What to expect USAir PHL-TLV

[SparrowHawk]

Taking a trip to Israel this summer and am considering taking US BOS-PHL-TLV. People seem to be raving about the new Envoy seat and I'm beginning to consider giving it a try. For some background, I've flown Continental and El Al before from EWR and JFK and have been fairly satisfied with both of their business class products. The attraction to US is having direct aisle access and not being disturbed by a seatmate due to the 1-2-1 configuration. How is the in-flight catering? Is it on par with UA Chelsea catering from EWR or El Al? Secondly how are the FAs? I know this is the longest route in the US system and likely a coveted route for senior FAs. I don't want to be stuck with senior disgruntled FAs for a 12 hour flight. US fares BOS-PHL-TLV are about $1000 cheaper than UA BOS-EWR-TLV for my dates and there must be a reason.

Also considering redeeming CO miles to fly Lufthansa or SWISS first class through Frankfurt or Zurich, respectively. Perhaps the cold but professional service on Lufthansa or SWISS will be better than senior USAir FAs.

Any suggestions?

Josh

NOT a knock on US Airways but when I travel I expect NOTHING. Thus I'm usually pleasantly surprised. The Envoy Seating is very good if not excellent and the same goes for the meals.

I keep hearing about the less then attentive F/A's on Trana-Atlantic Flights but have yet to have one. US Airways has always done a pretty good job with Envoy and at one time garnered quite a few awards for their service. Personally, I'd have no problem buying an Envoy ticket as I think the value is there.

 

[737823]

NOT a knock on US Airways but when I travel I expect NOTHING. Thus I'm usually pleasantly surprised. The Envoy Seating is very good if not excellent and the same goes for the meals.

I keep hearing about the less then attentive F/A's on Trana-Atlantic Flights but have yet to have one. US Airways has always done a pretty good job with Envoy and at one time garnered quite a few awards for their service. Personally, I'd have no problem buying an Envoy ticket as I think the value is there.

Thanks, the Envoy seat looks ok certainly nothing great. My sister took the US flight last year (on my miles of course) and said Envoy was pretty good. If I take LX via ZRH I get in too late.

 

[737823]

Anyone ideas post merger what AA/US plans are for this route and TLV? Hopefully we will see a flight added to JFK and possibly MIA. Perhaps they will even move this flight from PHL to MIA.

Josh

 

[cynic]

They may add flights to JFK and MIA, and I expect that they will when enough suitable aircraft are available, but I highly doubt they will pull the flight from PHL.

 

[wings396]

Anyone ideas post merger what AA/US plans are for this route and TLV? Hopefully we will see a flight added to JFK and possibly MIA. Perhaps they will even move this flight from PHL to MIA.

Josh

While I can't argue that other gateways to TLV shouldn't be opened following the merger, I can say that you won't see the PHL flight go away. There would be no sense in moving it to MIA from PHL either, even though a large percent of the passengers are connecting in PHL to get there. Anyone originating in the NE, doesn't want or need to travel 3 hours south to make a connection to TLV. If the PHL flight were pulled to do something like this, the business would just be lost to OA at JFK & EWR.

 

[WorldTraveler]

Long haul flight costs increase exponentially with distance. Even if 1/4 of the passengers came from MIA, it is far cheaper to operate a narrowbody flight to a gateway that is much closer to the destination than to operate a long haul flight an extra 3 hours.
That reality is why you are seeing very few longhaul flights being added from the US given that there are abundant gateways in the US much closer to each international region.
For the same reason, it makes little sense to add CLT-Asia flights if PHL-Asia can do the trick just as well, for example.

 

[700UW]

A web page that covers MIA news is reporting that after the merger they will start MIA-TLV.

 

[WorldTraveler]

while waiting for government approval for mergers, companies are famous for making promises they never will keep.

 

[700UW]

Its not a promise, it was reported by a MIA news web page, its speculation.

 

[wings396]

Can't understand why you would consider a statement about the possibility of new service to be a promise. I think that you are a bit "off" on that statement. In this case I can't see why anyone would need to promise anyone anything.

 

[FWAAA]

American Airlines intends to begin nonstop service on the Miami to Tel Aviv route following the planned merger with US Airways.

A well-placed source at US Airways tells exMiami that American will add flights to Tel Aviv from both Miami and New York's JFK airport.

The Miami-Tel Aviv route is one of the busiest transatlantic routes currently without nonstop service. El Al discontinued the route in 2008 due to high fuel prices, but is said to be near a decision on reinstating the route.​

​

http://exmiami.org/threads/american-airlines-has-nonstop-miami-tel-aviv-flights-in-post-merger-plans.497/​

 

[700UW]

I was reading the thread on airliners.net and there was a link to an article in Israel saying the judgement is still in effect, it will be interesting.

 

[zethya]

[/indent]

http://exmiami.org/t...rger-plans.497/​

That claim has about as much credibility as most from "A well-placed source", particularly from a poster in a public Forum. If in fact someone at US did have access to and divulged such information at this stage of the merger, they'd be looking for work very soon. IMO, LY will be the carrier flying (resuming) MIA-TLV, not AA.

 

[WorldTraveler]

where did I say this flight was a promise... I said only that companies waiting for merger approval are famous for making promises they will never keep.

Within that perspective, consider the speculation about a MIA-TLV route for what it is.

I think a whole lot of people will be watching to see how what happens with US' TLV service. I somehow find it hard to believe that Israel has just decided "it really doesn't matter anymore."

If AA/US can pay tens of millions of dollars in fines and justify not only keeping the service they have but adding more service, then by all means they should go for it.

Considering LY dropped MIA-TLV based on fuel and the only aircraft that AA/US could use is a 777 which uses a whole lot more fuel than the 767 that LY used, I have a hard time understanding how the route is going to be any more successful for AA than it was for LY.

 

[700UW]

Its not tens of millions in fines, isnt a fine, its an alleged severance package owed to the TWA employees in TLV.

It is about $18 million according to an article in an Israeli magazine.

And the new company isnt American Airlines, so no one knows what is going to happen.

And you certainly did imply it was a promise.

A 777 carries more passengers and freight than a 767 and LY is a high cost carrier and cant fly from Friday sundown till Saturday sundown which hampers its earnings.

US/AA can use a 767-200 or 300, can use an A330 or the 777 and AA/US will have more connection opportunities than LY had.

I bet DL can fly it MIA-TLV with an A380 and be the best carrier in the world, right?

Dont you know Obama is going to Israel on Tuesday, him and Netanhayu will fix the problem.