PHX-FRA And PHL-TLV?

[PHX Flyer]

This rumor is coming from a subscription news servcice ( http://www.rati.com ).

Since US Airways announced the application for the 2008 China route authority just two days ago, I find these rumors very plausible. I think most of us agree that US will have to introduce a new aircraft type to the fleet at short notice for the China route, since none of their current models is suitable. And they will have to document operating experience in their application.
Because of the time constraints, I predict US will use A340 for this. It would greatly facilitate fleet integration with regard to crew training, aircraft handling and maintenance.
Neither B777 or A340 are easy to get at short notice. It appears that there is a worldwide shortage of widebodies right now. My hunch is that US Airways is in the process of acquiring a couple of A340 from one of the Star Alliance partners.
Austrian are shedding their A340-300 fleet, but I understand that Swissair is picking them up later this year. However, Air Canada has put up to A340-500 for lease. And these birds would make a perfect fit for US, and could be used for proofing runs on PHX-FRA and PHL-TLV, x6/week each, plus may be a couple of repositioning flights PHX-PHL. If the AC birds are still availabe, and US moves fast, these flights could start in June, just in time for peak summer travel.

 

[gaucho99]

This rumor is coming from a subscription news servcice ( http://www.rati.com ).

Since US Airways announced the application for the 2008 China route authority just two days ago, I find these rumors very plausible. I think most of us agree that US will have to introduce a new aircraft type to the fleet at short notice for the China route, since none of their current models is suitable. And they will have to document operating experience in their application.
Because of the time constraints, I predict US will use A340 for this. It would greatly facilitate fleet integration with regard to crew training, aircraft handling and maintenance.
Neither B777 or A340 are easy to get at short notice. It appears that there is a worldwide shortage of widebodies right now. My hunch is that US Airways is in the process of acquiring a couple of A340 from one of the Star Alliance partners.
Austrian are shedding their A340-300 fleet, but I understand that Swissair is picking them up later this year. However, Air Canada has put up to A340-500 for lease. And these birds would make a perfect fit for US, and could be used for proofing runs on PHX-FRA and PHL-TLV, x6/week each, plus may be a couple of repositioning flights PHX-PHL. If the AC birds are still availabe, and US moves fast, these flights could start in June, just in time for peak summer travel.

It will be interesting to see what, if anything comes from this. I thought Doug said a few days ago we weren't looking at international expansion, other than two or three new European cities per year. Now, we are trying to get to China and Israel? Phx-Fra non stop would be great too.

 

[USA320Pilot]

Air Canada has approached US Airways to see if the Tempe-based airline would be interested in acquiring A340s from the Canadian-based company.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

 

[heyray]

Air Canada has approached US Airways to see of the Tempe-based airline would be interested in acquiring A340s from the Canadian-based company.

Regards,

USA320Pilot

Sweet! And I guess all that would be required is differences training?

 

[legacy-to-LCC]

i've heard the speculation surrounding a340-500, but it just seems like too much airplane for us??
not to derail the trajectory of this thread, but, did the "new" us management team inherit any leadership that is actually familiar with international planning and operations?

 

[BuffaloJoe]

did the "new" us management team inherit any leadership that is actually familiar with international planning and operations?

I am still waiting for the to initiate service to Tijuana.

 

[PowerUpPowerDown]

I am still waiting for the to initiate service to Tijuana.

It will be an A330 from TJ to San Diego

 

[Barbell]

i've heard the speculation surrounding a340-500, but it just seems like too much airplane for us??
not to derail the trajectory of this thread, but, did the "new" us management team inherit any leadership that is actually familiar with international planning and operations?

Actually, several members of senior management from the HP side came from CO and were directly responsible for making EWR what it is today.

 

[ClueByFour]

Actually, several members of senior management from the HP side came from CO and were directly responsible for making EWR what it is today.

Yeah, because implementing what Gordo came up with is a real b$%tch, eh? Original thought, natch?

PHL won't support nearly the number of thin 757 routes that EWR will. PHX lacks the population and reachability to anything but Mexico and Hawaii with 757s.

And let's assume that comment is true--how many European flights did HP have before the US acquisition? Surely this brain trust, bolstered by the experience making EWR what it is today could have come up with something? Or made Columbus work?

Meanwhile over at CO, they are not only making EWR work, but moving to drive extra transatlantic growth ex-CLE, all without the stellar talent that made EWR what it was. Down the road at CVG, DL already has a decent transtatlantic presence, as does it's skyteam partner(s). How is Columbus doing?

The fun thing about propaganda is shooting holes in it.

 

[US1YFARE]

And let's assume that comment is true--how many European flights did HP have before the US acquisition?

cut them some slack...they were an international carrier--they flew to mexico and canada...apparently, when the globe was moved from ccy to tempe, they just sat around and stared at it for days in wonderment.

 

[Barbell]

Your point? Because I'm sure you had one.

Let's see, well golly gee, Clue by Four you sure got me scratching my head on that one.

Why didn't they beef up PHX and LAS with international traffic you mean? Because we know that those are primarily leisure destinations that can't truly support that kind of service. I guess we should have thrown a few big planes around and gone all the way to Europe or even Asia with them. How come nobody thought of that? Oh, yeah, we did. That's why we went and got ourselves a little hub in PHL.

 

[US1YFARE]

That's why we went and got ourselves a little hub in PHL.

and surprise, surprise, you're turning it into the flying trailer park you were before the merger

 

[Barbell]

and surprise, surprise, you're turning it into the flying trailer park you were before the merger

Yeah, one that's making lots and lots of money. Looks like we'll be around for a long, long time so you can b&m all you want to about powdered creamer. Don't you have a job or something to keep you occupied? Or did they finally put computers in the insane asylum?

 

[ClueByFour]

Your point? Because I'm sure you had one.

Let's see, well golly gee, Clue by Four you sure got me scratching my head on that one.

Why didn't they beef up PHX and LAS with international traffic you mean? Because we know that those are primarily leisure destinations that can't truly support that kind of service. I guess we should have thrown a few big planes around and gone all the way to Europe or even Asia with them. How come nobody thought of that? Oh, yeah, we did. That's why we went and got ourselves a little hub in PHL.

Did you miss the thing about EWR, or did it hit too close to home?

Or, if you know that they are primarily leisure destinations (that being PHX and LAS), why come onto a thread and brag about the alleged brain trust that turned EWR into a transatlantic hub?

But I'll bite anyway--perhaps, next time you are over at LAS, you might ask the boys and girls at BMI, Korean, Maxjet, and Virgin how in the world they make those flights to Vegas work. Or how BA makes PHX work.

Of course, the primary problem you guys face is that nobody wants to pay for the service you want to offer to those "leisure destinations" while crossing the pond from your little hub in PHL. That most certainly is different than the strategy in EWR which your alleged talent cooked up (you will note that BF, unlike Envoy, has not gone from "premium" to "suck" in no time and the 757s ex-EWR actually have a premium cabin). The seasonality of the destinations ex-PHL indicates that it's shooting to be the transatlantic LAS, not catering to the serious business pax--which makes your line about the talent that created EWR all the less believable.

 

[Barbell]

You seriously need to hit yourself with that clue stick.

HP, as you may recall, was a small regional carrier with very little capital and extremely limited means with which to raise it. What aircraft should have been used to reach the same destinations as those other carriers from PHX and LAS? The A320?

The difference, of course, is that the majority of the Asian carriers flying into LAS are carrying Destination, not Origination passengers. There aren't enough local LAS passengers, nor feed from the Midwest, to fill a LAS flight to Asia. Likewise, Koreans aren't going to fly America West from Korea when the alternate choice is Korean Airlines.

Same situation w/ BA to PHX. Those planes are nearly full of British citizens coming to PHX, not the other way around.

The point is that the talent is here, it just didn't have the opportunity to do in PHX what it had already done in EWR. Now it does have that opportunity.