New East A320 configuration.

[USstew23]

America West does not know or care how to cater and treat the business traveler. They never have and it will bite them in ass at the end. AW has always been a poor product and has passed that on. US at one time had a competitable product but that to is long gone. They just dont get the concept that individuals spend over fifty thousand a year flying your airline. I dont blame the CP for leaving others charge the same fare with much better service. They just dont care.

Exactly!!! I've been trying to say that for so long but could never find the right words. We might not have to be what we were but being tacky and dirty are not going to work either.

I'm not trying to start or participate in a flame war so don't take the question incorrectly.

If a A-320 seat configuration with 136 seats or so in it could bring in the income that a 150 seat aircraft configuration can bring in don't you think either LCC or some other airline would be all over it? B6 configures at 156 seats if I recall.

I just don't think there are enough business passengers, or their companys/clients, willing to pay for that kind of configuration.

Actually it was 142 seats and JB is now going down to 150 COACH seats from 156 COACH seats. To compare how absurd the seat pitch is at HP lets compare the HP 737-300 with 8F seats (no bulkhead between F and the 1L door)and 126Y seats for a total of 134. Southwest has a total of 137 COACH seats in the same aircraft with no F class which equals ALOT more comfort and leg room.

 

[SegmentKing]

its scary to think that Southwest and Jetblue now are more comfortable than USAirways :wacko:

 

[hp_fa]

Actually it was 142 seats and JB is now going down to 150 COACH seats from 156 COACH seats. To compare how absurd the seat pitch is at HP lets compare the HP 737-300 with 8F seats (no bulkhead between F and the 1L door)and 126Y seats for a total of 134. Southwest has a total of 137 COACH seats in the same aircraft with no F class which equals ALOT more comfort and leg room.

I was picking a number because I didn't know the East prior config and was just guessing at a number that would get rid of enough seats to give everyone a few more inches.

Folks, I don't dispute or question that there are a few companies and/or clients (paying the bills) that will pay the extra fare to have folks they are transporting arrive without looking like uncanned sardines or have had an opportunity to actually get some work done on a laptop in a coach. What I do question is whether there are enough companies/clients willing to pay that kind of fare increase to make it viable for the airline to provide the service. It would realistically need to be an all or nothing affair because you cannot dedicate a set number of planes to set routes very easily and be able to always have that extra space available, with the exception of perhaps dedicated transcon (like UA's PS service) and shuttle aircraft.

 

[FlyUs]

Maybe that has not been your experience at HP, but at my airline, AA, (and I'm guessing at UA, CO, and DL at least) there are not only "enough", there are too many. Everyday in coach, we have at least one disgruntled FF who was unable to upgrade to F/C. Now granted, he didn't pay the F/C fare--like the people who did get seats upfront --but, he is paying full-fare coach (or close to it).

In the past 6 months, I have had maybe 5 legs in which F/C was not completely full. Non-revs rarely get to sit in F/C.

Same at US.. First class is rarely not full.

 

[FlyGuyBWI]

The new US Airways Airbus configs. (and the new 757 config.) are NASTY ... less room for about the same amount of money.

Goodness, if you're going to sell ads on the tray tables, at least leave room for a customer to put them down!!

 

[SS255]

Reducing pitch is a very customer unfriendly move. It's called being penny-wise and pound-foolish. How often do they bump 6 customers that they need to have these 6 extra seats?

 

[US1YFARE]

Same at US.. First class is rarely not full.

not true, in the past 4 months i have seen more FC seats not filled than I ever did before. Also, I am upgraded on flights I would NEVER have been upgraded on without buying an A fare (e.g. MCO and LAS). Even with last minute tickets, I have been able to upgrade over the past 4-6 months more than I ever was able to do without buying a FC or A fare.

 

[Art at ISP]

The sad fact is that they just don't get it. I have heard of members of our organization who I'd never think would do it considering leaving. The Airbus reconfiguration is just adding insult to injury.

If they want to be the Walmart of the airways that's fine-it's their company. Just as I won't spend a penny of my money at Walmart, I unfortunately won't be able to fly with them if that's what they want to be.

And for what it's worth, if they DO want to be the Walmart of the skies, they better stop charging Nordstrom prices.

This reconfiguration is just another example of not thinking things through. The web site is another--that it still doesn't work is completely unacceptable for ANY reason.

My best to you all...

 

[PA18]

It would realistically need to be an all or nothing affair because you cannot dedicate a set number of planes to set routes very easily and be able to always have that extra space available, with the exception of perhaps dedicated transcon (like UA's PS service) and shuttle aircraft.

There are no dedicated shuttle aircraft.

There used to be. Mostly A320's with all-coach, but comfortable seating. But that's when the Shuttle was a premium service, worthy of the fare charged and the clientele who were willing to pay it.

Now the Shuttle uses jam-'em-in A319's, just like the rest of the system.

Funny, when US Airways was said to be going out of business, the one asset every other airline wanted was the Shuttle. Now that US has been able to stay in business, it treats this apparently valuable asset like a red-headed step-child.

Oh, wait a minute...

There are dedicated shuttle aircraft. On the Delta Shuttle.

 

[hp_fa]

There are no dedicated shuttle aircraft.

Sorry, I didn't know. I don't work at AWA/LCC anymore and live in PHX, so I only know what I read here of the Shuttle operation these days.

My point in the post was that operational necessities preclude having part of the fleet having upgrades and the rest of the fleet not having them because planes are constantly having to be juggled on routes due to broken planes, planned maintenance, inspections as well as other factors; and that airlines cannot generally afford to have dedicated spares simply sitting around to plug into only parts of the system for which those planes are configured.

 

[USPHLElite]

I could see adding the extra seats if they were able to fill over 90 percent of them, but at 80 % all your doing is pissing off your VFF. I have flown HP prior to the merger and the only good thing I could say was the hot Philly steak sandwich, unfortunately there was barely enough room to put my tray table down.

 

[AstroLounge]

Reducing the number of F/C seats on the A320 is NOT the issue here. (Seats are meant to be SOLD not Given away....be it upgrade or for whatever reason, so from a business standpoint, IF the numbers don't justify 16 F/C seats- so be it). However, why was the closet REMOVED, pax overhead space reduced and a lack of secured space provided for stowage of Crew bags, purses etc? Galley space on the A320 is pathetic and preparing a dinner service was comparable to Emirl<BAM> doing a cooking demonstration in front of a tv audience.....I would like to know who the imbicile is who came up with this BRAINFART. (I find it amazing that this COULD be the config that AWA has been flying around----absolutely SUCKS!) Put the damn closets BACK on the a/c similar to the A319 and keep the video equip and emergency equip OUT of the WAY of Pax who expect to have space available NEAR their seat. I have seen some S-T-U-P-I-D decisions done around here over the years but this F'Up clearly shows SOMEONE really has their HEAD CLEARLY Up their ARSE or is so CLUELESS they they wouldn't know such ARSE from a hole in the ground. And to think they will be hacking away on the larger A321.........Jesus Christ! :down:

 

[JAXPax]

I flew on one of these on a late night flight last week.

All I gotta say is that in row 3.... really did not enjoy the galley light illuminating the entire First Cabin for the whole flight.

The flight attendants stopped boarding traffic so the people in Row 1 (who boarded about 1/4 of the way through the boarding process) could go store their carry-ons above row 7.

And as the flight attendant said to the guy in 1C as she was trying to access the A-V equipment over his head: "Sorry to be all up in your business."

 

[bigbusdrvr]

I flew on one of these on a late night flight last week.

All I gotta say is that in row 3.... really did not enjoy the galley light illuminating the entire First Cabin for the whole flight.

The flight attendants stopped boarding traffic so the people in Row 1 (who boarded about 1/4 of the way through the boarding process) could go store their carry-ons above row 7.

And as the flight attendant said to the guy in 1C as she was trying to access the A-V equipment over his head: "Sorry to be all up in your business."

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Its afree country....try that outfit down the turn-pike....Let me know when you come back because of the (fares, service, amenities, schedule....whatever)

Were all the same...thats what you wanted, its what you got...live with it!

 

[Travels2mch]

I would like to know who the imbicile is who came up with this BRAINFART.

I think we found the imbicile....see below........

Meet the imbicile!!

--------------------------------------------------------

Its afree country....try that outfit down the turn-pike....Let me know when you come back because of the (fares, service, amenities, schedule....whatever)

Were all the same...thats what you wanted, its what you got...live with it!