US Airways reports more passengers
By Donna Hogan, Tribune
February 7, 2007
Tempe-based US Airways flew a few more planes but a lot more passengers in January than a year earlier.
The company reported Tuesday that its fleet had 6.65 million available seat miles in January, less than 1 percent more than in January 2006.
But passengers filled up 4.87 million of those seat miles, nearly 5 percent more than a year earlier.
That meant the planes flew an average 73.3 percent full, up from 70.5 percent full last year.
Airline spokesman Phil Gee attributed the big boost in business to, “getting the rightsized aircraft on the right routes.â€
The added capacity in January is a reversal of the carrier’s recent cutback trend.
Since the 2005 merger of America West Airlines and US Airways, the Tempe-based carrier has handed back 60 airplanes to manufacturers. “Now that’s leveling off,†Gee said. And the company pulled America West planes out of service — a few at a time — to repaint them in US Airways colors.
Now the fleet is nearly fully operational, Gee said. The carrier has added a few new routes recently, but don’t look for any large expansion. Mostly, new planes on order will be replacements for older planes getting near retirement age, he said.
That means US Airways will have to wait a while before it can replicate the major international expansion it hoped to get by picking up bankrupt Delta Air Lines. The bid failed when Delta creditors refused to get on board before US Airways CEO Doug Parker’s Feb. 1 deadline.
New bigger planes with the capacity to fly from Phoenix to European countries are on order but not expected to arrive before 2011, and possibly later, Gee said.
Meanwhile, the company has announced plans to start service from Philadelphia to Zurich, Brussels and Athens in May, and likely will add two or three new European destinations a year for the next few years, Gee said.
As for the continued integration of America West and US Airways operations, “We’re almost done,†Gee said.
The reservations systems are pegged to be combined March 3, and the single operating certificate should be in hand before the end of the second quarter, Gee said.
The company also plans to consolidate some functions in a new operations center and will announce whether it will build that in the Valley later this month, Gee said.
Ongoing negotiations continue with several labor groups to forge joint contracts, but neither unions or management are claiming much progress.
US Airways officials are not saying whether they are looking elsewhere for a new merger partner.
“We have plenty to do on our plate,†Gee said, dodging that lingering question.
Contact Donna Hogan by email, or phone (480) 970-2338
By Donna Hogan, Tribune
February 7, 2007
Tempe-based US Airways flew a few more planes but a lot more passengers in January than a year earlier.
The company reported Tuesday that its fleet had 6.65 million available seat miles in January, less than 1 percent more than in January 2006.
But passengers filled up 4.87 million of those seat miles, nearly 5 percent more than a year earlier.
That meant the planes flew an average 73.3 percent full, up from 70.5 percent full last year.
Airline spokesman Phil Gee attributed the big boost in business to, “getting the rightsized aircraft on the right routes.â€
The added capacity in January is a reversal of the carrier’s recent cutback trend.
Since the 2005 merger of America West Airlines and US Airways, the Tempe-based carrier has handed back 60 airplanes to manufacturers. “Now that’s leveling off,†Gee said. And the company pulled America West planes out of service — a few at a time — to repaint them in US Airways colors.
Now the fleet is nearly fully operational, Gee said. The carrier has added a few new routes recently, but don’t look for any large expansion. Mostly, new planes on order will be replacements for older planes getting near retirement age, he said.
That means US Airways will have to wait a while before it can replicate the major international expansion it hoped to get by picking up bankrupt Delta Air Lines. The bid failed when Delta creditors refused to get on board before US Airways CEO Doug Parker’s Feb. 1 deadline.
New bigger planes with the capacity to fly from Phoenix to European countries are on order but not expected to arrive before 2011, and possibly later, Gee said.
Meanwhile, the company has announced plans to start service from Philadelphia to Zurich, Brussels and Athens in May, and likely will add two or three new European destinations a year for the next few years, Gee said.
As for the continued integration of America West and US Airways operations, “We’re almost done,†Gee said.
The reservations systems are pegged to be combined March 3, and the single operating certificate should be in hand before the end of the second quarter, Gee said.
The company also plans to consolidate some functions in a new operations center and will announce whether it will build that in the Valley later this month, Gee said.
Ongoing negotiations continue with several labor groups to forge joint contracts, but neither unions or management are claiming much progress.
US Airways officials are not saying whether they are looking elsewhere for a new merger partner.
“We have plenty to do on our plate,†Gee said, dodging that lingering question.
Contact Donna Hogan by email, or phone (480) 970-2338