Midwest Hub/focus City

[markkus757]

I think you guys are merely arguing to stretch those little fingers right now. The argument appears to have become oranges versus tangerines. Kiss and make up. US is still trying to rub out the US employee. Shouldn't you be trying to stop that 700UW? Remeber, four pay cuts that your union voted for. KCflyer has a different point of view from us on the eastern seaboard. Don't just dismiss him automatically.

 

[700UW]

The members of the union voted for it, I voted no!

 

[El Gato]

The rube part comes from the Gato's feelings that if you aren't on either coast, you must be a toothless goober who doesn't know "good" service because they only fly Southwest. Sort of a slam on SWA and it's customers. He's wrong.

[post="279985"][/post]​

Perhaps I am off in generalizing about the good citizens of Kansas and Missouri, but there is a HUGE kernel of truth to it. Comparing folks from gooberland to someone in DFW or MSP or even DCA is no contest. No offense, but if it comes down to finding where tobacco road type conditions are present, the midwest beats even the underdeveloped areas of the south for it.

WN customers do tend to be lower in intelligence, if not dental hygiene. I submit that you watch any episode of "Airline" as evidence of this. That show and WN do Jerry Springer proud.

 

[Light Years]

Now someone is going to come on and say that someone in a suit flew from Houston to Dallas.

 

[KCFlyer]

Perhaps I am off in generalizing about the good citizens of Kansas and Missouri, but there is a HUGE kernel of truth to it. Comparing folks from gooberland to someone in DFW or MSP or even DCA is no contest. No offense, but if it comes down to finding where tobacco road type conditions are present, the midwest beats even the underdeveloped areas of the south for it.

WN customers do tend to be lower in intelligence, if not dental hygiene. I submit that you watch any episode of "Airline" as evidence of this. That show and WN do Jerry Springer proud.

[post="280055"][/post]​

Quick story about the airline y'all are gettng ready to merge with...my wife was flying back from Sacramento a few years ago, flew AWA thru PHX. She got assigned a seat near the back of the plane, and her "seatmate" was, I'm sure, one of your prized future customers. It was a woman, who got up during the flight to use the lav. She emerged from the room and announced to the entire rear of the aircraft - WOOOOWEEE...I just lost 10 pounds in there.

 

[KCFlyer]

The members of the union voted for it, I voted no!

[post="280039"][/post]​

Gosh...is that a change of topic. And here I thought you'd at least offer up a hint of an apology.

 

[Light Years]

Quick story about the airline y'all are gettng ready to merge with...my wife was flying back from Sacramento a few years ago, flew AWA thru PHX.  She got assigned a seat near the back of the plane, and her "seatmate" was, I'm sure, one of your prized future customers.  It was a woman, who got up during the flight to use the lav.  She emerged from the room and announced to the entire rear of the aircraft - WOOOOWEEE...I just lost 10 pounds in there.

[post="280059"][/post]​

Well I had to take that flight because US did not serve SMF at the time.

There are plenty of, let's say don't-read-alot-of-books types on US Airways, particularly these days, just as there are plenty of business types on Southwest these days. But through sheer geography and the cultures they have, I'd have to agree with El Gato's assertion for the most part. US Airways serves the eastern seaboard, and is arguably the largest player for short haul in the three biggest business markets in the world. Clearly the clientele is different than the midwest-to-Florida or Texas-to-southeast crowd.

 

[KCFlyer]

Well I had to take that flight because US did not serve SMF at the time.

There are plenty of, let's say don't-read-alot-of-books types on US Airways, particularly these days, just as there are plenty of business types on Southwest these days. But through sheer geography and the cultures they have, I'd have to agree with El Gato's assertion for the most part. US Airways serves the eastern seaboard, and is arguably the largest player for short haul in the three biggest business markets in the world. Clearly the clientele is different than the midwest-to-Florida or Texas-to-southeast crowd.

[post="280064"][/post]​

Yes that midwest to Florida and Texas to Southeast crowd enables an airline to make a profit.

 

[700UW]

I think it is a few more regions of the country that makes a profit, not just two.

 

[Light Years]

Yes that midwest to Florida and Texas to Southeast crowd enables an airline to make a profit.

[post="280065"][/post]​

Indeed it does, but I'd credit thier business model for that. They are a different type of airline altogether. (Everyone- "They are a different type of airline!" Sorry, Airplane joke)

Could WN profitably run a international network carrier? No, no one seems to be able to currently.

 

[whlinder]

Could WN profitably run a international network carrier? No, no one seems to be able to currently.

[post="280077"][/post]​

Except for foreign carriers.

 

[ClueByFour]

But through sheer geography and the cultures they have, I'd have to agree with El Gato's assertion for the most part.

[post="280064"][/post]​

And Southwest hopes that you and El Gato continue to think that. It's what enables them to make money.

 

[Light Years]

I don't think there are any foriegn carriers with the breadth of service most of the US majors have. Many are primarily international carriers with limited domestic due to smaller countries. Most have little or no competition. Most importantly, most are subsidized by thier governments. Not like the loans US carriers have gotten, I'm talking about actually subsidized.

And yes, I'll continue to think that way until Southwest offers service to both London and Latrobe and does it profitably. They won't, because they are a domestic LCC and are damm good at that. LCC business models can be successful, and WN is hands down the most successful. I'm more concerned with how to be a profitable network carrier, and the closest to successful these days is America West. US Airways is a victim of corporate greed, and disaterous decisions by mangement teams that know nothing about airlines. Hopefully the HP run US Airways will be onto something in running a successful network carrier. There will always be a need for international and regional serive in the United States, so not everyone can be Southwest.

 

[ClueByFour]

WN customers do tend to be lower in intelligence, if not dental hygiene. I submit that you watch any episode of "Airline" as evidence of this. That show and WN do Jerry Springer proud.

[post="280055"][/post]​

Coming from a Mesa pilot, I find all of this hilarious. Half the people in the midwest are clearing more than most of your FOs.

Again--I'm sure that the good people at LUV appreciate it--your attitude and completely mischaracterized stereotypes is a large part of the reason why they've completely mowed down the competition (and particularly U) in the last 10 years.

 

[Light Years]

Oh Bob, whatever... you really don't think there are different cultures in different parts of the country, or for different products and services? The symphony doesn't attract a different crowd than Monster trucks? McDonald's doesn't attract a different crowd than The Palm? "Dude Where's My Car?" and "The Pianist"? Target and Wal-Mart? People's spending habits depend on thier incomes, tastes and availability.

You don't think the mix of people on the DCA-LGA Shuttle is different than the people on the CLT-MCO flight? Clearly US Airways sees differences as they have specially configured thier 757s to fly Florida, Phoenix and Vegas, and a much more generous product on the Shuttle flights than on most mainline flights.

Southwest offers a different product than US Airways does. You just admitted you spend your money at US Airways because of the more comprehensive product they offer. If you lived in OKC and not New Jersey you of course would not be a US FF. Southwest offers a less complicated, bare bones product that has traditionally appealed to college students, families on a budget, and occasional leisure travelers.

US Airways has traditionally appealed to frequent travelers who demand a variety of destinations, high frequency, and amenities. So of course they are different types of clintele- neither better than the other. Ironically, both are dipping thier feet into the other- WN vying for more business travelers and US seeking the business crowd.

Again, Bob has something about "homos" in his post, I don't know why. This is the second thread this week he's taken an unrelated topic and turned it into "let's discuss the gays." :blink: Is anyone else over it?