Early PHL-FRA for September

[nycbusdriver]

Noticed that the A330 is losing the early PHL-FRA trip beginning in September.  The B767 will be taking over...maybe permanently as the "grandfathered" Star Alliance connections dwindle to zero in FRA. 
 
But the reall interesting part of the change is that CATCREW shows these trips being staffed by West cabin crews!  (At least the West flight attendants are spreading their wings to transatlantic flying...while the Westicle pilots ply their talent at delay in federal court lawsuits.)  I imagine there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth among the PHL flight attendants who love the early FRA trip more than life itself.  
 
The A330 keeps the late PHL-FRA, which is seasonal anyway.  Almost inevitably the LAST season we will see two PHL-FRA flights.
 
Buh-bye Star Alliance.  Hello, thirdworld!

 

[737823]

Noticed that the A330 is losing the early PHL-FRA trip beginning in September.  The B767 will be taking over...maybe permanently as the "grandfathered" Star Alliance connections dwindle to zero in FRA. 
 
But the reall interesting part of the change is that CATCREW shows these trips being staffed by West cabin crews!  (At least the West flight attendants are spreading their wings to transatlantic flying...while the Westicle pilots ply their talent at delay in federal court lawsuits.)  I imagine there will be weeping and gnashing of teeth among the PHL flight attendants who love the early FRA trip more than life itself.  
 
The A330 keeps the late PHL-FRA, which is seasonal anyway.  Almost inevitably the LAST season we will see two PHL-FRA flights.
 
Buh-bye Star Alliance.  Hello, thirdworld!

 
This is the merger you asked for after all.  
 
Josh

 

[700UW]

Actually Parker bribed them for their support, and it was more of the APA, APFA and the TWU who wanted the merger.

 

[nycbusdriver]

 
This is the merger you asked for after all.  
 
Josh

 
I did?  Prove it.  Provide the documentation (you don't want to discover any record of my vote for the MOU.)

 

[737823]

 
I did?  Prove it.  Provide the documentation (you don't want to discover any record of my vote for the MOU.)

 
I was referring to the broader USAIR labor groups who supported the merger as a means to gain pay increases from their far below market rates due to the USAIR's strategic limitations and small size before the merger.
 
Josh

 

[zethya]

Noticed that the A330 is losing the early PHL-FRA trip beginning in September.  The B767 will be taking over...maybe permanently as the "grandfathered" Star Alliance connections dwindle to zero in FRA. 
..............
 

Temporary. 700/701 return to the 330-200 on 2 October.

 

[robbedagain]

could that be when the aircraft is to be painted 

 

[nycbusdriver]

Temporary. 700/701 return to the 330-200 on 2 October.

 
With West F/As?

 

[autofixer]

There is an A330 out of service with a wing spar issue.  

 

[jcw]

This is the merger you asked for after all.  
 
Josh

Seriously did you look back at previous schedules many times 767 are put in while a330's go in for MX during winter season

This had nothing to do with the merger

 

[flyer63]

This is the merger you asked for after all.  
 
Josh

Are you in second or 3rd grade?

 

[PHL]

Noticed that the A330 is losing the early PHL-FRA trip beginning in September.  The B767 will be taking over...maybe permanently as the "grandfathered" Star Alliance connections dwindle to zero in FRA. 

 
Aside from the other comments that FRA sees 767's covering for A330 maintenance, those 767's won't be around much longer anyway.  I prefer the broader choice of OW hubs LHR, TXL and MAD for Europe connections to the *A hubs FRA, FRA and FRA (oh, and MUC)....

 

[WorldTraveler]

none of the big 3 Euro carriers covers eastern Europe as well as LH does from FRA. Given that BA is heavily limited in its ability to push connecting traffic over LHR unless it wants to displace local LHR traffic, and IB's hubs are very weak, and TXL belongs to an airline that has serious financial problems and isn't part of a JV with AA/US (which means traffic that AA/US sends to TXL is lost from the JV, AA/US doesn't have anywhere near the ability to cover the parts of the world that Star provided.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

none of the big 3 Euro carriers covers eastern Europe as well as LH does from FRA. Given that BA is heavily limited in its ability to push connecting traffic over LHR unless it wants to displace local LHR traffic, and IB's hubs are very weak, and TXL belongs to an airline that has serious financial problems and isn't part of a JV with AA/US (which means traffic that AA/US sends to TXL is lost from the JV, AA/US doesn't have anywhere near the ability to cover the parts of the world that Star provided.

 
I think as far as "eastern" Europe is concerned, LH does cover it well, but not from FRA.  Instead, I would argue that LH via its OS subsiadary and the hub at VIE covers "eastern" Europe much better.  For eastern Europeans travelling within Europe, connecting on LH and LH-owned airlines is the best option - if you ignore the LCCs such as Ryanair, easyjet and Wizz Air..  For the long-haul connections, LH probably does have an advantage, with the remainder of the traffic divided between skyteam and 1-world (since they serve most of the major eastern EU cities too).
 
Specific to US - since they weren't part of a JV while in * alliance I don't know that it will be that much affected in the switch from * alliance hub(s) to LHR.  As a customer you're just connecting in a different hub to get to your (eastern) European destination if US/AA doesn't serve it non-stop.

 

[WorldTraveler]

sorry, but LH using its FRA hub provides far more service to Eastern Europe than any other airline from any hub. if you believe otherwise, feel free to bring the schedule data to show because I would certainly like to see it.

Either way, OS is part of Star and will stay with UA.

US did push a lot of connections to eastern Europe via FRA and MUC even without a JV. It is precisely because they are losing that connectivity which cannot be replaced by other carriers in AA's partnership list that UA will gain a network advantage over AA/US. Obviously, UA is losing some things that may be more valuable - such as its presence in the SE - but FRA was a very viable hub in US' network via LH which will no longer be there.