PHL-ANC seasonal service!

[ebwgs]

Is it being flown on "East Metal"?

Good question. I assumed it will be but I could be wrong.

 

[Hope777]

Good question. I assumed it will be but I could be wrong.

Well lets just look at the Press Release..... it claims the Flight will operate via a B757 seating 12 and 164, that is a TA East B757. The West ETOPS B757 seat 14 and 176. So Yes, it looks like it will be East Metal.

 

[zethya]

Unless the West has an Envoy configured 757, PHL-ANC is an East aircraft.

Looks like DUB and AMS will now be 767s during the 2010 season. US'll for sure get some kudos for the DUB flight.

 

[ebwgs]

Well lets just look at the Press Release..... it claims the Flight will operate via a B757 seating 12 and 164, that is a TA East B757. The West ETOPS B757 seat 14 and 176. So Yes, it looks like it will be East Metal.

Hope thx for the info!

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

Can we puh-lease not turn this into another East vs West thread.

Pretty please? Let's just be happy that US will be serving a new market, OK?

 

[aptboeses]

aptboeses - thanks for the reply. By no means was I implying that we should have started PHX-ARN or PHX-GIG instead of from the respective bases. What I would have liked to see, however, is more nonstop growth connectivity from PHX to newer destinations. Areas that were pre-merger strongholds, like PBI, PVD, RDU. Instead, it seems like a lot of connectivity to PHX has been decreased with the elimination of RDU, MIA, CLE, IAD, BDL, and decreases in numerous cities in FLA, CMH, BWI, etc. I know the argument can be said that "it's more efficient to route people through CLT/PHL" to connect to these cities, BUT, at the same time, I see more frequencies on nonstops PHL/CLT to the West coast (ie: overflying PHX), meaning that it's not efficient to route people though PHX. As an example, the airline used to route East coast passengers to the West coast through PHX/LAS. Now, frequency/capacity has increased between PHL/CLT to LAX/SAN/LAS/SFO and we've seen a reduction on, for example LAX-PHX from 12 flts/day to 6 flts/day. The same pattern can be observed with the services to ANC, HNL, PDX, TUS to name a few.

Freighterguy - One of my friends is PHX-based and he mentions that much of the new flying is given to East coast bases and company isn't really expanding flying/growth out of the PHX base. Any hub needs to have prime connectivity or good O&D to survive. Since PHX has neither that is stellar compared to other 'jewels' in the airline industry like ORD, EWR, etc, US Airways has to keep connectivity at PHX if it wants to maintain a competitive advantage against Mr. Bags Fly Free. I'm not that concerned whether flying goes East/West, I'm much more concerned to see more East coast connectivity overflying PHX and really diminishing the need to have a hub in the first place. It's how CMH died for HP and many other bases with other airlines.

I understand what you are saying but I don't think you have the full picture. PBI, PVD, RDU, CLE and BDL are all smaller markets with limited demand out of PHX. PVD is really just a BOS alternative. (AA/Eagle doesn't even fly there.) IAD and MIA are both hubs for much bigger airlines so we're going to be limited on that end. PHX-LAX flight reductions are partly because we can move pax from BOS to LAX through PHL/CLT as just one example. This helps free up seats to PHX for connections to other cities that can't be done from PHL/CLT. Another reason is that demand in the entire Southwest region is down. If people aren't traveling there's no point in flying the plane.

TUS is a whole other ballgame. First and foremost we compete with two shuttle services on TUS-PHX. Then you also have the issue of TUS being within two hours driving distance of PHX. A lot of people from TUS opt to drive or take the shuttle up to PHX for lower fares. WN operates to SAN, LAX, LAS, DEN, MDW and ABQ from TUS. These are almost all of the top O&D markets out of TUS. I believe TUS at one point used to be a maintenance base for Mesa therefore their aircraft had to be routed through for required work.

CMH died because America West was trying to build a hub right in the middle of CVG, PIT, DTW and CLE. You had five airlines competing against each other in the same region and NW, DL, CO and US had already established themselves. It was an uphill battle to say the least but I give them credit for trying.