More Airline Cuts Ahead ? (Post Gazette 9/13)

[Coffee_Tea_Or_Me]

I think the real issue is aircraft, too. They are scared to grow the domestic fleet (they say this all the time), and the routes they are running are, apparently, profitable. Why pull aircraft out of markets where you KNOW you are making money to increase an operation that will run as a hub and not rely as much on O&D? Continental is in a position to grow CLE because they are continually receiving new generation seven-threes, among others. I know US is getting the E-190, but that is a replacement aircraft, so no real growth there. If PIT was not a gamble, I suppose they could keep the aging aircraft and give it a go....

 

[Travelpro72]

Do you have a purpose? I mean really what do you bring to the conversation/debate on ANY thread here?

 

[leprechaun]

Do you have a purpose? I mean really what do you bring to the conversation/debate on ANY thread here?

Yes, I can dance.

 

[songbirdstew]

Do you have a purpose? I mean really what do you bring to the conversation/debate on ANY thread here?

Very well put---my thoughts exactly. BTW, just talked to Local 40 PIT LECP. He was told they will be painting the crew room and getting new furniture in the next month or two....now why would they do that for a base they are going to close down ?

 

[Travelpro72]

While I hope they don't close PIT, knowing this place they may be "burning the cash". Make it pretty for Republic even. Who knows what is going to happen with the lunatics running the asylum.

 

[AstroLounge]

Yes, I can dance.

Hey, you better NOT show the Leprechaun going the Irish Jig........the mods may be offended. and to be sympathetic to PIT, someone dancing the Polka would be more appropriate.

 

[Elevation]

Elevation,

All of the big companies in PIT - U.S. Steel, Heinz, PPG, FreeMarkets, Bayer, Mellon Bank, Marconi, Westinghouse, UPMC, etc... have LEFT US Airways for LACK of service out of PIT. Most are using connecting flights on Northwest through Detroit and United through Chicago. To be fair this all started before "DoUgIe" came along. That being said, new managements LCC vision did nothing to try and patch up these once lucrative corporate arrangements. Whatever...

Later,
Eye

Some corp accounts have moved on to other airlines during the USAir double Bk's days it will be awhile before they will come back because of purchase blocks/contracts or they may like the other airlines service/destinations. What's USAir to do? Fly low yield/break even flights or redistribute A/C to other hubs? It's the legacy of bankruptcy.

 

[Travelpro72]

Hey, you better NOT show the Leprechaun going the Irish Jig........the mods may be offended. and to be sympathetic to PIT, someone dancing the Polka would be more appropriate.

Instead of tomatoes they may start firing pirogies at him instead. Although there is a pretty large Irish population in the burgh. Certainly not like our lil' friend Darby O'gill's town of Boston though.

 

[leprechaun]

A little levity never hurt anyone, and it's bad luck to be mean to a leprechaun Travelpro.

 

[CLT CS AGENT]

There's really two questions when it comes to O&D - total for the airport and US' share of that.

PIT & CLT are close to each other in total O&D, but both are roughly half of PHL. Don't have the specific numbers in front of me, however. Don't know about PHX.

At one time, US had the majority of PIT O&D because of having the preponderance of available non-stop flights vs other airlines only offering connections except to their hubs (a situation that still exists at CLT). At PHL, US has never had a "fortress" hub to the extent that CLT is or PIT once was. So US undoubtedly has less than half the domestic O&D market at PHL. The specific numbers, however, are almost impossible to obtain.

Jim

The CLT ticket counter briefings always include traffic counts for the day. It seems that the average US traffic in CLT is between 9,500-12,000 originating paxs daily with about 50,000-60,000 conecting paxs on a average day.

 

[BoeingBoy]

It seems that the average US traffic in CLT is between 9,500-12,000 originating paxs daily with about 50,000-60,000 conecting paxs on a average day.

One problem with the BTS O&D data is that it's out of date when it becomes easily available. The latest quarter available is 1Q07 (a slow period) and traffic has grown enough in the last year to make year over year to make conclusions based on year old data somewhat suspect.

Having said that, BTS shows CLT having about 11,000 originating passengers per day average during the 1st quarter 2007 (about 992,000 for the quarter). Even assuming the numbers you're being given are for the summer travel season, they leave relatively little originating traffic for all the other carrier's flights (which are about 30% of the flights in CLT), which should be heavily originating traffic since UA and LH are the only codeshare connections possible.

Admittedly, some number of passengers book mixed-carrier trips since the big on-line travel sites make it both easy and it often results in lower fares. Also, there are the EAS markets that only USX serves, so some of those passengers may connect in CLT from USX to DL/AA/CO/NW/etc. Both would result in the other carriers getting some amount of connecting passengers in CLT.

Jim

 

[WCT]

Weak. I'm senior to you Jimmy, get over it. You'd never leave PIT because you'd have to move out of your moms' house.
No AWA here in beantown fool!

That is hilarious! And for whoever commented on coming to the West to take our jobs?? There is something called seperate contracts, and a "no flush" out system in place. Not going to happen. If anyone is lucky, it will be PSA seniorita's moving into PHX, and we are ready. IF they keep our trip pairings as bad as they have been, your commute to do International will still look way better!

 

[songbirdstew]

Some corp accounts have moved on to other airlines during the USAir double Bk's days it will be awhile before they will come back because of purchase blocks/contracts or they may like the other airlines service/destinations. What's USAir to do? Fly low yield/break even flights or redistribute A/C to other hubs? It's the legacy of bankruptcy.

My neighbor who was Chairman's Pref told me yesterday that he quit giving all his business to US in January after the people at the Chairman's travel desk hung up on him three times in one day....he used to spend over 100K on US each year w/ his company.... now it's GONE to CO.

 

[Travelpro72]

My neighbor who was Chairman's Pref told me yesterday that he quit giving all his business to US in January after the people at the Chairman's travel desk hung up on him three times in one day....he used to spend over 100K on US each year w/ his company.... now it's GONE to CO.

And just how many of him are out there. The voice of "complainers" as some call them on here are the voice of thousands that don't post here. Tempe can it however they want (they're the best) but folks are leaving and it's only a matter of time before this all catches up with them.

 

[songbirdstew]

Discount airlines boost Pittsburgh region, study finds
By Thomas Olson
TRIBUNE-REVIEW
Thursday, August 23, 2007


Pittsburgh International Airport's addition of discount carriers since 2000 has not only lowered average fares by 27 percent but brought jobs to the airport and tourism to the region, according to a study released Wednesday.
Low-fare airlines such as Southwest, JetBlue and AirTran employ 429 people and contributed to the creation of another 189 jobs, according to the study by Wilbur Smith Associates, Cincinnati.

The study estimates that leisure travelers in the Pittsburgh area saved $64.4 million in air fare last year through discounter alternatives to major airlines. Local business travelers saved an estimated $109.8 million.

"But we have to support those carriers," said Kent George, executive director of the Allegheny County Airport Authority, during a morning news conference. He noted that two discount carriers -- Vanguard and Independence Air -- entered, then pulled out of Pittsburgh in recent years.

The airport authority hired Wilbur Smith Associates to analyze the economic impact of low-fare service here in June, one year since trhe arrival of JetBlue, the latest discounter to begin service. The authority has endeavored to lure discounters here since 2002, when US Airways filed for bankruptcy and began converting Pittsburgh from a hub operation with more than 500 flights to a base with 125 flights.
The study also found that low-fare carriers brought 110,600 visitors to Pittsburgh last year who spent about $43.3 million in this region.



Thomas Olson can be reached at [email protected] or 412-320-7854