Frontier Point to Point Service

[ip241au]

Seems like Frontier is routing a significant number of flights through MKE. Any idea how many flights have been dropped post-Republic? Den-Lga for instance is down to one non-stop, other flights go through MKE.

 

[Mike man]

I may be wrong, but it is still pre-Republic...I think they may need a few more days to bring the operation under one roof, so to speak.

 

[Cardinal]

An extensive codeshare agreement is being implemented, just seeing an F9 or YX code in the schedules does not necessarily mean it's a Frontier or Midwest family aircraft.

 

[Minimaniac]

There will be a good number of "synergies" achieved through code share as time goes on. I feel confident that those Airbus flights will be flown by Frontier pilots in Frontier painted aircraft. The 190's will be operated by Republic certificate (only a part of the RAH conglomerate), with the first 12 aircraft, at least, being in Midwest colors, even if they are flying through Denver.

In the end, one brand will go away, but a lot of behind the scenes work needs to happen first. Also, by putting Midwest passengers on F9 Airbuses out of MKE, Midwest passengers will get to experience the Frontier product, which I think they will find to be an acceptable replacement to the Midwest product of the last 18 months. Once Midwest-loyal passengers are acclimated to and accepting of Frontier, the change over will begin and the Midwest brand will be shelved. I also predict that Frontier will serve cookies within a year.

As for point to point service in general, I think RAH overall has the aircraft that would make less hub-oriented routings more profitable. Southwest has proven that point to point is still viable, and RAH can practically access markets that may not offer good returns if a 737 was utilized.

 

[Cardinal]

Nearly useless fact: They threatened to pull the ovens out of the Airbii last summer, but never got around to it. Dual ovens still installed.

 

[Indy319FA]

I also predict that Frontier will serve cookies within a year.

I don't think so. The cookies don't produce any revenue, and are a pain to get loaded in the galleys. The only thing that will be kept, IMO, are the buy on board meals, and the ovens will be used for the meals that are heated. We aren't heating meals yet, but I expect this will happen in the future. The Frontier buy on board meals look kind of lame compared to the Midwest meals.

I expect to see the Midwest brand slowly fade away, and anything that costs money without producing revenue, such as the cookies, will fade away as well.

 

[Cardinal]

So if I read between the lines of your post, the rumors about Republic FAs b!tching about the crushing burden of serving cookies are indeed true. Midwest has impressive brand loyalty, despite what Hoeky has put the customer through. In no small part because of the cookies. Brand loyalty is one of the very few things that can command a minor revenue premium in this environment. The easiest way to get trounced by the MKE invaders is to make oursleves indistinguishable from them. If competing on CASM alone, bringing a smaller airplane is like bringing a knife to a gunfight. The gimmick is necessary.

 

[Indy319FA]

So if I read between the lines of your post, the rumors about Republic FAs b!tching about the crushing burden of serving cookies are indeed true. Midwest has impressive brand loyalty, despite what Hoeky has put the customer through. In no small part because of the cookies. Brand loyalty is one of the very few things that can command a minor revenue premium in this environment. The easiest way to get trounced by the MKE invaders is to make oursleves indistinguishable from them. If competing on CASM alone, bringing a smaller airplane is like bringing a knife to a gunfight. The gimmick is necessary.

Cookies aren't a problem. Some have complained, but most have adjusted. Republic has a history of serious cost containment, and I don't see them continuing with something that costs a lot of $$$ with no return. One big hint is the Chautauqua 135s are not going to have ovens for the cookies like the Skywest CRJs they are replacing. Right now the emphasis is on selling onboard meals and other items that produce more revenue. We've been hearing that hot meals are coming pretty soon on the Republic Aircraft. This deal is about more than MKE. MKE is important, but Bedford has bigger plans in mind for this deal. Bottom line is passengers look for the lowest fare, cookies be damned. The cost cuts have already started in MKE, and I expect there will be more.

 

[johnsonrod]

I hope you guys eventually keep the animals and ditch the boring blue paint scheme... Midwest is a lame name for a "national" airline (just one section of the country) on an ongoing basis. Frontier works a lot better and it is reminiscent of the "old school" Frontier brand of the 70s and 80s that I enjoyed as a kid. Just my $0.02.

 

[ABC123]

No the 135's do not have ovens for the cookies, but yet cookies are still served.

The cookies are a YX trademark, and I do not think Mr. Bedford is dumb enough to do away with that trademark.

The load factors on the YX system are good, even on the 135's.

What is going to harm the YX system is the Repulic Airways Holding Employees, who do not realize that the YX passengers are NOW PAYING OUR SALARY, we are not under contract, we are not payed per flight segment, the revenue from the tickets the passengers buy, is now the main source of income.

I am a Republic Employee, and it saddens me, the YX staff with 20 to 25 years with the company, who know how the airline works are being let go, and replaced with people who have no idea how a airline runs or any factor to good customer service

When I started in the airline industry 23 years ago has a ramp agent, we still had a customer service training course, when I became a dispatcher, we were trained a day in good customer service, and this was at OH and TW, and that 18 years ago. At Republic not a single thing said to us about Customer Service.

There that is my 2 cents worth