Southwest To Phl?

[ClueByFour]

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/7118943.htm

This does not seem quite right to me, especially given PHL's operational problems and the availability of TTN and ABE, both of which would be more akin to draw EWR based leisure traffic, but there is no doubt that the PHL region could use the fare break.

 

[ngneer]

Here's a bit more from the AP:

Southwest Airlines to begin service in Philadelphia
Associated Press

PHILADELPHIA - City officials were to announce Tuesday that Southwest
Airlines, the largest discount air carrier in the nation, plans to
begin service in Philadelphia starting in May.

Southwest chairman Herb Kelleher is scheduled to announce the
company's plans on Tuesday at a news conference at the airport, The
Philadelphia Inquirer reported. The airline declined to comment on
the deal.

City Aviation Director Charles J. Isdell, 53, said the entry of the
Dallas-based airline to Philadelphia International Airport was the
most dramatic change to the airport "in my lifetime."

Southwest plans to initially offer about 40 flights a day and occupy
four gates at the end of a terminal previously leased to American
Airlines, which gave up the rights to the gates last year.

Airport officials said the airline's routes to and from Philadelphia
would likely be disclosed in December.

The addition of Southwest, the nation's second-largest airline, could
negatively affect business for US Airways, a major city employer that
provides service to 58 percent of the city's airport traffic, The
Inquirer said.

"We are always concerned about US Airways in terms of their
viability," Isdell said. But, he added, "even if we did not want
(Southwest) to come in, to protect US airways, we have no legal right
to stop them."

Wow! What a stunning development; a very aggressive move. I guess SWA doesn't see US Airways as having enough financial muscle anymore to put up much of a defense. SWA clearly wants to be a major player on the east coast, and instead of nibbling around the edges of US Airways' cities, they've decided the time is right to go for the jugular.

 

[KCFlyer]

http://www.philly.com/mld/inquirer/7118943.htm

This does not seem quite right to me, especially given PHL's operational problems and the availability of TTN and ABE, both of which would be more akin to draw EWR based leisure traffic, but there is no doubt that the PHL region could use the fare break.

Common misconception that LUV is geared to the leisure market. They have always been a "business" airline who also welcomed leisure traffic.

 

[ITRADE]

My thought had always been that if WN wanted to smash US at PHL without actually having to fly to PHL - which could be one heck of a headache for WN - service to ILG would have been perfect.

Unused airport, near PHL, with a claim to be the first airline to the nation's First State.

 

[mga707]

- service to ILG would have been perfect.

Unused airport, near PHL, with a claim to be the first airline to the nation's First State.

Only the latest "first".
United served ILG during the '80s (remember "service to all 50 states"?), not to mention Eastern and Allegheny right up until the start of deregulation, plus American and TWA back in the 40s and 50s.
Eastern actually had the longest record of Wilmington service, from 1945 until 1979.

 

[ClueByFour]

Common misconception that LUV is geared to the leisure market. They have always been a "business" airline who also welcomed leisure traffic.

Understood. I guess where I was heading with that was a leisure traveler from central NJ is far more likely to make the trip to ABE and/or TTN, whereas the business traveler might not have the time to trade and head for EWR. PHL might be a bit of a stretch for even the leisure traveler.

 

[Pacemaker]

I think SW has as at least part of it's motivation for entering PHL the desire to administer the coup de grace to US Airways which has run out of places to run to. Also there are many high fare routes out of PHL that US Airways has a monopoly on that SW can now cherry pick.

And don't believe all the bad things you hear about PHL. Much of it stems from continued and entrenched managerial incompetence at USAir. SW will find a way to at least make the operation palatable.

 

[a320av8r]

Welcome to "the Philly Phactor". Now you have to deal with the Sopranos to get anything done. LUV's costs will go way up due to ATC, no ramp space, weather, unions, northern attitude, burning fuel at 5000ft and thirty mile finals, etc... Philly!


"I have holding instructions for you when you're ready"

 

[7.5victim]

Welcome to "the Philly Phactor". Now you have to deal with the Sapranos to get anything done. LUV's costs will go way up due to ATC, no ramp space, weather, unions, northern attitude, burning fuel at 5000ft and thirty mile finals, etc... Philly!

Are you saying that you don't think WN looked at any of these issues before deciding to go in? If so it would certainly be a first for WN, and a monumental miscalculation on their part. I doubt that's the case at all....

 

[Pacemaker]

SW will figure out ways to mitigate the "PHL Factor". They can schedule flights between US Airways banks when congestion lessens. They can avoid the evening international push. They can hire good people and actually show them they value them and want them on the property. I bet a year from now people are going to forget all about the philly factor and instead are going to be wondering what the heck USAir's problem has been all these years.

 

[funguy2]

Or maybe the PHL Factor isn't much of a factor should US Airways cease to be. Then PHL is wide-open market, and congestion-free... And LUV will probably still have lots of B737's being deliverered. I believe this is a plan to hasten the demise of USAir by LUV.

It makes me wonder if LUV made USAir a target in 1989... maybe because of having the highest costs, and systematically begin targeting it... First California, then BWI, then Florida, then BUF/ALB/ORF/RDU, now PHL. LUV hasn't seemed to systematically go after another airline...

 

[ringmaruf]

This does not seem quite right to me, especially given PHL's operational problems and the availability of TTN and ABE, both of which would be more akin to draw EWR based leisure traffic, but there is no doubt that the PHL region could use the fare break.

ABE is certainly available, and ACY is available, and WN might even have done ILG or PNE if it really wanted to shock people, but TTN was/is not an option. It would be a great one if it were, but the NIMBYs are already freaking out about a few little US Airways Express/Shuttle America flights. They would have never let WN in. (While, at the same time, of course complaining about high fares.)

 

[phllax]

With regards to TTN, the runway is too short for them to do transcon service. Eastwind had trouble getting 1/2 filled planes out of there to MCO. The NIMBY's are protesting up in Hanscom.

 

[wings396]

I am a bit surprised that ABE was not chosen over PHL also. PHL is an ATC nightmare for every Airline, not just US. From what I have been told by several pilots, it has to do with PHL being on the border of NY and DC Centers. I can tell you that the only ATC delays that ABE has are to PHL. 😉

 

[Cfm56]

>>>>LUV's costs will go way up due to ATC, no ramp space, weather, unions, northern attitude, burning fuel at 5000ft and thirty mile finals, etc... Philly!<<<<

I remember the same sort of stuff being said when SWA started BWI, PVD, and MHT including the winter weather, etc. Didn't stop them.

Mike Boyd thinks this move to PHL is aimed more at Jetblue than USAiways:

"Industry consultant Michael Boyd said the move into Philadelphia likely was aimed at preventing rival JetBlue from gaining a foothold there.

"This was a strike directly to stop expansion by JetBlue," he said. "This was not a strike against US Airways. US Airways was just an innocent bystander." "