Sky is Falling at USAirways!!

[Tony Soprano]

Sky is Falling at USAirways??

What is going to happen to the USAirways Express Affiliate Carriers (Trans States/Chatauqua/Mesa/Air Midwest/Shuttle America/Colgan/et al) now that Mainline has announced the PIT downsizing will begin in September?

Any thoughts?

Anybody?

Turn on the seat belt sign....this could be a really bumpy ride ahead!

Just hope I still have a job come this fall.

 

[cargoflyr69]

Speaking for Shuttle America, I think we are done flying for US Airways around Sept or Oct anyway. At that point the only known flying for Shuttle America will be the 9 lines of flying out of IAD that begins this June. I hope we hear something soon cuz lots of junior guys are getting nervous around here.

 

[jaxonvil]

what about chautauqua?anybody?ive got friends there.just curiious.

 

[standaman]

The cheapest regional will stay working.

 

[CHQ Pilot]

I've been through all the press releases and didn't read anything about downsizing the company, just the change from a hub system to a point to point system. Certain city staffing will be downsized (PIT), but the overall system doesn't appear to be decreasing. Now that is still a major impact since Regional carriers (if they can still be called that) we designed to feed passengers into the hubs. My guess would be that for the most part things will stay the same since alot of routes from by RJs in the U system are to/from focus cities (LGA, BOS, etc). The changes will occur on some flights in the hub cities that will be reassigned to point to point flights at exsisting cities that cannot sustain a large aicraft feeding passengers to the hub. Still a major impact, but I'm sure the carriers are going to be able to keep the level of current service.

 

[halfmoon]

What do you mean mainline has announced down sizing in sept?
They ain't going to exist by sept!

Welcome to the freeforall

 

[Lear70]

I've been through all the press releases and didn't read anything about downsizing the company, just the change from a hub system to a point to point system. Certain city staffing will be downsized (PIT), but the overall system doesn't appear to be decreasing... Still a major impact, but I'm sure the carriers are going to be able to keep the level of current service.

Ummm... what planet are you living on? Let's see here, the press release specifically says that PIT will be closing as a hub (they said they will still own more gates than anyone else, but it would only have to be 8 or 9 gates to make that claim), CLT will be downsizing and focusing primarily on international Carribean destinations, and PHL is the only hub that will remain intact. How do you propose doing all this without reducing overall system capacity? PHL can't take all the aircraft, you're talking at least 50% of the total system capacity!

I've been saying this for 6 months now, USAirways is profitable primarily on its coast-to-coast long-haul domestic routes and its international routes, and is mildly profitable on its business class Northeast travel (BWI, PHL, DCA, etc) and to some extent Florida. U has needed to drastically downsize its operation, rely heavily on its wholly-owned regional carriers to provide feed to these operations, and concentrate on what it does best. It now seems that the new boss actually might be getting some decent info on how to best survive...

My dad is over there, and although is in the more senior range, is due to retire in 3 years and may or may not retire as a Captain... However, they were about to get shut down by the middle of the summer if they didn't come up with a DRASTIC plan to become profitable again, and I bet this will keep them breathing well into this time next year, possibly even make them a competitive force if they get yet another round of wage concessions which is highly likely. If all this results in U sticking around, the better for everyone involved.

For all the bloodthirsty people out there reveling in the demise of USAirways, you're just sh*t out of luck for a while, they're not off life support yet, but the heartbeat just got a little stronger...

 

[dispatchguy]

Speaking for Shuttle America, I think we are done flying for US Airways around Sept or Oct anyway. At that point the only known flying for Shuttle America will be the 9 lines of flying out of IAD that begins this June. I hope we hear something soon cuz lots of junior guys are getting nervous around here.

I heard there are about 5-6 lines of US flying in/out of PIT, IN ADDITION to the UAL flying...

 

[767200]

Ummm... what planet are you living on? Let's see here, the press release specifically says that PIT will be closing as a hub (they said they will still own more gates than anyone else, but it would only have to be 8 or 9 gates to make that claim), CLT will be downsizing and focusing primarily on international Carribean destinations, and PHL is the only hub that will remain intact. How do you propose doing all this without reducing overall system capacity? PHL can't take all the aircraft, you're talking at least 50% of the total system capacity!

I've been saying this for 6 months now, USAirways is profitable primarily on its coast-to-coast long-haul domestic routes and its international routes, and is mildly profitable on its business class Northeast travel (BWI, PHL, DCA, etc) and to some extent Florida. U has needed to drastically downsize its operation, rely heavily on its wholly-owned regional carriers to provide feed to these operations, and concentrate on what it does best. It now seems that the new boss actually might be getting some decent info on how to best survive...

My dad is over there, and although is in the more senior range, is due to retire in 3 years and may or may not retire as a Captain... However, they were about to get shut down by the middle of the summer if they didn't come up with a DRASTIC plan to become profitable again, and I bet this will keep them breathing well into this time next year, possibly even make them a competitive force if they get yet another round of wage concessions which is highly likely. If all this results in U sticking around, the better for everyone involved.

For all the bloodthirsty people out there reveling in the demise of USAirways, you're just sh*t out of luck for a while, they're not off life support yet, but the heartbeat just got a little stronger...

AMEN!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[NEWSOUTH]

amen again

roger that!!!!

 

[NEDude]

Unfortunately history is not their side. Very rare is the airline that downsizes to profitability. Hope I am wrong though.

 

[asarjfo]

Could you post a link to the article?

 

[ALPO]

I've been saying this for 6 months now, USAirways is profitable primarily on its coast-to-coast long-haul domestic routes and its international routes,

That's where every airline makes it's money, on full large airplanes. The problem is the cost involed in getting those large airplanes full, RJs, half full 73s, rampers that make 60gs all over the system, ect. ect. Economy of scales

 

[R0NIN]

Morgan stanly

Morgan stanely is handling the sale...

They are looking to rid themselves of 'some hubs'.....Anyone want to buy them?

 

[jobear]

USAir 2nd bankruptcy

http://us.rd.yahoo.com/finance/industry/news/latestnews/*http://biz.yahoo.com/rb/040507/airlines_usairways_15.html

What now?

 

[Lear70]

He said "possibly", which in plain English means, "Definitely unless the employees give us concessions, and even then it's still possible if the fuel prices don't back down and/or the new plan doesn't give the increased profitability we're looking for."

Either way, it'll be interesting to see how an airline run by an investment banker does compared to the traditional management team of record losers on a streak...

 

[jetops]

rampers that make 60gs all over the system, ect. ect. Economy of scales [/B][/QUOTE


I would venture to say that there is not many ramp personel making 60 g a year . the problem with us air is pilots over payed and under worked . US Air guys and gals work Guarantee: 72 hrs/mo and most of the time fly less that there guarantee . while the pilot core aka people like you with the mentality that some ramp guy makes to much money . most ramp guy make far less than a pilot makes for the same amount of time .they work far more hrs a month . you get a wining pilot that bitching because he only got 13day off this month,and he should had 15 days. that ramp guy worked 5 days a week has two days of off wow he had 8 days of in that month .Well not to worrie because us airways probly won't be around in 1 year ,or if it is it will be a LLC in the future.

 

[AFELLOWAVIATOR]

rampers that make 60gs all over the system, ect. ect. Economy of scales

[/QUOTE


I would venture to say that there is not many ramp personel making 60 g a year . the problem with us air is pilots over payed and under worked . US Air guys and gals work Guarantee: 72 hrs/mo and most of the time fly less that there guarantee . while the pilot core aka people like you with the mentality that some ramp guy makes to much money . most ramp guy make far less than a pilot makes for the same amount of time .they work far more hrs a month . you get a wining pilot that bitching because he only got 13day off this month,and he should had 15 days. that ramp guy worked 5 days a week has two days of off wow he had 8 days of in that month .Well not to worrie because us airways probly won't be around in 1 year ,or if it is it will be a LLC in the future. [/B]

O.K., I'll bite. Although this should be obvious for any one in the industry. The ramp workers day is generally 8 hours long, and the pilots day is 24 hours, with the duty time exceeding 12 hours on a regular basis. So with that in mind, that 72 hours is actually 275 to 350 a month compared to 160 on average for the ramp worker.

Just wanted to show your comparison was not a good one.

 

[wheelsup]

i know a senior us airways captain. He's got a home (rather large), a summer home (on the beach), 2 boats, and an airplane (a little twin). Not to mention about 5 cars. Not sure if he's been divorced yet. I remember way back when the pilots gave concessions he took a 31% pay cut.

Great guy. Just has so much money he doesn't know what to do with it all.

But pilots do work a lot - one speaker that came to my school once said multiply your hours per month by 3 and that's a reasonable estimate of how much you work and spend away from home.

U.S. Airways has traditionally been the carrier with the highest seat-mile cost, hasn't it? Now it's just catching up with them. I think SW's apperence in PHL is definately not a good thing for US Air!

~wheelsup

 

[jetops]

O.K., I'll bite. Although this should be obvious for any one in the industry. The ramp workers day is generally 8 hours long, and the pilots day is 24 hours, with the duty time exceeding 12 hours on a regular basis. So with that in mind, that 72 hours is actually 275 to 350 a month compared to 160 on average for the ramp worker.

Just wanted to show your comparison was not a good one. [/QUOTE

being that most us carries passager are part 121 8hrs flt time and 16hr duty . a pilot flying most will never have a 24 day . unless he on a heavy crew 18hr max duty or 4 man crew . so if your working 4day on 4 off with a average 12on duty and with a average 3.0 to 7.0 hrs of flt time and 12hrs a day for duty x 3 days =36hrs hrs on duty . being that most carrer do sch 4on 3off ,4on 4off . most sch bids have reverve lines high time line and low times lines don't forget about 1/7 too. in the end . 36hrs duty per week x 4 = 144hrs a month . for the most part pilots make good money for what they do and have more time off that most other people [ramp,crew sch ,dispatcher, other office personel ] in the avation biz
most of the schdules are build with 8-12 duty in a day
just my 02cents in avation and what i seen happen