Us Airways Says Hubs No Longer Crucial
- Thread starter ClueByFour
- Start date
OP
- Thread Starter
- #2
Jumping into the point to point market in New York (B6), Boston (DL, B6, LUV at MHT and PVD), Washington (LUV at BWI, Independence Air coming to IAD, and the perimeter and slot controls at DCA), and PHL (LUV) sure makes sense.
Less flights on RJs, and downsized hubs for connectivity that the business passenger needs. What a great plan!
I was, however, legitimately shocked by the O&D percentages at PIT and CLT. I knew CLT was less than PIT, but not that much less.
Less flights on RJs, and downsized hubs for connectivity that the business passenger needs. What a great plan!
I was, however, legitimately shocked by the O&D percentages at PIT and CLT. I knew CLT was less than PIT, but not that much less.
As I have repeatedly said, there will be a significant build up of Boston, New York, and Washington point-to-point flying with about 180 additional daily mainline departures added in these markets.
Pittsburgh will be de-emphasized in the October schedule change and will go down to 10 mainline and 10 express gates becoming a focus city, but will have less service than the other Northeast focus cities. Expect off airport leases to be rejected and dependent upon the upcoming A320 overhaul arbitration, a decision made that could close the maintenance overhaul facility.
Philadelphia will become a rolling hub.
The company will initially increase its daily 279 aircraft utilization rate from above 10 hours a day to about 11.5 hours per day, with a longer term goal of 12.5+ hours per day. The increased flying will be staffed by current employees with increased flight crew productivity obtained from the Reserve Time Balancing System, increased pay caps, and more long haul flying.
Respectfully,
USA320Pilot
Pittsburgh will be de-emphasized in the October schedule change and will go down to 10 mainline and 10 express gates becoming a focus city, but will have less service than the other Northeast focus cities. Expect off airport leases to be rejected and dependent upon the upcoming A320 overhaul arbitration, a decision made that could close the maintenance overhaul facility.
Philadelphia will become a rolling hub.
The company will initially increase its daily 279 aircraft utilization rate from above 10 hours a day to about 11.5 hours per day, with a longer term goal of 12.5+ hours per day. The increased flying will be staffed by current employees with increased flight crew productivity obtained from the Reserve Time Balancing System, increased pay caps, and more long haul flying.
Respectfully,
USA320Pilot
Just one more point...
At today's Philadelphia ALPA LEC meeting Chief Pilot Don Matthews told meeting attendees that new station manager Frank Cortez was making great strides in "fixing" the problems at Philadelphia. He has already fired several managers and is interviewing new supervisors. He is bringing back furloughed baggage people and is very big on accountability.
The recall of the Philadelphia ALPA LEC Reps was scheduled for the May LEC meeting.
In addition, I now understand the new business plan will be rolled out in about a week and ALPA and the company will begin new contract discussions next week.
Regards,
USA320Pilot
At today's Philadelphia ALPA LEC meeting Chief Pilot Don Matthews told meeting attendees that new station manager Frank Cortez was making great strides in "fixing" the problems at Philadelphia. He has already fired several managers and is interviewing new supervisors. He is bringing back furloughed baggage people and is very big on accountability.
The recall of the Philadelphia ALPA LEC Reps was scheduled for the May LEC meeting.
In addition, I now understand the new business plan will be rolled out in about a week and ALPA and the company will begin new contract discussions next week.
Regards,
USA320Pilot
This makes sense. Hubs are no longer (that)important. A growing number of people just go online and search for the cheapest ticket possible for this one trip from point A to B.
twoturnin
Senior
No telling how many peeps drive to other ciities ----GSO & RDU--- to beat the fare game----tons of VA car tags in GSO and RDU parking lot .
Hubs are fading as the modus operandi of choice. However, the airlines are predictably cyclical and in another 15-20 years, the focus will be back on the hub and spoke networks. For now, though, the choice is becoming point to point.
This should especially be true for U that seems to have abismal O&D traffic out of PIT and CLT. Major hubs don't work if they O&D traffic is not sufficient enough to offset the connections. I've long felt that PIT and CLT have especially limited potential for hub operations and I would applaud U for seeing that and moving away from these hubs (and maybe making them smaller focus cities as they still have respectable O&D). PHL was the one strong O&D hub that U had but they will face a battle with WN.
U should diversify and serve as more of a point-to-point as their one strong hub has fallen victim to the LCCs. I don't think that the hubs should be completely dismantled because the smaller communities still need to funnel through focus cities, but I don't think that the cities U has chosen warrant large hubs.
This should especially be true for U that seems to have abismal O&D traffic out of PIT and CLT. Major hubs don't work if they O&D traffic is not sufficient enough to offset the connections. I've long felt that PIT and CLT have especially limited potential for hub operations and I would applaud U for seeing that and moving away from these hubs (and maybe making them smaller focus cities as they still have respectable O&D). PHL was the one strong O&D hub that U had but they will face a battle with WN.
U should diversify and serve as more of a point-to-point as their one strong hub has fallen victim to the LCCs. I don't think that the hubs should be completely dismantled because the smaller communities still need to funnel through focus cities, but I don't think that the cities U has chosen warrant large hubs.
Hmmmmm.... Sounds like something that could possibly work? Let's not hold our breath folks! Now I have to wonder where corporate headquarters is going along with planners, maint. controllers, etc. if they scale back in PIT?
delldude
Veteran
Pittsburgh will be de-emphasized in the October schedule change and will go down to 10 mainline and 10 express gates becoming a focus city, but will have less service than the other Northeast focus cities. Expect off airport leases to be rejected and dependent upon the upcoming A320 overhaul arbitration, a decision made that could close the maintenance overhaul facility.
so sometime in october i expect we're going to have 737 "rapture" and bingo some one hundred planes gone overnite?
methinks i hear THE PAINFUL CLAUSE
so sometime in october i expect we're going to have 737 "rapture" and bingo some one hundred planes gone overnite?
methinks i hear THE PAINFUL CLAUSE
robbedagain
Veteran
what will happen with the mainline express cities? will they become the new maa destinations? also with the iam prevail with their airbus thing going on in the arbitration?
Quick, everyone! Get in the DeLorian! Its time to go Back to the Future! Seems like I can remember a time when US Airways and/or Piedmont had mainline flights like BOS-BUF, LGA-ORF, DCA-CHS, etc, etc.
Seems to me that when US Airways "Expressed" some mainline routes that should have been "Expressed" (BUF-ALB, ORF-CHS, MIA-EYW come to mind) that they also "Expressed" some routes which should not have been (i.e. to BOS/LGA/DCA).
Of course, the problems remain that BOS/NYC/DCA are being hit by LCC competition just as much as PHL is/will be. So while I think its going in the right direction, it is not the home run that this move would have been 10 years ago... (Of course 10 years ago, this hybid hub/point-to-point system was in place, so there would be no reason to "move" to it... and US Airways high costs and high fares helped LCC's to find these important markets, but I digress.)
Seems to me that when US Airways "Expressed" some mainline routes that should have been "Expressed" (BUF-ALB, ORF-CHS, MIA-EYW come to mind) that they also "Expressed" some routes which should not have been (i.e. to BOS/LGA/DCA).
Of course, the problems remain that BOS/NYC/DCA are being hit by LCC competition just as much as PHL is/will be. So while I think its going in the right direction, it is not the home run that this move would have been 10 years ago... (Of course 10 years ago, this hybid hub/point-to-point system was in place, so there would be no reason to "move" to it... and US Airways high costs and high fares helped LCC's to find these important markets, but I digress.)
