Us To Stop Serving Grr

[ringmaruf]

4x daily RJs will be discontinued October 12.

http://www.mlive.com/news/grpress/index.ss...8510.xml&coll=6

 

[burghlaw1]

Undoubtedly this was caused by the high passsenger costs in PIT. 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄

 

[tadjr]

I cant believe you guys cant see the real reason we've cut GRR. Wasnt this a city mentioned often here by one of our doghoused FFers? If they cant get to you one way, they can keep you off the planes by dropping the cities you fly to. 😉

 

[ILMgwm]

I don't mean to live in the past, and i know, the industry has changed, but i can't help remember being a Flight Attendant flying DAY-GRR. A full 727-200 everytime , i flew that route. Even after the merger, the flights were still heavy, although not necessarily 727's. I think the route switched to the 737-200 and DC-9. And with, the eventual opening of the new PIT airport the routes were directed to PIT instead of DAY. But, i still remember full flights to GRR, before i transferred to the ramp, and subsequently, outsourced. AND THATS MY STORY! I MISS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!

 

[evprincess]

That's really a shame. I know they did everything they could as a station to stay in the fold such as cutting their space to a minimum. Good luck to all those affected.

 

[Dont call me Shirley]

I don't mean to live in the past, and i know, the industry has changed, but i can't help remember being a Flight Attendant flying DAY-GRR. A full 727-200 everytime , i flew that route. AND THATS MY STORY! I MISS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!

[post="282960"][/post]​

My only trip GRR was on PI, just weeks before the merger. Packed 737-300, in and out; I also remember I very nice (and rather cute) gate agent. Yeah. I know. Can't live in the past. But since we are on the subject: how many of the old DAY spoke cities are still served by US - or US Express? Someone on this board must remember how long it took (it wasn't long) for the PI hub in DAY to turn a profit after it was launch.

That trip to GRR was also my last thru the DAY hub. PI used to carry a bunch of USAF people between DAY and LAX. I remember talking on an Air Force officer on that trip who said he would personally arrange for a cruise missile to be launched at US headquaters if the DAY-LAX non-stops were dropped after the merger!

 

[Flying Titan]

I don't understand this move, unless it's simply a lack of aircraft, but it seems UAIR has plenty of RJs to go around. If you read the article, it indicates that UAIR served about 40,000 passengers during the first six months of the year. That would mean that the four daily 50-seat jets were literally averaging about a 60% LF (assuming the 40k is a fairly accurate count of enplaned and deplaned). That's as good or better than most of the express flights are performing, if I am not mistaken, and I can't imagine that GRR is a market full of $69 flights. On the surface, at least, this just doesn't seem to add up. There's no LCC coming in to GRR to "kill" anyone, so why cut an run?

 

[ringmaruf]

I don't understand this move, unless it's simply a lack of aircraft, but it seems UAIR has plenty of RJs to go around.

[post="282998"][/post]​

The exhibits recently filed to the PoR indicate that US/HP is going from 174 50-seat RJs in 12/05 to 138 50-seat RJs in 12/06 and 136 50-seat RJs in 12/07.

That would mean that the four daily 50-seat jets were literally averaging about a 60% LF (assuming the 40k is a fairly accurate count of enplaned and deplaned).

[post="282998"][/post]​

Year-to-date Express (MDA, PDT, PSA) load factor is 63.1%. And that includes the props at Piedmont, which have a lower load factor than the RJs and 170s. And, of course, loads are no indication of profits in any event.



All that being said, I think US could have probably made it work in GRR had they really tried. But in bankruptcy, they've got the opportunity to get out of the airport leases, so if they're going to leave, now's the time to do it.

 

[Flying Titan]

ringmaruf -
Thanks for the info. Based on this, yes, it does seem to make a bit more sense than was my first impression.

 

[W:EXCH:INVOL]

I don't mean to live in the past, and i know, the industry has changed, but i can't help remember being a Flight Attendant flying DAY-GRR. A full 727-200 everytime , i flew that route. Even after the merger, the flights were still heavy, although not necessarily 727's. I think the route switched to the 737-200 and DC-9. And with, the eventual opening of the new PIT airport the routes were directed to PIT instead of DAY. But, i still remember full flights to GRR, before i transferred to the ramp, and subsequently, outsourced. AND THATS MY STORY! I MISS EVERYONE!!!!!!!!

[post="282960"][/post]​

And don't forget the mail! At one time, GRR was (is?) a mail distribution point. There were literally tons of mail in and out on those flights. Probably didn't make any money though.

 

[Twicebaked]

Undoubtedly this was caused by the high passsenger costs in PIT. 🙄 🙄 🙄 🙄

[post="282925"][/post]​

It has nothing to do with PIT. They stopped PIT/GRR months ago. It is only accessable from PHL.

 

[JS]

Well, since GRR is west of the Appalachian mountains, what did you expect? US wants to operate not just in and east of the Appalachian mountains, but completely east of the Appalachians. This is why PIT has been cut down, PHL ramped up, and CLT (east of the mountains but still in the piedmont) left alone. 😉