Dca Spirit

[BoeingBoy]

Airline Outlook
Spirit Wins DCA Exemptions Over Comair, Northwest
Aviation Week & Space Technology
08/16/2004, page 13

Edited by Frances Fiorino


DCA Spirit

Is it time for US Airways to launch Go fares between Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA) and Myrtle Beach, S.C.? The U.S. Transportation Dept. awarded two DCA slot exemptions to Spirit Airlines for a daily MD-80 nonstop in the market, now served on weekends by US Airways partners operating regional jets with one-third the seats or fewer. The department picked Spirit over Comair and Northwest, which proposed RJ nonstops to Jackson, Miss., and Des Moines, Iowa, respectively. The exemptions were given up three months ago by Midwest Airlines, which had served DCA-Des Moines for more than three years. Picking Spirit, the department cited its low fares and larger aircraft, the benefit of competition on what is now a monopoly route, and the likelihood that the Myrtle Beach market will grow. Also, Comair and Northwest have DCA slots to reallocate if they want to pursue their proposals.

 

[ringmaruf]

US AIRWAYS ALREADY OFFERED DCA-MYR GOFARES!!!

God, I hate these damn uninformed, unresearched articles that want to do nothing but blast US and praise the hell out of the do-no-evil LCCs, facts be damned.

:down: :angry:

 

[BoeingBoy]

ringmaruf,

Thanks, I had missed (or more likely had a "senior moment" and forgot) that. If I had I wouldn't have posted the article.

Jim

 

[delldude]

you know the real reason for this push for givebacks....its you and i who they want to make up the difference they're losing with the go fares.
if they don't get these additional givebacks real quick,they start to burn cash.
see a correlation between giveback negotiations and go fare campains??
my my i think i hit it on the head.

 

[BoeingBoy]

Bob,

I know what you meant, but it's the DOT that does these slot allocations. Others more knowledgeable in this area can better answer your question, but I believe that there is a "public comment" period involved. I just don't know how much weight a group of "concerned citizens" carries though.

Jim

 

[UseYourHead]

Great idea Bob....

Jim & Others why don't we find out?

Politicians scurry for cover when even the slightest light is shone upon them. Let's see how they react when their actions are called into account by an aroused and angry group of US employees and customers.

This is a customer/employee/company win-win opportunity! The company needs to do more long haul and point to point to lower operating cost. The more long haul flights the less downward pressure on wages. The more travel options the more customers US attracts. I fail to see a negative in at least TRYING to influence the proceedings.

Anyone else up to tilting at a very very large windmill?

[post="169594"][/post]​

 

[RowUnderDCA]

Actually, this might be somewhat well recieved by the DOT. They are over-focused on the anti-competitive nature of traditional legacy carrier's business strategies since the eighties. To see one trying to get that monkey of its back might be attractive to DOT. You might be able to sell some at DOT that they should support U's transformation, at least the ones that think that U isn't already a gonner.

 

[Art at ISP]

I agree with Bob--our group should become vocal in the issue of route approvals and work with employees to make sure U gets fair treatment. There is a perceivable bias within the government toward LCC's right now, and I think that is unfair.

We should participate in any pertinent "public comment" periods as we learn of them.

My best to you all...

 

[WorldTraveler]

These slot rewards are nothing more than a planned process of rewarding slots to LCCs so that when majors fail there will be justification for allowing the remaining legacy carriers to gain greater market share (which they will if one fails at any of the slot or facility restricted major airports).

What is the status of US' attempts to rent/buy the slots from NW that DL is apparently not going to continue using?