Denver And United Express

[jimntx]

In conversation with a United Express flight attendant, I was told that...

1. United Express (in-house) is closing operations at Denver airport.
2. All f/as (don't know about other employees) are being force transferred to IAD.
3. Air Wisconsin's UEx service at Denver cancelled.
4. Only 2 of the contract UEx carriers to remain at Denver.

Can anyone confirm this? She supposedly had a letter from the company outlining these changes, but "couldn't show it to me."

Why would UAL do this with ski season coming? UEx has done a lot of business in the DEN-various ski resorts service in the past.

 

[phllax]

Mesa has steadily ben increasing their Denver ops since coming back into UX last year. They will probably take over UX operations at DEN.

 

[Light Years]

There is no "in-house" United Express. THey are all indendent contract carriers. I believe Air Willy, SkyWest, and Mesa are in DEN. All of them are in IAD too, so one of them is probably just closing thier DEN crew base and moving to IAD. No effect on flights, another will just pick up the flying.

YOu think they are confusing, try and figure out US Airways Express- that's anywhere between 8 and 11 airlines that have thier flying shifted every month. They don't like for one carrier to feel they own any flying.

 

[jimntx]

PHLAX & LY, thanks for the explanation. She never identified herself (she's a friend of a friend) as other than United Express; so, I just assumed they had some "in-house" RJ flying.

 

[C54Capt]

Mesa may be the lowest bidder but you got to think that they are completely destroying any shred of "quality of service" that the UA passengers have come to expect over the years.

 

[JungleClone]

We just saw an outline of the January 2005 flight schedule this past week. It shows DEN losing about 25 total flights with more flying given to UAX. Several DEN markets are going from mainline to all UAX and from mainline to a mix of UA/UAX. Given that we are giving back 45 aircraft (the majority of which will be B737's), it makes sense that more UAX infrastructure is being shifted to IAD to keep on par with Indy Air. But, if anything, DEN will see an INCREASE in UAX flying, not a decrease.

 

[Light Years]

Mesa is a poison. They have lost so many customers for US. Jim, you guys are lucky at American that the only contract carriers you have (CHQ and TSA) are relatively decent. I won't even non-rev on a flight if it's operated by Mesa, because for one thing it may never leave, but secondly it's too embarrassing to watch thier F/As in action, particularly as a laid off mainline F/A who was really proud to wear that uniform.

 

[uafa21]

I would agree about Mesa being terrible. I recently was on one of there RJ's from OKC to DEN. Not only was it hours late the service was poor and only half full. You couldn't understand a word the f/a said.

I also rode on Skywest from BUR to DEN. This was a pleasant experience. Another RJ, 70 seats. Left on time and actually got to DEN early. Skywest is heads above Mesa.

 

[Light Years]

Contract carriers are basically scab alter-ego airlines and there is nothing good about them, they exist only to undercut mainline and wholly-owned "Express" employees, but some are better than others.

SkyWest has a good reputation, and generally so does Chautauqua. ACA had a pretty bad rep, Trans States used to but seems to have improved. Shuttle America is an absolute joke, everyone at US was so happy when that circus left town. Mesa is the all time worst, thier flight attendants were so notorious that you can play "Spot the Mesa" in the terminal when bored. An absolute embarassment for any airline who's brand they represent.