Storm clouds on the horizon...

[NCFL]

relocate 100 aircraft to Atlanta or Miami and start up ops with a vigorous schedule...Having PHL would lockup the NE.

I'm sorry, but your whole post is whacked. You are suggesting US deploy 29% of its mainline fleet into someone else's fortress? And one of -- if not the -- largest hub operations in the world while your at it?

FL is able to exist in ATL because DL lets them. US would be squashed like a roach with a swoosh.

To suggest CLT and ATL simultaneously is flawed. US has already had the problem of cannibalizing hubs because of proximity. At one time, it had hubs or connecting complexes in PHL/BWI/LGA/DCA/SYR/PIT/CLE/IND and DAY. They fought with one another and none of them worked.

MIA is a hub for AA. A uni-directional hub at the very corner of the country at that. East coast to points south with a little Europe, DFW and West Coast thrown in for fun. One cannot go from JAN to PHF via MIA on AA without trying very hard. US tried to have a focus city in FLL and it was a disaster.

And you suggest having PHL as if we don't already have it today. Last time I checked, US had a hub there already. In spite of WN, PHL's O&D makes it a good place to have a hub and -- news flash -- we've had one for years, in spite of its infrastructure challenges.

 

[poplockanddropit]

I'm sorry, but your whole post is whacked. You are suggesting US deploy 29% of its mainline fleet into someone else's fortress? And one of -- if not the -- largest hub operations in the world while your at it?

FL is able to exist in ATL because DL lets them. US would be squashed like a roach with a swoosh.

To suggest CLT and ATL simultaneously is flawed. US has already had the problem of cannibalizing hubs because of proximity. At one time, it had hubs or connecting complexes in PHL/BWI/LGA/DCA/SYR/PIT/CLE/IND and DAY. They fought with one another and none of them worked.

MIA is a hub for AA. A uni-directional hub at the very corner of the country at that. East coast to points south with a little Europe, DFW and West Coast thrown in for fun. One cannot go from JAN to PHF via MIA on AA without trying very hard. US tried to have a focus city in FLL and it was a disaster.

And you suggest having PHL as if we don't already have it today. Last time I checked, US had a hub there already. In spite of WN, PHL's O&D makes it a good place to have a hub and -- news flash -- we've had one for years, in spite of its infrastructure challenges.

You need to re-read my post and then comment... I am sorry but no airline LETS another airline start a hub in their fortress... Get it straight... Airtran is there b/c they do well there, and trust, DAL would LOVE to have them outta there.. What I said was this - If UAL and US merged AFTER CAL joins star, then we would have EWR, and KEEP PHL as is (since it is in close proximity to EWR) Lock up the NE... You would have IAD - DCA ORD SFO DEN CLT LAX the NE Shuttle routes... Then downsize CLT just a bit, downsize PHX and LAS considerably, since you would have many duplicate routes with UAL and you could transfer people through alternate larger west coast hubs and redeploy A/C into ATL... I know it sounds crazy, but I hate to tell you, UAL US CAL has a MUCH better route system than DAL NWA... Even if it were just US UAL and CAL in the * it will put a MAJOR cramp on DAL and AMR.. PLAIN and SIMPLE..

 

[NCFL]

You need to re-read my post and then comment... If UAL and US merged AFTER CAL joins star, then we would have EWR, and KEEP PHL as is (since it is in close proximity to EWR) Lock up the NE... You would have IAD - DCA ORD SFO DEN CLT LAX the NE Shuttle routes... Then downsize CLT just a bit, downsize PHX and LAS considerably, since you would have many duplicate routes with UAL and you could transfer people through alternate larger west coast hubs and redeploy A/C into ATL...

This all sounds like something Michael Phelps might have cooked up after his fun, yet regrettable, trip to Univ. of South Carolina. So, having re-read your posts as you suggested, if Jabba the Hutt were in charge of DOJ, then perhaps your scenario could happen. And perhaps I'd grow daisies out of my butt.

 

[poplockanddropit]

This all sounds like something Michael Phelps might have cooked up after his fun, yet regrettable, trip to Univ. of South Carolina. So, having re-read your posts as you suggested, if Jabba the Hutt were in charge of DOJ, then perhaps your scenario could happen. And perhaps I'd grow daisies out of my butt.

Well just a scenario,, never say never -- think outside the box..

 

[Richard]

Just a reminder folks,

Don't make this a dialog between two members with opposing points of view-no personal comments or attacks please.

Thank you.

 

[whatkindoffreshhell]

... I am sorry but no airline LETS another airline start a hub in their fortress...

Isn't that what happened to US @ BWI when those crazy Southwesterners arrived?

What was your previous moniker here?

 

[N965VJ]

Was Soda Killing US Airways?

By Tim Beyers
February 26, 2009
Motley Fool

Beginning on March 1, coffee, tea, water, juice, and soda will once again be free for US Airways coach passengers. Great news, right? Sure -- just don't ask management to be happy about it.

"US Airways was the only large network carrier to charge for drinks, and that put us at a disadvantage," said CEO Doug Parker. Soda wars meets airline wars.

This positioning is astounding. Charging $2 for a Coke, if I'm reading Parker correctly, was like passing along a fare increase. Passengers noticed and, consequently, chose to fly Delta , AMR's American, UAL's United, or another carrier. Can you imagine?

Actually, I can. Bad press rained on US Airways after it announced that once-complimentary services -- including in-flight beverage service -- would be sold a la carte. As blogger Wayne Schultz described it, " US Airways introduces new free beverage service called bathroom sink."

Southwest Airlines subsequently piled on by poking fun at its price-gouging peers in a series of TV ads. Apparently, the strategy worked.

And that should scare the beejeezus out of hopeful airline investors.

Yes, I know some analysts are touting these stocks as potential winners over the next six to 18 months. They may very well be right. Oil has recently dropped under $40 a barrel. If prices were to remain below $50 a barrel for the bulk of 2009, cash-crunched carriers could see a windfall.

What won't change are the broader implications of Parker's statement. He won't say so, but tacitly he's admitting that U.S. Airways has zero competitive advantage -- that it has nothing to learn from innovators like Apple (Nasdaq: AAPL). Its only viable strategy is to keep doing what everyone else does.

Yeah, that's comforting.

Linkage to the rest

 

[28yrsnojob]

Its time that Parker asks for pay cuts,5% from 10 to 20 thousand, 7 % from 20 to 40 thousand
10% from 40 to 65 thousand and 15% from 65 to 100 thousand, 100 thousand and up
20 to 25%, a couple of give backs from the unions and U should make it through the
Crisis.

 

[LCC_#1]

Its time that Parker asks for pay cuts,5% from 10 to 20 thousand, 7 % from 20 to 40 thousand
10% from 40 to 65 thousand and 15% from 65 to 100 thousand, 100 thousand and up
20 to 25%, a couple of give backs from the unions and U should make it through the
Crisis.

I would rather join the unemployment line. Short sided decisions and kicking out biz travelers was NOT ANYBODY but Parker's decision. Let upper management and the BOD take cuts!! I am SOOOO sick of this crap!! :down: :down: :down:

 

[flybynite]

Don't even suggest anyone in the union take pay cuts.
:down:

 

[NoMoreKoolAid]

Will be one cold day in He** before they get one more cent from me! Infact, I am willing to shut it down unless I see improvements. Not even a conversation starter. That would be dead on arrival. A gun to our head again? Fine with me. Pull the trigger.

 

[nick]

Will be one cold day in He** before they get one more cent from me! Infact, I am willing to shut it down unless I see improvements. Not even a conversation starter. That would be dead on arrival. A gun to our head again? Fine with me. Pull the trigger.

I'm down with that. At least with the new administration, maybe the golden parachutes at US are a thing of the past. One can only hope

 

[LCC_#1]

I wanted to puke listening to Parker talk about how great it was that so many employees flew into CLT on their days off to praise the 1549 crew. Can't that #### see how much we care as a company? No, it continually wants to make our jobs so difficult that attitudes sometimes DO suck. Mr. Parker, you pay for what you get in all respects. You have cheapened this airline, cheapened our positions, and have driven our best customers away! YOU created the storm clouds! Want to show your appreciation to the crew and employees? PAY US A LIVABLE WAGE AND PARITY IN ALL WAYS WHERE ONE GROUP OR THE OTHER GETS LESS!! How insulting you praise Sully and he makes 10% less than the highest paid west pilot (no fighting please...not a cut to the west or to bring out USAPA crap) and is more senior than all of them. WHAT BULL CRAP!!

Well, I guess it's better than a brick! <_<

 

[midnightmech]

If 'they' want to make us poor again...then lets go all the way to the poor house....Its time to say goodnight, and close the door, turn off the light and join in the bailout...10% pay cut? 15%, 20%...never again.

 

[Hadenough]

Will be one cold day in He** before they get one more cent from me! Infact, I am willing to shut it down unless I see improvements. Not even a conversation starter. That would be dead on arrival. A gun to our head again? Fine with me. Pull the trigger.

I agree 100%.