Update: Drastic Changes at US Airways Announced

[Matt Molnar]

Drastic steps for US Airways (http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0612biz-usairways0612.html)
Flight cuts, new passenger fees expected soon; layoffs possible

Dawn Gilbertson
The Arizona Republic
Jun. 12, 2008 12:00 AM

US Airways will join the parade of fuel-frantic airlines as early as today and announce new passenger fees, flight cuts, potential layoffs and other cost-cutting moves.

The airline's board of directors is meeting to consider options to offset an estimated $2 billion-a-year higher fuel bill, Chief Executive Officer Doug Parker told shareholders Wednesday at the airline's annual meeting in Tempe.

On the fee front, company insiders say the airline, the first to charge for meals several years ago, is likely to be the first major airline to charge for soft drinks. [Full Article (http://www.azcentral.com/arizonarepublic/news/articles/0612biz-usairways0612.html)]
Best of luck to our friends at US.

[AA 777]

Indeed, best of luck to all at US - esepcially our good friends here at LGA. Charging for soft drinks.. yikes. I guess I cant talk as we charge for bags :!:

Welcome to the new US airline industry...

[corellian21]

Ok everyone it's official US Airways will charge for the first-checked-in-bag, $15 . The fee will applies for travel/bookings on or after july 9th. It applies to all flights within the US to Canada, Latin America, and tha Caribbean. US Airways will also charge fee for all an entire can of soda or juice, bottle of water, or cup of coffee for $2. All alcoholic beverages will now be $7 .

[HPNPilot1200]

How much does the seat belt cost? Is there also a safety equipment briefing surcharge?

[corellian21]

who knows , but you are getting the " whole " can of soda !

[HPNPilot1200]

not sure, but you are getting the " whole " can of soda !

"...but ma'am, I only wanted half. Shouldn't that only be $1?"

[Matt Molnar]

Cuts announced
• Reducing 4th quarter capacity 6%-8%
• 1700 jobs out the door: 300 pilots, 400 flight attendants, 800 airport employees, 200 staff and management
• Return of 10 aircraft to lessors in 2008-2009
• Cancellation of two leased A330s due for delivery in 2009
• As mentioned in another thread, $15 fee for the first checked bag, $2 for soft drinks, $7 for booze

The company estimates fuel costs will be $1.9 billion higher this year than last year.

[LGA777]

Cuts announced
• Reducing 4th quarter capacity 6%-8%
• 1700 jobs out the door: 300 pilots, 400 flight attendants, 800 airport employees, 200 staff and management
• Return of 10 aircraft to lessors in 2008-2009
• Cancellation of two leased A330s due for delivery in 2009


Of the 800 airport employees cut, 600 are in LAS, which will have a major downsizing.

The 10 lease returns are 6 733's in Fall 2008, and 4 A-320's in 2009, the latter I believe are 4 of 16 West 320's which have less powerful engines, lower MTOW, and are a real headache because of same. Some are ex Pan Am(NTU) and Braniff 3, and 15 of which are MSN numbers 52 thru 99.

The 2 A-330's are the two used ones currently operated by Swiss, all the new ones are still on order (for now).

While I disagree with some of the cuts for FF's, I feel the Elites left are being really screwed. As an employee I did not expect fleet, route. employee cuts as large as AA/CO/UA I did expect more than was announced today, so I am releived there but concerned about the further nickel and diming of normal customers and especially Elite ones.

LGA777

[Mateo]

The only surprising thing here is that it wasn't US that started this current race to the bottom. Once another airline took the opportunity to slash customer service, you knew US was going to hop on the train pretty quickly.

[stuart schechter]

"U.S. Airways, We Try to be Last!"

Sorry to all offended, I had to.

[PHL Approach]

Not to mention Buddy Passes and Parent travel doubled in price. They didn't even tell us until the day it happened - June 12th (hell everyone at the company had already noticed before they even announced it). Means instead of it costing a friend anywhere from $150 to $200 to go to Europe. It will now cost $500 - To fly STANDBY! It will be cheaper for me to buy a ZED for my parents then to have them fly my own company. Pathetic.

Ron, I will agree. I think so far our employee, fleet cuts are not turning out as bad as I thought they were gonna be. We'll see... someone on US Av said they will probably come back next week "The calculation was wrong, we have to layoff 2,700 employees. Not 1,700 as originally said"


"U.S. Airways, We Try to be Last!"

Sorry to all offended, I had to.

In this Industry, everyone follows suit now.

[cancidas]

i just read about the parent and buddy pass prices this morning. that's so wrong, especially the parent part. give it a few years and they'll start charging employees to nonrev too!
:evil:

[PHL Approach]

give it a few years and they'll start charging employees to nonrev too!
:evil:

Definitely Matt, well from what I heard from a co-worker that use to work at UA. They charge per segment. Hell why can't we be like DL and let us fly free in F.

I think a good way to generate some money would be to start fining people that don't show up for INTL flights even though they have been at the airport for hours. At first I use to think a federal fine, but no we should fine heavily for that. Im sick of having GSI's (Ground Security Incident/Pulling Bags) at Departure time. I had to stack the bulk bin on MAD (330) three nights ago - close 80 bags which isn't too bad because I've done 120 on FRA plus Mail. Then empty it in less than 5 minutes because of 2 pax that were GSI's (their bags where at the bottom and back of bin). Then load it all back up again in less than 5 minutes. All in what 95 degree temps... These people piss me off.

[Futterman]

$2 for a bottle of water? Not free, yeah, but not terrible. Last time I checked, the concession stands in the terminal may as well have been selling 24oz of unleaded with a Poland Spring label. So it's actually a steal!

[mirrodie]

Not to mention Buddy Passes and Parent travel doubled in price. They didn't even tell us until the day it happened - June 12th.. Means instead of it costing a friend anywhere from $150 to $200 to go to Europe. It will now cost $500 - To fly STANDBY! It will be cheaper for me to buy a ZED for my parents then to have them fly my own company. Pathetic.


Whilst these passes and parent travel have doubled in price, are they still cheaper than any other alternative? If so, then its still a benefit, isn't it?

-a fellow nonrevver

[T-Bird76]

Not to mention Buddy Passes and Parent travel doubled in price. They didn't even tell us until the day it happened - June 12th.. Means instead of it costing a friend anywhere from $150 to $200 to go to Europe. It will now cost $500 - To fly STANDBY! It will be cheaper for me to buy a ZED for my parents then to have them fly my own company. Pathetic.


Whilst these passes and parent travel have doubled in price, are they still cheaper than any other alternative? If so, then its still a benefit, isn't it?

-a fellow nonrevver

Well the question comes into play do you spend 300 to 500 dollars less to fly as a nonrev and deal with the risks assoicated with that or shell out the extra money and "enjoy" the "benefits" of a nomal passenger?

[mirrodie]

Nonrevving is always a risk. However, In this day and age, employees can see in their everyday that everything has gone up and as such so would non-revving fees. That is income the company needs or its their jobs.

Its a card shuffle. I've gotten coach or bounced off of flights that it looked like we were shoe-ins for. And on other flights where my sources told me not to even bother, F class international all the way.

[Matt Molnar]

Nonrevving is always a risk. However, In this day and age, employees can see in their everyday that everything has gone up and as such so would non-revving fees. That is income the company needs or its their jobs.
Considering all the crap their employees have to put up with...wage cuts, dealing with angry customers pissed off about ridiculous new fees and rules, the risk of getting laid off at any moment...maybe it would be nice to hand over seats that would otherwise remain empty for a reasonable cost.

[LGA777]

quote]
Considering all the crap their employees have to put up with...wage cuts, dealing with angry customers pissed off about ridiculous new fees and rules, the risk of getting laid off at any moment...maybe it would be nice to hand over seats that would otherwise remain empty for a reasonable cost.[/quote]

This sounds all good except this is what US and most other carriers have been doing for years. It is not unusual for one of our LGA-CLT flights that aren't full of revenue passengers to have 20-25 even 30 non-revs. Probably half to two thirds are buddy passes. Adding this many extra people to a flight does increase the fuel burn slightly, multiple by hundreds of flights per day multiplied by 365 days a year and this is why the fee's where raised, I don't like it but I can understand. At least we still have them.

LGA777

[mirrodie]

This sounds all good except this is what US and most other carriers have been doing for years. It is not unusual for one of our LGA-CLT flights that aren't full of revenue passengers to have 20-25 even 30 non-revs. Probably half to two thirds are buddy passes. Adding this many extra people to a flight does increase the fuel burn slightly, multiple by hundreds of flights per day multiplied by 365 days a year and this is why the fee's where raised, I don't like it but I can understand.


At least we still have them.

LGA777


Exactly. At least they are still there. Even in our office, where we have provides services and goods, of course our employees are able to get things at a fee, usually at or above cost to a degree.

I don't think its unreasonable for the beneficiaries of non-rev rights, seeing the economy they are in, to have them cover their costs.

Which goes back to my original statement, "Whilst these passes and parent travel have doubled in price, are they still cheaper than any other alternative? If so, then its still a benefit, isn't it?" IF the benefit is still cheaper than buying, then its still a perk, just more expensive than last time. But the issue Tom raises of flying standby is no different.

[Art at ISP]

While some of the changes mirror other carriers, I still maintain the current price model is broken and needs to be changed. Price according to what it really costs, plus a markup. The age of $99 fares is over. Good riddance.

That said, the elimination of bonus miles for elite members of DM is the straw that breaks the camel's back to most FF's. They have constantly attacked their most loyal customers, and this move makes even less financial sense than the elimination of the 500 mile minimum. It is a slap in the face of everyone who stayed loyal during 2 BK and a botched merger.

With all due respect and apologies to the fine front line employees of US, FFOCUS is taking a stand now and advocating that our members take US up on their suggestion that we leave and move on.

Ironically, I am due to take my first US trip in 13 months on Wednesday--LGA-CLT and back--and only because some Japanese colleagues have booked US and I need to fly with them...

Ron maybe I will see you if we get to LGA early enough.

This management team needs to encourage their loyal customers to stay, not entice them to leave.

Stupid is as stupid does.