Message from US Airways concerning 190 fleet

[Minimaniac]

I know everyone assumes that RAH will be getting the 10 Airways 190's, but let me offer up this one bit of information. A recent bulletin to our manuals says that SOME of our soon-to-be-arriving 190's have IFE (in flight entertainment) units installed in the aft cargo area. While I doubt the IFE will be operational, I think this indicates that the 190's coming to RAH are likely not coming from Airways, which does not have IFE installed.

I don't doubt that Bedford would buy the Airways 190's if they came at a good price. He has made cash available to Airways multiple times in the past, sometimes in exchange for assets, sometimes not. I do think that Bedford has found a source for his immediate 190 needs without the US Airways sale, but he would not pass up an acquisition opportunity IF their is a need for additional 190's.

The reason Airways is getting rod of the 190's and not another fleet type is the CBA language guaranteeing minimum fleet size. I wonder, if Airways could get rid of 10 aircraft of any fleet type, which they would choose to lose.

 

[starchkr]

I know everyone assumes that RAH will be getting the 10 Airways 190's, but let me offer up this one bit of information. A recent bulletin to our manuals says that SOME of our soon-to-be-arriving 190's have IFE (in flight entertainment) units installed in the aft cargo area. While I doubt the IFE will be operational, I think this indicates that the 190's coming to RAH are likely not coming from Airways, which does not have IFE installed.

I don't doubt that Bedford would buy the Airways 190's if they came at a good price. He has made cash available to Airways multiple times in the past, sometimes in exchange for assets, sometimes not. I do think that Bedford has found a source for his immediate 190 needs without the US Airways sale, but he would not pass up an acquisition opportunity IF their is a need for additional 190's.

The reason Airways is getting rod of the 190's and not another fleet type is the CBA language guaranteeing minimum fleet size. I wonder, if Airways could get rid of 10 aircraft of any fleet type, which they would choose to lose.

This may be a good point, but i don't think the lack of IFE in the birds the way they currently are makes a difference. Our buses do not have it direct from the factory either, we send all birds down to MCO (i'm pretty sure thats where it is) to go through the IFE install process with our IFE provider. So maybe RAH buys US birds and sends them to MCO for IFE... a possibility at least.

Bringupthebird...I'm glad USMC already schooled you on the facts pertaining to F9 and it's "lack of strong competition." You obviously know nothing about F9 and the environment in which we currently operate.

Also, as far as the dissolving the relationships with the current feed partners goes, i thought it has already been established that BB discussed the transaction of purchasing F9 with his feed airlines and they more or less gave their blessing.

 

[Bringupthebird]

Perhaps I've been "schooled" but the evidence remains that F9 could compete against a wounded UA, but ran into major problems when WN arrived with just a smattering of flights. F9 dithered with what type of fleet they wanted and then who would provide regional feed (which, for an airline dependant on low costs, is contrary to their primary requirement). F9 made a series of missteps in fleet and strategy and got behind the cost "power curve" unable to make the changes necesary to reduce costs to where they needed to be. Hence BK.

I am actually a fan of F9, but I can't ignore the errors that got them whee they are, nor should the pilots pretend there is an alternate reality out there if they just will it to be so.

If insanity truly is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result, then Bedford either is unaware of Independence and ExpressJet or he's denying his own insanity and those who willingly follow him.

 

[AutoBus]

Why? If you are alluding to the Nicolau award and seniority integration, I wholeheartedly support pilots being paid at their longevity rate and bidding what their relative seniority can buy them. If they were at the bottom of the old USAirways list or America West list, they should be at the bottom of the combined list. Middles with middles and tops with tops. If they were on furlough, they should be put after all active pilots.

Makes total sense to me

 

[starchkr]

Perhaps I've been "schooled" but the evidence remains that F9 could compete against a wounded UA, but ran into major problems when WN arrived with just a smattering of flights. F9 dithered with what type of fleet they wanted and then who would provide regional feed (which, for an airline dependant on low costs, is contrary to their primary requirement). F9 made a series of missteps in fleet and strategy and got behind the cost "power curve" unable to make the changes necesary to reduce costs to where they needed to be. Hence BK.

I am actually a fan of F9, but I can't ignore the errors that got them whee they are, nor should the pilots pretend there is an alternate reality out there if they just will it to be so.

If insanity truly is doing the same thing over and over again expecting a different result, then Bedford either is unaware of Independence and ExpressJet or he's denying his own insanity and those who willingly follow him.

I still don't understand your thoughts on "strong" competition. You say that we competed against a "wounded" UA...but to my knowledge, we have been around for 15+ years now, does that mean from day one UA was wounded and no longer "strong" competition? Sure SWA came in and it seemed as though our operation started to head towards major problems. I seem to remember that just after SWA came into DEN it was written that the end of F9 was upon us. Well, they tried to kill us and they failed. Sure we had to file BK, but that had nothing to do with SWA or other competition. Our BK was preceeded by oil skyrocketing and the consumer no longer wanting to travel as much due to a downturn in the economy...not to mention the final straw know as First Data and their newly required holdback. The F9 fleet was well established by the time SWA came into DEN, the transition to the bus was done at least a year before that happened. Feed, sure, we had regional feed by Horizon for a long time, including years before SWA came to town. Yes, SWA tried to harm us, and maybe they did a little, but it has been shown that overall, F9 did not lose any market share the entire time SWA has been in town...now UA's market share, that's another story. F9 is a profitable carrier, and now that we are out of BK and no longer have to pay 7+ million every month in BK fees, i am sure our profits will look much better from this point forward.

I'm pretty sure that this is not another Indy air...as far as Expressjet, i don't know their story so i can't comment. We have established, profitable, feed in the RAH system, that will stay around for many years. We have F9 who is a profitable carrier and looking stronger by the day. I think with those two combined we "could" be a good thing. I never will sit here and say that we will be around forever and that we will take over the world, i'll leave that to the SWA guys, but i believe that this is a good thing we have going.

 

[Popeye0537]

I know everyone assumes that RAH will be getting the 10 Airways 190's, but let me offer up this one bit of information. A recent bulletin to our manuals says that SOME of our soon-to-be-arriving 190's have IFE (in flight entertainment) units installed in the aft cargo area. While I doubt the IFE will be operational, I think this indicates that the 190's coming to RAH are likely not coming from Airways, which does not have IFE installed.

I don't doubt that Bedford would buy the Airways 190's if they came at a good price. He has made cash available to Airways multiple times in the past, sometimes in exchange for assets, sometimes not. I do think that Bedford has found a source for his immediate 190 needs without the US Airways sale, but he would not pass up an acquisition opportunity IF their is a need for additional 190's.

The reason Airways is getting rod of the 190's and not another fleet type is the CBA language guaranteeing minimum fleet size. I wonder, if Airways could get rid of 10 aircraft of any fleet type, which they would choose to lose.

Hey Min, 161/162HL don't have the IFE. 163-165HL already have them installed and from what I can deduct we can't get 190's fast enough from brazil so hence the 190 purchase from USair. Denver is opening in Nov. but we don't have any aircraft to put there, unless we displace the guys from MKE. We have had several complaints about the Signature seating on 163-165...it really is economy plus, and the company has been giving refunds when the pax complain loud enough. Usair's have first class like 161-162 and I can see BB placing them on the Midwest side and sending the single class config to the F9 side of things.

 

[Indy319FA]

FWIW mechanics in MKE told me a couple of weeks ago that we (Republic) are getting 2 more factory 190s in October and November, then we were going to start getting Airways 190s in December.