There is reason to believe Joesy's comments are inaccurate.
US Airways currently operates 28 gates with seven gates on Concourse A used for terminators/over flow. Concourse A and some station facilities are being prepared for the introduction of MidAtlantic Airways in the Spring of 2003 and there will be a pilot contract in place no later than December 28. This contract will establish the protocol for employee training and airline startup.
In PHL the company has 33 gates and its new international councourse capable of 19 gates and 12 widebody aircraft is nearing completion.
For the pilot group, ALPA agreed in the restructuring agreement to discuss replacing the current bid system with a preferential bid system, modify the reserve system, eliminate individual trip sign-in and automate the Availability Improvement System, relax scheduling restrictions, modify rescheduling pay to rescheduled or actual, for segments that operate, create on premise reserves, combine B767D & B767I, use medical/disabled pilots to conduct simulator training, establish training lines to reduce bought trips, permit pilot to move early to new bid to avoid inactive with pay status, and permit use of TDY of up to contractual limits or extend training hold until next training class if a pilot is unable to report for initial training event and would become inactive with pay.
However, the productivity issue is old news and previously agreed upon.
With this week's industry earnings news the industry is in turmoil and if war breaks out in the Middle East losses could increase. US Airways management and its unions are evaluating how to react to the financial crisis and I anticipate there will be additional news announced in the not so distant future.
Chip