US Airways News
- Thread starter HPDriver
- Start date
The most interesting statement IMO, is this:
"US Airways Group Inc (LCC.N), whose shares have tumbled more than 60 percent this year, could be poised for a rebound if it beefed up its international flying;...."
I believe Tempe should not attempt to disburse their "true" (non-caribbean) international flying to several cities, but instead concentrate on a known commodity - PHL. All this talk about starting flights to NRT from PHX and GRU, GIG from CLT is IMO a really bad decision. They should make whatever the necessary investment to expand PHL into a CO/EWR equivalent and concentrate on turning that into a "global" hub - along with gaining a reputation with the investment community of (finally) "thinking out of the HP Box". US needs a lot more new PHL-TLV like routes to be competitive and steal international market share from CO and DL. Of course until 2014 or so, global flying from PHL will be restricted to about a profitable 5000nm, unless Tempe can negotiate a few short term A340-300 leases with Airbus. BTW, I believe the range of the 332s to be delivered in 2010 and later IMO, PHX can support 1 flight to FRA and 1 to LHR (IF BA abandons it's single flight). CLT can support 1 to London and 1 to FRA, with a few seasonal additions - primarily to relieve PHL connecting traffic in peak months - much like CO does with EWR/CLE and US does now. Sometimes, it might be difficult to for city fans to accept that the most important input to a successful (profitable) long haul international flight is consistent International O&D and high value Cargo contracts and not the "desires" of the community for a more global reputation.
US has an international competetive advantage here that they have not had for many years - a new, albeit not ideal ranged, aircraft (332) already in the delivery cycle. Additionally, starting in late 2010, Airbus will be delivering a HGW version of this aircraft (increase of 5mt MTOW). There are so many estimates of the range increase that it's impossible to accuraly pin down. The LOW end should probably increase a Trans-Atlantic route profitable range by about 100nm (5200-5300nm) - with some estimates as high as 500nm (5200-5700nm). Trans-Polar (PHL-PEK) would likely be somewhat higher. Now the ? has to be, did US order these HGW versions and will they make PHL-PEK more viable with less payload restrictions? I'd speculate that if in fact Airbus can actually get near a 500nm range increase and the extra 5mt takeoff weight, it might just work economically. Somebody ask that ? when the opportunity appears.
So would Tempe, hence the thought of selling the E190s.
Us has run out of gate space in PHL and therefore had to start international flying from elsewhere, Clt more than Phx. Eventually i see charlotte getting a few SA and a few more Europe destinations but not much else from US
Is that in addition to the 2 A345s that were supposed to be delivered to IT? There were three but one is going to be a VIP/Government aircraft.
