Midwest Airlines adds flights to MKE

700UW

Corn Field
Nov 11, 2003
37,637
19,488
NC
ROUTE NOW SERVED BY US AIRWAYS
Midwest Airlines adds
flights to Milwaukee
Service addition starts Sept. 16; check shows competitive fares
TONY MECIA
[email protected]
Come September, air travelers will have another way to reach America's Dairyland, home of beer, cheese and the Green Bay Packers.

Midwest Airlines said Wednesday that it will start offering twice-daily nonstop flights between Milwaukee and Charlotte. Only US Airways flies that route now.

Midwest did not say how much its introductory fares would cost, and fares had not been loaded onto its Web site as of Wednesday evening. However, a search on Travelocity for a two-night weekend trip from Charlotte to Milwaukee in late September found a $312 fare on Midwest, compared with $424 on US Airways (including taxes and fees).

When service starts Sept. 16, Charlotte travelers also will be able to connect through Midwest's Milwaukee hub to other cities in the West and Midwest, including Kansas City; Omaha, Neb.; Minneapolis; Denver; Phoenix; Seattle; and San Francisco.

While some U.S. carriers experiment with charging extra for blankets and seat assignments, Midwest Airlines is known for its passenger-friendly service. Just this week, it won Travel + Leisure's "Best Domestic Airline" award, its eighth time winning the award in 11 years.

Its slogan is "The best care in the air," and it promises chocolate chip cookies baked aboard every flight, even aboard the Midwest Connect 50-seat CRJ-200 aircraft that will fly from Charlotte. The flight will be operated by SkyWest Airlines, a regional carrier.

"We treat our passengers as if they were a guest in our own home," said Midwest spokeswoman Carol Skornicka.

Charlotte airport director Jerry Orr, who said he first heard Midwest was coming Wednesday morning, said its arrival will be good news for Charlotte.

"The more airlines, the more competition we have," he said. "Competition drives service and price. Life doesn't get much better than that."

In a news release Wednesday, the airline said it selected Charlotte because of the city's status as "the nation's second-largest financial center and the hub of U.S. motorsports with its strong ties to NASCAR." It also said Charlotte and Austin -- which also will start Midwest service -- "are renowned for their historical pasts, natural outdoor beauty and rich and varied arts scene and culture."

Midwest flies to 53 cities and has recently been the object of a hostile takeover bid by AirTran Holdings, the parent of AirTran Airways. Midwest has a secondary hub in Kansas City and has codeshare agreements with Air Midwest and Northwest Airlines, which could open destinations for Charlotte travelers.

Midwest also distinguishes itself by offering two kinds of mainline flights with MD-80 series aircraft and Boeing 717s, a variant of the MD-80. Those planes usually have five-across coach seating, with two seats on one side of the aisle and three on the other.
 
I've heard nothing but good things about Midwest.

Do you think the smell of fresh baked cookies puts everyone in a cheery mood?(aroma therapy)

We could learn from that. :D
Midwest is truly a very nice experience. They also have among the highest costs of all the airlines flying out of MCI. The problem with Midwest as a business is this...you can have 2x2 seating in a 717....you can have fresh baked cookies. But if you expect to stay in business, you cannot charge fares that are more in line with airlines with a CASM of 2 or 3 cents lower than yours.
 
Charlotte airport director Jerry Orr, who said he first heard Midwest was coming Wednesday morning, said its arrival will be good news for Charlotte.

Sounds like Orr does'nt want to pi$$ off US by claiming ignorance...
 
I've heard nothing but good things about Midwest.

Do you think the smell of fresh baked cookies puts everyone in a cheery mood?(aroma therapy)

We could learn from that. :D
Let them have the Chocolate Chip cookies and the aroma they bring. On US if thet position the a/c correctly they can offer a "ripe" 7Dirty7 with lavs that have an aroma reflective of its Management Team.....THEY STINK! :p
 
Midwest has a secondary hub in Kansas City and has codeshare agreements with Air Midwest and Northwest Airlines, which could open destinations for Charlotte travelers.
Yikes, great fact-checking in this article. Air Midwest is part of Mesa and also "codeshares" with US Airways. Not sure how that would open more destinations for Charlotte travelers.
"Hey, now instead of flying CLT-MCI-MHK, you can fly CLT-MKE-MCI-MHK!"

And the codeshare with NW is not operational yet. All they have is an agreement signed and the ability to use frequent flyer miles on NW.



But if you expect to stay in business, you cannot charge fares that are more in line with airlines with a CASM of 2 or 3 cents lower than yours.
And their June results show an increase in load factor with a decrease in RASM vs. Jun06.


Cookies may put people in a good mood but the CRJ will reverse that!
Exactly. You should only get excited about a CRJ when it is replacing you B1900 service.
 
Yikes, great fact-checking in this article. Air Midwest is part of Mesa and also "codeshares" with US Airways. Not sure how that would open more destinations for Charlotte travelers.
"Hey, now instead of flying CLT-MCI-MHK, you can fly CLT-MKE-MCI-MHK!"

And the codeshare with NW is not operational yet. All they have is an agreement signed and the ability to use frequent flyer miles on NW.
And their June results show an increase in load factor with a decrease in RASM vs. Jun06.
Exactly. You should only get excited about a CRJ when it is replacing you B1900 service.
Midwest is not Air Midwest....Two completely different companies
 
I think everyone is aware that they are two different companies. They are pointing out FACTS, some of Air Midwest flights operated for USAirways ALSO carry the Midwest Flight Numbers for Code Share purposes into MCI. An example would be MHK-MCI. Try booking it on the YX web-site and it will tell you it is Air Midwest, part of MESA!!!
 
Can't the almighty marketing department find some cookie company to ho out for us to serve their hot cookies...say for seat back trays, the exterior, or the BARF bags??
 
Can't the almighty marketing department find some cookie company to ho out for us to serve their hot cookies...say for seat back trays, the exterior, or the BARF bags??

Hot cookies? On US? Maybe some brand that they sell at the local $1 store that is about to expire sounds good for US.