NWA's future in PHL/PIT

[T-handle]

NWA is circling PIT,PHL, CLT like a vulture just waiting for USAir to go under. With NWA's new pilot contract, it allows NWA to sign up any regional (other than Mesaba and Pinnacle) as a 3rd airlink. What RJ operators are likely to be in this position to fly under NWA colors? Mesa has been been rumored.......

 

[mooser]

NWA is circling PIT,PHL, CLT like a vulture just waiting for USAir to go under. With NWA's new pilot contract, it allows NWA to sign up any regional (other than Mesaba and Pinnacle) as a 3rd airlink. What RJ operators are likely to be in this position to fly under NWA colors? Mesa has been been rumored.......

Express Jet of course!!!


Mooser

Just trying to start a rumor!!!

 

[DoinTime]

NWA is circling PIT,PHL, CLT like a vulture just waiting for USAir to go under. With NWA's new pilot contract, it allows NWA to sign up any regional (other than Mesaba and Pinnacle) as a 3rd airlink. What RJ operators are likely to be in this position to fly under NWA colors? Mesa has been been rumored.......

I don't believe that NW is that interested in PIT, PHL, or CLT. There has been very little interest as of yet and over the past year they actually reduced capacity in these markets. If USAir does go under I'm sure they will bolster their capacity to into the hubs to serve the local market but I doubt they would make them hub cities. USAir already proved that these cities aren't gold mines.

Any new Airlink will most undoubtedly fly along side of PCL and Mesaba out of MEM, DTW, and MSP (and possibly MKE and IND with PCL). It will be interesting to see who is going to be willing to take on this contract if NW ever offers it. NW executives are control freaks and they won't stand for truly "independent" operations under their banner. Any new contractor will most likely have to completely sign over control of that aspect of their company.

Anyone who has ever flown under NW colors knows that its their way or the highway but then desperation will likely be high among Mesa, CHQ, TSA, and any of the WO's should they escape the liquidation.

 

[328dude]

PSA? Average fleet age is 10 months.

 

[FN FAL]

NWA is circling PIT,PHL, CLT like a vulture just waiting for USAir to go under. With NWA's new pilot contract, it allows NWA to sign up any regional (other than Mesaba and Pinnacle) as a 3rd airlink. What RJ operators are likely to be in this position to fly under NWA colors? Mesa has been been rumored.......

Who ever has the 70 seaters available for the taking...or whoever wants to do a Jets 4 Jobs dealio.

 

[Beerme]

Richard Anderson told us at a pilot meeting before he left that they expected USAir to liquidate early '05, and that the day after NW would be in PHL and/or PIT...that's the whole reason for the extra RJ's...we've got the mainline acft and crews available, but can't get enough RJ's and crews in that quick a time frame. I'm sure it would start out small, like MKE & IND, and slowly grow.

 

[atpcliff]

Hi!

TSA has very few airplanes flying for UAir.

They are working on a "new" airline to fly the 70 seaters, I believe for AA.

I believe that with NWA's new contract with it's pilots, that ONLY NWA pilots can fly plans of 70 seats or more.

Cliff
LRD

 

[JimBo480]

The mainline NWA pilots have scope clauses that own all flying above 50 seats. Mesaba's jets were grandfathered. I hear the company wants the union back at the table asap to discuss the 70 seaters. My impression is the union will take a hard line and hold on to the flying.

Jim, furloughed since 03/02/2002

 

[dondk]

I don't believe that NW is that interested in PIT, PHL, or CLT. There has been very little interest as of yet and over the past year they actually reduced capacity in these markets. If USAir does go under I'm sure they will bolster their capacity to into the hubs to serve the local market but I doubt they would make them hub cities. USAir already proved that these cities aren't gold mines.

Any new Airlink will most undoubtedly fly along side of PCL and Mesaba out of MEM, DTW, and MSP (and possibly MKE and IND with PCL). It will be interesting to see who is going to be willing to take on this contract if NW ever offers it. NW executives are control freaks and they won't stand for truly "independent" operations under their banner. Any new contractor will most likely have to completely sign over control of that aspect of their company.

Anyone who has ever flown under NW colors knows that its their way or the highway but then desperation will likely be high among Mesa, CHQ, TSA, and any of the WO's should they escape the liquidation.

Actually.. NWA has increased Capacity in PHL and PIT (look at the schedules)...

PIT for one, has been told to "expect" an increase, just like IND was told almost a year ago and see where it is now. Another "focus" city, some mainline flights but heavy on the regional side.

 

[front9]

Word around the campfire is that the ink is drying on the contract with Skywest

 

[DoinTime]

Actually.. NWA has increased Capacity in PHL and PIT (look at the schedules)...

The only old time table I have is exactly two years old. Over these two years PIT's capacity to MSP has been equal, DTW is down 32%, and MEM is up 150 seats (due to no service between this city pair two years ago). Total capacity out of PIT is down 50 seats daily.

PHL's capacity to MSP is down 12%, DTW is up 5%, and MEM is down 27% for a total loss of 110 daily seats.

CLT's capacity to MSP is down 27%, DTW is down 35%, and MEM is down 25% for a total loss of 320 daily seats.

Also keep in mind that capacity in general is up around 10% over the past two years. Its pretty clear that NW is pulling service from these three cities in a big way.

If NW wanted any USAir hubs they would have gone in and taken them instead of going after two carriers that are doing a plenty good job of driving themselves out of business (ATA and Midwest). Time may prove me wrong but as of now it doesn't look like NW wants anything to do with old USAir routes that they proved over the long haul that you can't make money on them.

Richard Anderson told us at a pilot meeting before he left that they expected USAir to liquidate early '05, and that the day after NW would be in PHL and/or PIT

What does a vice president at Medtronic know about the current strategy at Northwest Airlines?

 

[dondk]

You may be right.. I am not going to argue with one of my own...

I just see increase in service to MEM-PIT (replace USAIR), increase in service to PIT-MKE (replace USAir).

The baby 9's are gone and all I see are -30's and -40's to DTW. The amount of flights to DTW and MSP are the same, although equipment changes are a regular thing.

I cannot speak about PHL or CLT, but there has been some changes in PIT over the 6 months.

 

[higherflyer]

Hi!

TSA has very few airplanes flying for UAir.

They are working on a "new" airline to fly the 70 seaters, I believe for AA.

I believe that with NWA's new contract with it's pilots, that ONLY NWA pilots can fly plans of 70 seats or more.

Cliff
LRD

Actually, TSA has quite a few planes flying for US (J-balls and ERJ's) and the "new" airline is not to fly 70 seaters for AA, it is because of AA's scope clause with APA. Consider the recent agreement and $$'s paid to APA because of Chautauqua's recent foray into 70 seat flying for UA.