I.P. Freley
I like people food
- Joined
- Dec 26, 2001
- Posts
- 2,038
Well I don't know about YOUNG, but I do know about JUNIOR. I'm guess'n that my last post was unclear on that point LOL
And as for Skywest, well, I guess that's not a rumor if you believe the following article from the Charleston Gazette:
May 11, 2004
Crew change
SkyWest Airlines set to take over United Express flights at Yeager
By Jennifer Ginsberg
Staff Writer
Automated check-in kiosk screens blink welcoming messages, asking passengers to insert their credit card in exchange for a boarding pass.
Behind the ticket counter, a new baggage belt is ready to whisk luggage downstairs for further inspection and placement on a plane.
Everything is in place for SkyWest Airlines’ arrival at Yeager Airport — except the sign over the ticket counter.
“We’re ready to hang up our sign and take over,” said Station Manager Todd Matney.
The sign will go up on May 18. The following morning, St. George, Utah-based SkyWest will take over the United Express flights from Yeager to Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Atlantic Coast Airlines has operated the United Express flights to Washington since 1989 and Chicago since 1998. In November, ACA announced it would become Independence Air, an independent, low-fare carrier, in 2004. The company plans to begin operations as Independence Air on June 16 and announce the 35 summer launch destinations it will serve from Washington’s Dulles Airport later this month.
But to become Independence Air, ACA had to be released from its obligation to United Airlines as part of United’s bankruptcy process. Last month, ACA announced it had reached an agreement with United on a transition plan out of the United Express program.
Passengers flying from Charleston to Chicago or Washington won’t notice a difference between ACA and SkyWest, since both airlines will fly planes painted with United Express’ logo, said Brian Belcher, Yeager’s marketing director and director of air service development.
SkyWest will continue to fly a 50-seat regional jet to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport twice a day. The airline is subcontracting with Shuttle America to fly its three daily flights to Washington’s Dulles International Airport. Passengers will fly on Shuttle America’s 34-seat turboprops, instead of the 30-seat turboprops ACA is currently using. SkyWest will do all the ground operations, like ticketing and baggage handling, for Shuttle America’s flights.
Besides flying in a roomier plane to Washington, the only thing that will change between the ACA and SkyWest operations is personnel.
“They’ll just be dealing with different people at the ticket counter,” Belcher said.
ACA employed 20 people at Yeager. SkyWest kept four and hired 13 new employees, Matney said. The 17 employees will run the airline’s ticket counter, boarding station and baggage area. They earn $9 an hour to start.
All the employees have to go through four weeks of training, which includes learning about SkyWest’s ticketing procedures, the airline’s boarding and baggage stations, the Americans with Disabilities Act, emergency procedures and basic ramp information.
Then, there is the minimum of five weeks of Federal Aviation Administration training.
“It’s amazing how much you have to know to work for an airline,” Matney said.
Nationally, SkyWest operates as a partner carrier to United, Delta and Continental Airlines. It serves 101 cities and flies an average of 717 of its 1,227 daily flights for United. SkyWest began its partnership with United in October 1997.
As of March, ACA had the most airplane landings this year
of all airlines that serve Yeager. Slightly more than 7,200 passengers have boarded an ACA-operated flight so far this year, making the airline the second in number of boarded passengers this year.
Belcher said he expects SkyWest will do as well as ACA has done at Yeager.
SkyWest’s fares in Charleston will be “very, very competitive,” Matney said, not divulging exact amounts.
According to United’s online flight booking service, a round-trip flight on ACA from Charleston to Chicago leaving May 17, returning the following day, cost $496 when booked on May 7.
The competition between SkyWest and US Airways Express for passengers to fill the six total weekday flights to Washington will also help keep the prices competitive, Belcher said.
In preparation for its Charleston opening, SkyWest bought about $200,000 in new ground equipment, including a de-icing truck, carry-on cart, four bag carts and two electronic tugs to pull carts.
The airline also bought a Turbo Way passenger ramp to help fliers get from the airport terminal to inside the plane’s door.
This $25,000 piece of equipment is the only one of its kind at Yeager, Matney said. The SkyWest gate also has the only electronic boarding pass reader in the airport.
“All this stuff was done to make the transition as easy as possible,” Matney said.
To contact staff writer Jennifer Ginsberg, use e-mail or call 348-5195<<<
And as for Skywest, well, I guess that's not a rumor if you believe the following article from the Charleston Gazette:
May 11, 2004
Crew change
SkyWest Airlines set to take over United Express flights at Yeager
By Jennifer Ginsberg
Staff Writer
Automated check-in kiosk screens blink welcoming messages, asking passengers to insert their credit card in exchange for a boarding pass.
Behind the ticket counter, a new baggage belt is ready to whisk luggage downstairs for further inspection and placement on a plane.
Everything is in place for SkyWest Airlines’ arrival at Yeager Airport — except the sign over the ticket counter.
“We’re ready to hang up our sign and take over,” said Station Manager Todd Matney.
The sign will go up on May 18. The following morning, St. George, Utah-based SkyWest will take over the United Express flights from Yeager to Chicago and Washington, D.C.
Atlantic Coast Airlines has operated the United Express flights to Washington since 1989 and Chicago since 1998. In November, ACA announced it would become Independence Air, an independent, low-fare carrier, in 2004. The company plans to begin operations as Independence Air on June 16 and announce the 35 summer launch destinations it will serve from Washington’s Dulles Airport later this month.
But to become Independence Air, ACA had to be released from its obligation to United Airlines as part of United’s bankruptcy process. Last month, ACA announced it had reached an agreement with United on a transition plan out of the United Express program.
Passengers flying from Charleston to Chicago or Washington won’t notice a difference between ACA and SkyWest, since both airlines will fly planes painted with United Express’ logo, said Brian Belcher, Yeager’s marketing director and director of air service development.
SkyWest will continue to fly a 50-seat regional jet to Chicago’s O’Hare International Airport twice a day. The airline is subcontracting with Shuttle America to fly its three daily flights to Washington’s Dulles International Airport. Passengers will fly on Shuttle America’s 34-seat turboprops, instead of the 30-seat turboprops ACA is currently using. SkyWest will do all the ground operations, like ticketing and baggage handling, for Shuttle America’s flights.
Besides flying in a roomier plane to Washington, the only thing that will change between the ACA and SkyWest operations is personnel.
“They’ll just be dealing with different people at the ticket counter,” Belcher said.
ACA employed 20 people at Yeager. SkyWest kept four and hired 13 new employees, Matney said. The 17 employees will run the airline’s ticket counter, boarding station and baggage area. They earn $9 an hour to start.
All the employees have to go through four weeks of training, which includes learning about SkyWest’s ticketing procedures, the airline’s boarding and baggage stations, the Americans with Disabilities Act, emergency procedures and basic ramp information.
Then, there is the minimum of five weeks of Federal Aviation Administration training.
“It’s amazing how much you have to know to work for an airline,” Matney said.
Nationally, SkyWest operates as a partner carrier to United, Delta and Continental Airlines. It serves 101 cities and flies an average of 717 of its 1,227 daily flights for United. SkyWest began its partnership with United in October 1997.
As of March, ACA had the most airplane landings this year
of all airlines that serve Yeager. Slightly more than 7,200 passengers have boarded an ACA-operated flight so far this year, making the airline the second in number of boarded passengers this year.
Belcher said he expects SkyWest will do as well as ACA has done at Yeager.
SkyWest’s fares in Charleston will be “very, very competitive,” Matney said, not divulging exact amounts.
According to United’s online flight booking service, a round-trip flight on ACA from Charleston to Chicago leaving May 17, returning the following day, cost $496 when booked on May 7.
The competition between SkyWest and US Airways Express for passengers to fill the six total weekday flights to Washington will also help keep the prices competitive, Belcher said.
In preparation for its Charleston opening, SkyWest bought about $200,000 in new ground equipment, including a de-icing truck, carry-on cart, four bag carts and two electronic tugs to pull carts.
The airline also bought a Turbo Way passenger ramp to help fliers get from the airport terminal to inside the plane’s door.
This $25,000 piece of equipment is the only one of its kind at Yeager, Matney said. The SkyWest gate also has the only electronic boarding pass reader in the airport.
“All this stuff was done to make the transition as easy as possible,” Matney said.
To contact staff writer Jennifer Ginsberg, use e-mail or call 348-5195<<<
