Ready For Some Sunshine:

[phllax]

Had Project High Ground be tried at more than just BWI, it might have worked.

Poor Business Select, it was unveiled the same day that 427 was lost. That too might have had a chance if it had been from BOS, LGA and/or DCA instead of BWI.

 

[mweiss]

There was:
...[long list deleted]...

[post="247228"][/post]​

Every one of those was doing something that someone else had already done. Hardly what I would call innovative.

 

[700UW]

Umm No Michael,

No one had business select with movable seats that kept breaking.

No one else did mirror image, (when US bought PI, instead of looking at what made PI succesful, they made PI do everything US's way, including serving a complete meal on teh SFO-LAX shuttle.)

No other American carrier did a wet lease with a foreign carrier.

 

[mweiss]

No one else did mirror image, (when US bought PI, instead of looking at what made PI succesful, they made PI do everything US's way, including serving a complete meal on teh SFO-LAX shuttle.)

Leaving aside for the moment that Piedmont never flew to either SFO or LAX (PS was the lucky recipient of the complete meal deal)...

AA certainly made sure that everyone they acquired looked exactly like AA when they were done. And, by the way, AA had already been acquiring other airlines before AL became US.

No other American carrier did a wet lease with a foreign carrier.

[post="247347"][/post]​

OK, fair enough. That's one innovation.

 

[N924PS]

Leaving aside for the moment that Piedmont never flew to either SFO or LAX (PS was the lucky recipient of the complete meal deal)...

AA certainly made sure that everyone they acquired looked exactly like AA when they were done. And, by the way, AA had already been acquiring other airlines before AL became US.
OK, fair enough. That's one innovation.

[post="247350"][/post]​

I believe PI flew to LAX SFO SAN and PHX pre merger.

 

[Corinth2103]

I have always felt that the FLL Expansion was one of the brighter things US has done since I started flying regularly.

US's route structure basically runs cold to warm so why not expand to where it is warmer still? The population in the NE is affluent and can afford to fly to the islands and the spanish speaking population of South Florida couls use an airline that caters to them and judging from the threads here US is making a real effort to be "Spanish Friendly"

I wonder if there is enough business for US to make money flying from DTW, MSP, ORD direct to FLL then on to the islands or will they just use CLT for those cities. Sure AA is not going to cede the market without a fight but MIA is a dung heap and is finally feeling the heat from their neighbor to the north. Whatever they do in MIA to improve will take months if not years to accomplish and with FLL a mere 25 miles north the window of opportunity for US is there. Let's see if they fully exploit it or squander it as they have done in the past.

[post="247237"][/post]​

I don't know how much more the spanish/portuguese speaking population of South Florida could be catered to...AA serves food in both first and coach that is representative of the destination country..or at least as representative as airplane food can be....Caribbean entrees with plantains and/or rice & beans...certain beef/steak entrees with Chimichurri sauce to Argentina..feijoada to Brazil (and at one time even offering Guarana soda), etc.

Each and every flight out of Miami to any Caribbean and Latin American destination, along with Madrid flights, has flight attendants fluent in Spanish and Portuguese among other languages...in fact, I'd bet most of these flights have crews where at least half speak spanish instead of the normal one speaker in each cabin. Out of 1674 international f/a's in Miami ONLY, roughly 700 speak spanish and/or portuguese! If that's not "spanish friendly" then I'd be curious to see what changes U will offer up at FLL.
Also, the "dung heap" you call MIA is actually improving day by day due to the construction of new terminals and the improving of the Customs/Immigration facilities. It's not the nightmare it used to be when trying to connect but it still can be a madhouse at certain times.


Tim

 

[a320av8r]

"Leaving aside for the moment that Piedmont never flew to either SFO or LAX (PS was the lucky recipient of the complete meal deal)..."

Piedmont did fly to LAX and SFO. SAN,SEA,LAS, PHX too.
Ranked best first class service. I remember the big Pecan pies served in first...

www.jetpiedmont.com

Even had great advertising and sponsored ACC basketball and NASCAR.
Airline of the Year by Air Transport World magazine.
Don't forget the great Piedmont Punch!

Oh well.

 

[a320av8r]

"AA certainly made sure that everyone they acquired looked exactly like AA when they were done. And, by the way, AA had already been acquiring other airlines before AL became US."

Remember AirCal, Reno Air, and TWA?
Great job in assimilating them, how about the SJC hub? RDU hub? BNA hub? STL hub?...

What great management.

AA came up with the B scale pay too, talk about innovation! Wow.

GMAFB!

 

[mweiss]

Piedmont did fly to LAX and SFO. SAN,SEA,LAS, PHX too.

[post="247388"][/post]​

I stand corrected on my text, though not on my point (that they didn't serve the LAX-SFO route). I will admit, however, that I completely forgot them ever serving California at all...and I was living there at the time.

As for AA's acquisitions, you're only reiterating my point. US was following in AA's footsteps...and AA wasn't exactly doing a bang up job at it, either. What does that tell you?

 

[WestCoastGuy]

. I will admit, however, that I completely forgot them ever serving California at all...and I was living there at the time.

[post="247393"][/post]​

This is still the concept of most Californian people who never lived in the East. Still get people that fly us for the first time asking if we are a new airline. But, it seems, anything west of the Mississippi is of no use or concern to Usair.

 

[nycbusdriver]

Airline of the Year by Air Transport World magazine.

[post="247388"][/post]​

Let's not forget that Piedmont won this honor without being present on the ballot!



Well...let me modify that. Piedmont's first "top airline" award was by a magazine which did not have Piedmont on it's list of choices, but won by write-in. It may not have been ATW, and their accolades could have been a later "top airline" award.

 

[Pylit]

Original ideas? You must be kidding. Spirit is running to the Carib from FLL now...

 

[MCORORES]

Doc...you are correct. PI did have the Florida Shuttle and it made money. FLL to me as PB stated is a good move IMO. Have flown in and out of both, and I prefer FLL than MIA.

 

[Hope777]

Rum and Piedmont Punch...... Now that's an Island Drink ! ! !

And PI ran the FLA Shuttle with 65 seat aircraft, the F28-1000.
Seem to me the E170 and CRJ700's have more seat then that.

 

[mweiss]

And PI ran the FLA Shuttle with 65 seat aircraft, the F28-1000.
Seem to me the E170 and CRJ700's have more seat then that.

[post="247778"][/post]​

True, but the market has also grown since then.