Just heard on the local news that US "may pull the plug". Haven't found anything else yet. Bankrutpcy is one thing, ceasing to exist is another. Any info out there?

While US is under terrible pressure right now and loosing a lot of $$$, I seriously doubt any decisions have been made given that the federal airline bailout has yet to be defined. They are also sitting on about $1.2 billion in cash... yes, they are burning through that pretty quick right now but I don't think any "close the doors" decisions are being made now. The latest estimates are that US is loosing about $20 million a day... that gives them about 60 days with cash on hand... not including anything the get from the feds.

[This message has been edited by geo1004 (edited 09-20-2001).]

I had seen the cash burn rate on planebusiness so this "news" from the TV alarmed me. From the figures it looked as if US was better off than UA and AA in terms of cash but US is hurt bad by the DCA closure. I am doing what I can for revenues and just booked a trip next weekend to see family. However for business, right now I am stuck with UA to Dulles.

US employees are saying there is a 10 day countdown till bankruptcy if DCA does not open. Even Mineta is warning that a major carrier will be bankrupt if DCA does not open.

I've heard the 10 day figure as well. Seeing as I'll be overseas when this happens, it could be an interesting trip home.

I wonder if US will be left hanging out there as all its new aircraft (delivered in the last few years and on order) are Airbus and there's probably a strong buy-local sentiment in Congress.

I also saw the ten day reference if DCA does not open. More importantly I shared a ride with a US executive Tuesday night back to Arlington who said she felt there was little to no chance that they will survive. She said that it was a close call after the United merger fell through and that the current corporate thinking is that it is now all over except for closing up shop.

Boy, what kind of a US executive would volunteer that kind of sentiment to a member of the travelling public? Saying you're doomed is one way to insure you're doomed.

The ten-day estimate came today from the Secretary of Transportation, Norm Mineta, who said unless DCA reopens in 10 days US will "go under." That could mean Chapter 11, that could mean a lot of things, but it seems to me with $1.2B cash on hand you'd have to do some very extravagant things in the next ten days to end up cashless.

BTW, late reports indicate DCA will reopen around October 1 or so, after a couple of key security reports are made public via the FAA. I heard they might allow southbound takeoffs and northbound landings only, keeping flights away from the city, which would put everyone literally at the mercy of the four winds.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BearX220:

BTW, late reports indicate DCA will reopen around October 1 or so, after a couple of key security reports are made public via the FAA. I heard they might allow southbound takeoffs and northbound landings only, keeping flights away from the city, which would put everyone literally at the mercy of the four winds. </font>

Could someone explain to me how can an airport have simultaneous landings to the north and takeoffs to the south? It might keep the Mall and its surroundings buildings secure, but wouldn't it make it easier for planes to collide...?

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BearX220:
The ten-day estimate came today from the Secretary of Transportation, Norm Mineta, who said unless DCA reopens in 10 days US will "go under." That could mean Chapter 11, that could mean a lot of things, but it seems to me with $1.2B cash on hand you'd have to do some very extravagant things in the next ten days to end up cashless.</font>

That cash position may not include the short-term cash liabilities (the $1.2 billion is not "net cash"). The shiny new Airbus fleet can't be cheap as far as lease/interest payments go (will Airbus throw US a lifeline?). US may end up breaking covenant conditions on its leases and other lending conditions which may place its creditors in a position to call loans/cancel leases. Unfortunately, I think Chapter 11 filing at a minimum is not unlikely.

So why can't USAir just move their DCA flights and personel to IAD and BWI. I always thought it was silly to have 3 large airports so close together. I know you DCA fans will dispute. From what I understand the Secret Service has been trying to shut down DCA for years.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by Arrzee:
Could someone explain to me how can an airport have simultaneous landings to the north and takeoffs to the south?</font>

You couldn't. You'd have to have one or the other. It's no way to run an airport.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by allpoints:
So why can't USAir just move their DCA flights and personel to IAD and BWI. I always thought it was silly to have 3 large airports so close together. I know you DCA fans will dispute. </font>

DCA is important to US because of its convenience to Washington (short cab ride or hop on the metro), especially for shuttle customers coming down from New York or Boston (high yield pax). With the additional travel time one would have to incur for travel from/to BWI or IAD, one might as well take the train from NY Penn or Boston - it isn't much shorter with the longer check-in times. Shutting down DCA will do a lotof good for AmTrak's Acela but it'll destroy the viability of the LGA-DCA and, to a lesser extent, BOS-DCA shuttles.

Since the government, for reasons that may or may not be valid, has chosen to shut down DCA, US Airways and the other airlines need to be compensated accordingly.

For US to go bankrupt because of a Secret Service decision is outrageous.

Personally, I really want to see DCA open. The reason is simple -- the other DC airports have horrible links to public transportation if you are headed to downtown DC.

I don't really travel to DC much anymore, but did about a dozen trips there in the past 2 years and can attest to the convenience of DCA -- I could leave downtown at 5:30pm for a 6:15pm flight out of DCA or a 8:30pm flight out of BWI or IAD. DCA was so convenient that I could spent 3 hours in downtown DC when on a 4 hour connection.

The Metro station at DCA is a model for other airports around the country...it is so convenient. The Metro link at IAD to West Falls Church is slow, expensive, and inconvenient. MARC to BWI is also inconvenient because the trains run on an irregular schedule, then you have to wait for a shuttle bus that isn't timed to the incoming trains, and then, on the weekends there is no MARC and you are stuck with a $20 Amtrak ticket.

Anyway, I am all for the government ensuring that DCA is safe, but it is a really convenient airport. BWI and IAD don't compare -- and I say that even though I really like Southwest.

I see no reason why US should have to suffer because of the government's agenda.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by terenz:
DCA is important to US because of its convenience to Washington (short cab ride or hop on the metro), especially for shuttle customers coming down from New York or Boston (high yield pax). With the additional travel time one would have to incur for travel from/to BWI or IAD, one might as well take the train from NY Penn or Boston - it isn't much shorter with the longer check-in times. Shutting down DCA will do a lotof good for AmTrak's Acela but it'll destroy the viability of the LGA-DCA and, to a lesser extent, BOS-DCA shuttles. </font>

So why haven't the Marketing types set up some sort of cross-marketing agreement between US and Amtrak? Perhaps, a code-share where one call to reservations would be all it takes to book you in a train, given that no planes are flying out of DCA... all the while earning Dividend Miles for riding the train...

I guess it's a lot easier to lobby the government for a bailout than to come up with creative ways of generating revenue...

If it's the lack of shuttle service that's hurting US, than isn't the 2 hour check in more of a problem than closing DCA. Even if you could fly into DCA, your looking at 4 hrs door to door from manhattan to DC. Amtrak will beat that by at least an hour. Perhaps bos-dca still has some viability, but bos is really peanuts compared to LGA.

I think if "UA-Poster-boy" kokonutz buys more tickets on US, that should keep 'em afloat for a day or two! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

Not to sound cynical--but do you realize that this board has become as bad as when the news people interview each other as they are talking and then proceed to draw conclusions from the discussion? A lot of people read this board and to spread this type of here-say and unsubstantiated rumor will only serve to become a type of self-fulfilling prophecy. I know because I started to panic as I read it until I read it with a more critical eye. Furthermore, if DCA has to be suhtdown for the safety of DC then so be it.. are you serious that because it is inconvenient they should open it? Maybe they will extend the metro to Dulles..maybe they won't but have we become so spoiled by Western conveniences that we are willing to risk the Capitol building et al for them? I imagine to our first settlers and many many foreign countries even a car, bus or train rtide would seem like a luxury convenience...even to some of the people in our own country. Take stock of what's important and leave the security decision up to the people who actually have the information to make an informed decision--I think we can all agree that we are less in the know than they are--right?