What is UAL Thinking? Ted Going to MDW!

[Cactus73]

Ted(SM) Will Launch Service from Chicago Midway Airport

Midway Airport customers can look forward to new Ted flights to Denver and Washington Dulles, beginning April 2005

CHICAGO, Jan. 6 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- United Airlines today announced that beginning April 3, 2005, Ted(SM), its low-fare service, will expand to Chicago Midway International Airport, located on the city's southwest side, and offer Chicago-area customers a low-fare alternative with the benefits of United's global Mileage Plus® program and an expanded Economy Plus® section. Ted will launch three daily flights between Chicago Midway and Denver, and two daily flights between Midway and Washington Dulles. The new Ted service at Midway complements United's existing mainline service between Chicago O'Hare International Airport and Denver and Washington Dulles.

Ted continues to offer customers low fares that are simple and easy to understand. The Ted flights from Midway Airport open for sale today with fares as low as $104 between Denver and Midway, and as low as $79 between Washington Dulles and Midway.(1) Fares are each way based on required roundtrip purchase. See fare facts below for complete details. Also, customers can earn 1,000 bonus miles on new service between Chicago Midway and Denver or Washington Dulles for travel between April 3, 2005 - April 30, 2005.(2)

"As Chicago's thriving southwest side airport, Midway represents a unique opportunity for our popular Ted service to expand in the Chicago area, offering even more convenience and connectivity to customers across our hometown region," said Sean Donohue, vice president of Ted and United Express. "With Ted, Midway customers have the ability to connect to destinations worldwide through our Denver and Washington Dulles hubs. In addition to access to United's nationwide and international network, Ted offers low-fare value along with all the benefits of United service, including our award-winning Mileage Plus program that enables customers to redeem miles to points across the globe, pre-assigned seating, and our Economy Plus section, which provides more legroom than any other low-fare carrier's economy class seating."

Midway Airport has experienced record-breaking growth during its redevelopment the past five years and today remains one of the fastest growing airports in the nation, according to the City of Chicago Department of Aviation. Making the most of new opportunity to operate Ted service at Midway, United contributes to the airport's growth and provides Chicago consumers another choice of airline in this low-fare market.

"We welcome the arrival of United Airlines' low-fare carrier, Ted, to Midway International Airport," said Chicago Aviation Commissioner John A. Roberson. "This announcement is an indication of the strength of Midway and the future viability of the airport. The new Ted service will encourage competition and provide greater choice for our passengers."

United will operate the new Ted service using 156-seat Airbus A320 aircraft from the existing Ted fleet.
The Midway Ted schedule will be as follows:
Origin Destination Departure Arrival
Chicago Midway Denver 6:20 a.m.* 7:53 a.m.
Chicago Midway Denver 11:00 a.m. 12:35 p.m.
Chicago Midway Denver 6:45 p.m. 8:25 p.m.
Denver Chicago Midway 8:55 a.m. 12:07 p.m.
Denver Chicago Midway 1:25 p.m. 4:38 p.m.
Denver Chicago Midway 6:30 p.m. 9:44 p.m.

Origin Destination Departure Arrival
Chicago Midway Washington Dulles 1:05 p.m. 3:57 p.m.
Chicago Midway Washington Dulles 5:40 p.m. 8:30 p.m.
Washington Dulles Chicago Midway 9:05 a.m. 10:10 a.m.
Washington Dulles Chicago Midway 4:45 p.m. 6:00 p.m.

* Service for this flight begins April 4, 2005.



Customers can register for the special 1,000 bonus miles offer online at united.com/offer/mpd215 then purchase on flyted.com and fly a paid, qualifying roundtrip on this new nonstop Ted service in any booking class. In addition, customers who book and fly a paid, qualifying roundtrip flight, including on Ted, through united.com or flyted.com anytime by Dec. 31, 2005, earn a booking bonus of 1,000 bonus miles.(3) See Mileage Plus terms and conditions below for additional details on these bonus miles offers.

Ted, launched by United in February 2004, currently operates an average of 208 flights per day, carrying more than 27,000 customers to destinations from its hubs in Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. Ted operates Airbus A320s that are configured with 156 seats, including a large Economy Plus section of 66 seats with four inches more legroom. Combining outstanding service with unique onboard amenities and entertainment, including Tedevision, TedTunes and TedSelect SnackBoxes, along with full participation in United's award-winning Mileage Plus program, Ted offers a unique experience among low-fare carriers. More information and current fares can be found at flyted.com.

 

[FutureTEDpilot]

Maybe UAL/Ted will actually try and compete?

When was the last time UAL was in MDW? I think it was in the 80's.......

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

Cactus,

Please be more specific. What doesn't UAL get?? I think they are going after Frontier MDW-DEN. The flight to Dulles may be fighting SWA or just offering an alternative to SWA's MDW-BWI. These long stage lengths allow the 156 seat A320 to push its cost advantage.

I'd like to learn more about TED. With costs coming down at UAL it may start contributing nicely to the bottom line. They need to keep their revenue up. Isn't UAL reducing domestic capacity?? Which routes are they ceasing to start these two up??

Not saying I like or dislike UAL or TED. Just curious.

 

[FlyBoeingJets]

UPDATE 1-United's Ted starts flights from Chicago's Midway
Thu Jan 6, 2005 10:24 AM ET
(Adds details, background, comment from Ted vice president, share price, changes dateline; previous NEW YORK)



CHICAGO, Jan 6 (Reuters) - United Airlines (UALAQ.OB: Quote, Profile, Research) on Thursday said its low-cost carrier Ted will begin service from Chicago's Midway International Airport in April, putting Ted in closer competition with discount rivals such as Southwest Airlines (LUV.N: Quote, Profile, Research) .

Ted will offer three daily flights between Midway, where Southwest is by far the dominant airline, and Denver, and two daily flights between Midway and Washington's Dulles International Airport.

Ted's fares from Midway start at $104 to Denver and $79 to Washington. Tickets go on sale Thursday, and flights will begin April 3.

"We compete with Southwest all over the country. We've competed with them for a number of years," said Ted Vice President Sean Donohue. "We have had success competing with low-cost carriers."

United, the No. 2 U.S. carrier which has been under bankruptcy protection for more than two years, launched Ted in February. Both airlines are units of UAL Corp., based in Elk Grove Village, Illinois.

Donohue declined to comment on any future plans for Ted's expansion, except to say that the carrier is looking for opportunities.

Ted operates an average of 208 flights a day and has hubs in Denver, Los Angeles, San Francisco, Washington, D.C., and Chicago. United has a hub at Chicago O'Hare International Airport, but does not fly from Midway.

Ted, which draws its name from the last three letters of United, will lease one gate from the City of Chicago for its five daily flights, Donohue said.

United has been trying to restructure into a leaner operation. The airline industry has been under pressure from soaring fuel costs, weak revenues and competition from low-cost rivals.

UAL has asked a bankruptcy court judge to let the carrier end its collective bargaining agreements with its labor unions if it cannot extract an additional $725 million in annual savings by this month. Hearings on the matter begin this week. In over-the-counter trading, UAL shares were down 1 cent at $1.29

 

[ATA73Pilot]

This is an attempt on UAL's part to gain market share against:

ATA's MDW/DEN Flights (SWA Codeshare?)
and
ATA's MDW/DCA Flights (SWA Codehare)

Either way....as one of our illustrious pilots put it:

"Too many donughts chasing too few donught holes."

Just another nail in ATA's coffin.

 

[canyonblue]

"We compete with Southwest all over the country. We've competed with them for a number of years," said Ted Vice President Sean Donohue. "We have had success competing with low-cost carriers."

Stupidest quote of the week winner. We're bankrupt, we don't pay all of our bills so we can compete with more airlines. Pathetic.

 

[SWA/FO]

SWA is going to fly into DEN...next. you heard it here first.

 

[Cactus73]

Cactus,

Please be more specific. What doesn't UAL get?? I think they are going after Frontier MDW-DEN. The flight to Dulles may be fighting SWA or just offering an alternative to SWA's MDW-BWI. These long stage lengths allow the 156 seat A320 to push its cost advantage.

Not saying I like or dislike UAL or TED. Just curious.

I think UAL is inviting trouble here. Although the flights are to DEN and IAD, they aren't out of LUV's future reach, especially with the ATA codeshare. jetBlue can easily enter these markets with lower costs and better service.

UAL, AA, AWA, etc...have all tired MDW before and didn't do too well.


At least Song is using 199 seat 757's that spread costs over more seats. TED has to carry a fourth FA for six seats and its cost advantage over mainline is questionable.

I personally think TED is a bad idea. It's another attempt by UAL to be something it's not. Maybe they should concentrate on the things that made them popular and profitable in the 90's - good customer service and international routes.

Many joke that TED is the "end of United. I think UAL will be around for a long time to come but they need to stop trying to be everything to all people with the protection of loose BK laws.

 

[Mugs]

Stupidest quote of the week winner. We're bankrupt, we don't pay all of our bills so we can compete with more airlines. Pathetic.

How about we shut it down and go work for Sir Richard Branson? That way we could compete with you with a lower cost structure, take advantage of all the "come to our airport" incentives, get all UAL's former Airbus fleet for nothing, and just say "oh well?" Got to find a way to compete with more airlines and help keep ticket prices down in the future. That way it could look somewhat legit for you.

 

[FutureTEDpilot]

Mugs,


I with you brother!

Virgin USA here I come!!!!