only check-in counter in D ticketing, avoiding the crowds, with the gates right after security.

AirTran Shuttle. It just doesn't sound right. Doesn't have the same ring to it as "Eastern Shuttle", "Trump Shuttle" or "US Airways Shuttle."

[post="196266"][/post]​

........run the words together, and it becomes cool: AirTranShuttle. And, if they refine it as you suggest, it might work. But, what do I care, I'm furloughed AA.

 

[Light Years]

I just can't picture AirTran doing anything that requires a "premium product." JetBlue, yes, but not AirTran... I don't see how they could come in with a janky product, no real presense in the markets, a poor FF program and no shuttle experience and compete with the Delta Shuttle.

Even AA's "quasi-shuttle" by American Eagle survives only on the diehard AA flyers since they stopped codesharing with the US Shuttle.It in no way competes with the US or DL Shuttles.

 

[USFlyer]

Folks, there is almost no point in taking the Shuttles anymore. Acela is by far the best way to get between DC and NY (DC and BOS still really requires flying), especially if you're coming from or going into downtown in either location. I now take Amtrak WAS-PHL in lieu of flying ... I can get to Union Station 5-10 minutes before the train leaves and still make it with no problem. Before 9/11, I used to arrive at DCA 15 minutes before Shuttle departures to LGA ... not anymore, now it's a good 45 minutes to 1 hour, which makes flying pointless.

I think US should codeshare with Amtrak on the NE corridor and use the Shuttle slots for other service. Heck, I'd even make Amtrak part of the Star Alliance.

 

[BoeingBoy]

USFlyer,

You highlight an excellent point, especially as it pertains to PHL - DC/NYC, and it is one of the weaknesses of PHL as a hub (but that's another story for another thread.

Look at any major city in the U.S. (except PHL, DC, & NYC) and somewhere between 9% & 13% of the O&D traffic is bound for either DC or NYC. This tends to be higher average yield traffic - a higher % of business travelers.

Now look at PHL. 1% of O&D traffic is headed to NYC. When rounded, 0% of O&D traffic is headed to DC. PHL's competition is surface transportation because of it's location. As you pointed out, rail is quicker than air between DC and PHL and nearly as quick between NYC and PHL. Heck, even car is almost as quick between DC and PHL as air when you look at downtown to downtown times.

Jim

 

[USFlyer]

Driving, in theory, should be faster for where I live in VA and where I need to go in the Philly area. However ... 495, 95, etc. are highly variable in terms of traffic. So I take the train, even though it's probably on average about 20 mins longer, to avoid the frustration. Amtrak is great, too, as you can walk up, pay the $97-$115 WAS-PHL one way and you're on your way. One way walk-up DCA-PHL I think is like $300. My guess is they keep that fare high to keep seats open for passengers making connections. For the most part, I don't think US really expects all that much O&D traffic between DCA and PHL. Most of the O&D is probably folks on multi-leg itineraries where it's cheaper to just include the DCA-PHL segment in lieu of having a open jaw ticket.

 

[Light Years]

All it will take is for something to happen on a train and they will be under the same security. I'm surprised they are not already.

 

[USFlyer]

There is no real good way to secure trains. You can't possibly make all rail tracks in the U.S. secure, especially when you consider subways and such. Trains, too, can only go where there are tracks. Planes can really fly anywhere (and into anything). Also, securing all the tracks is impossible ... planes are in a controlled environment when on the ground and "away" from most everything else, except the people and cargo on them, when in the air.

 

[blueoceans]

"I think US should codeshare with Amtrak on the NE corridor and use the Shuttle slots for other service"

Unless I'm mistaken, Continental Airlines already has that partnership locked up.

 

[700UW]

You all have to remember one thing, there is no seperate "Shuttle". The shuttle is part of mainline, there are no dedicated planes, they are all mainline planes nor does it have its own operating certificate.

Plus the LGA slots are collateral for the ATSB loan.

 

[funguy2]

Yeah, that is my point. Acela works well for now... And with enough revenue growth, it is plausible that it could be upgraded to even faster trains at some point in the future (assuming Uncle Sam continues its subsidies). I think the hassel factor is large, and when you consider the "wait around the airport" time + "travel to/from airport" +actual flight time, we are probably talking close to the 3hr train trips anyway. Plus, even if airplanes become appreciably faster, it won't change the travel time between NYC and BOS and NYC and DCA much, due to congestion and the short distance.

While train tracks will never be totally secured, neither will airports/airplanes. All it takes it some terrorist with a shoulder fired missile launcher to be in the vicinity of of an airport... While the security procedures airline passengers endure does help in terms of security of who is on-board the aircraft, it does nothing to eliminate the off airport threat. That threat is equally applicable to airplanes, trains, busses, etc.

And getting back to the original point, if I was able to grab the slots, I would think that LGA to places further away than DCA/BOS would have greater long-term revenue potential.

And lastly, if the personal jet charter / air-taxi service take off as some expect, the Shuttle market will be gone. I'll bet someone could make quite a few bucks running this type of service between Hanscom, Teterboro, and somewhere near DC (not sure where)...