U.S Airways to LHR

[T-Bird76]

Looks like US will be picking up someones slot to LHR. Time is a bit late and might not attract biz customers who want to hit the ground running in the moring.

TEMPE, Ariz., Nov. 20 /PRNewswire-FirstCall/ -- US Airways (NYSE: LCC - News) today announced it will begin service at London's Heathrow Airport early next year. Service between Philadelphia and London Heathrow is scheduled to start on March 29, 2008 with tickets available for purchase on Dec. 1. The airline plans to operate the flights with US Airways flagship international aircraft, the Airbus A330 offering 29 Envoy and 259 economy seats.

The new Philadelphia-Heathrow route will be US Airways' seventh new transatlantic route since 2006. With the new service, US Airways' European destinations served from Philadelphia increase to 20.

The airline recently acquired the Heathrow arrival/departure slots necessary to operate this schedule:

Philadelphia - London Heathrow London Heathrow - Philadelphia
Flight Departure Arrival Flight Departure Arrival
720 10:45 p.m. 11:05 a.m. 721 12:50 p.m. 4:00 p.m.

[hiss srq]

Hello LHR. Finally I will not need to look elsewhere to go to Hethrow. :borat: :borat: :borat:

[Ari707]

seem right about about the timing, seem like good times for the second flight of the day not the only...

[Nonstop2AUH]

Very nice, and glad they are bringing the A330 for this. IIRC along with CO (from EWR and IAH) and DL (from ATL and JFK) this now makes 3 additional carriers from the USA that have announced plans to join AA and UA at LHR next year. All starting 3/29 so I guess that is the earliest the Open Skies is in effect. Interesting that despite all this dealing in slots there is still (since UA pulled it) no Star Alliance carrier from the NY area to London which is of course one of the world's premier business travel sectors - a rather big omission in their global network.

[hiss srq]

It would be nice for US to serve that market but me thinks that JFK is pretty much going to remain a feeder for star carriers for the PHX, LAS, and CLT markets that cannot be hit from PHL.

[T-Bird76]

Now with all these extra seats I wonder if we'll see a significant price decrease in the fares? I remember right after 9/11 fares to LHR in Feb were 200 bucks r/t.

[hiss srq]

Good question. It is going to come down to that or product distinction in which case on the US side I personally beleive that Delta will grab the upper hand.

[T-Bird76]

Ryan's what's your reason behind Delta getting the upper hand? I think this one is going to come down to price both on the tourist side and on the biz side. With so many choices corp travel depts can levage favor to one airline rather then another based on the contract they have and with so many offerings in the market they may be offered some nice deals. On the tourist side the airlines are going to beat each other to death now to fill seats, at least I hope they do.

[adam613]

Now with all these extra seats I wonder if we'll see a significant price decrease in the fares? I remember right after 9/11 fares to LHR in Feb were 200 bucks r/t.

The fares were that low before 9/11 as well...I almost went to visit a friend of mine who was studying at Oxford in March 2001, and the fare on BA was about $250 return. INCLUDING TAX. Now, the fares range from $175 to $400, but anywhere in that range, it's $550-$600 including tax. :P

[hiss srq]

I think that their product is superior to that of AA, UA, and US. I cannot say for CO though as I have only flown them domestic during the time when I had nonrev on them. If it comes to comfort and service quality my personal taste as with many people I talk to is that Delta has a better product for the most part with exception to the Y cabin on the 763.

[LGA777]

The reason the Eastbound leg is so late is (A) these where the slot times available to US (from SA partner BMI) and (B) from what I understand is timed for conx to a BMI bank of flights. US will be parking at T1 at Heathrow which I understand will eventually become a Star Alliance Terminal once T5 opens and other carriers relocate around the airport.

In other US news for today US announced the order for 5 more new A-330-200's for delievery prior to 2011 plus as rumored also 2 used A-330-200's from ILFC currently with Swiss by early 2009. With the other 10 A-330-200's on order this will give US 17 A-330-200's by 2011, in addition to 9 A-330-300's currently in the fleet for a total of 26 A-330's. A company Press Release says these are not 767 replacement aircraft but are strickly for long-haul expansion !

Cheers

LGA777

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

How did US Airways acquire these slots? I know DL did by partnering up with AF, but did US Airways actually apply, or did they work out a deal with another airline?

[PHL Approach]

How did US Airways acquire these slots? I know DL did by partnering up with AF, but did US Airways actually apply, or did they work out a deal with another airline?

If you look up one post, first sentence. You'll see Mr. Peel mentioned how US obtained the slots.

[JetBlueAirwaysFan]

Oh, didn't see that...thank you.