Since when have they started to fly a regional jet on this route. Kind of surprised that CLT and PIT are still mainline but PL is US Express only. If they are not going to fly mainline on a 1400 mile route between two major cities, what will they fly mainline on?

US is flying PHL-IAH with the EMB-170, which is arguably not an RJ.

US is flying PHL-IAH with the EMB-170, which is arguably not an RJ.

Second that. The EMB-170 feels every bit as good as a mainline jet. Just wish they had the F seats though :(

The EMB170 is a fine plane......but it'll take an extra half hour to fly from Houston to Philly.

To be fair, they did increase the frequency from 3x to 4x when they downgauged the equipment.

Well who cares about the frequencies! that is just CRAP CRAP CRAP a 1400 mile flight on a RJ?!?! That is just so dumb I am outraged!!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

The E170 is not an RJ! Remember US previously flew DC-9s and 727s around -- the E170 beats those hands down.

The E170 is not an RJ! Remember US previously flew DC-9s and 727s around -- the E170 beats those hands down.

If it's an all-coach configuration, I'm calling it a RJ!

As for the DC-9's, I loved them. Nice and quiet up front. Don't forget the MD-80s!

Then you should be happy that US upgraded the Shuttle from RJs (i.e., all coach A319s, A320s and 727s) to regular mainline configurations. This obsession with upgrades is a bit ridiculous. A US1 yesterday was livid he didn't get upgraded on DCA-PHL -- I mean, c'mon, that's a ridiculous thing to get upset over.

Then you should be happy that US upgraded the Shuttle from RJs (i.e., all coach A319s, A320s and 727s) to regular mainline configurations. This obsession with upgrades is a bit ridiculous. A US1 yesterday was livid he didn't get upgraded on DCA-PHL -- I mean, c'mon, that's a ridiculous thing to get upset over.

Yes, it is ridiculous to get upset over not receiving an upgrade. It is not ridiculous to be upset over not even being able to upgrade (whether bought or earned)... especially on a flight that is almost 4 hours long. Notice the difference?

CO still offers First in its 737s to IAH, and at an even greater frequency than US...

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/showthread.php?t=320382&referrerid=3171

Yes, it is ridiculous to get upset over not receiving an upgrade. It is not ridiculous to be upset over not even being able to upgrade (whether bought or earned)... especially on a flight that is almost 4 hours long. Notice the difference?

I agree 100%. I've always said that the best way to fly FC was to just shut up and buy a FC ticket. ;) Preferreds who think they should be able to get an upgrade 100% of the time are kidding themselves. And getting upset about missing a DCA-PHL upgrade is completely out of line. Some people are jerks I guess.... we've all seem them.

As for the use of RJ's, I am all for it. I'd never complain about a RJ flight of an hour or so. It just makes sense to fly RJs on these short routes. I may be wrong about the amount of traffic US moves on its PHL-IAH and IAH-PHL flights, but at over three hours one would think mainline would fly this route. Is US's passenger volume on that route so thin that it warrants an RJ???

My guess is they have some O&D on the route and maybe a few connecting passengers. With CO having a mega hub at IAH, I'm near confident CO handles nearly all the traffic to PHL and to major cities many customers would connect to from PHL (via its nonstops from IAH). This is why ATL got downgraded as well. The route is now O&D and whatever connecting passengers DL cannot serve nonstop. On the flip side, CO and DL keep the route mainline as both have larger connecting hubs at ATL and IAH, including service to many cities US does not serve at all.

What's funny about this is that DL still flies a healthy mix of mainline metal to both PIT and PHL with much more frequency that US flies RJ only from both PIT and PHL to ATL.

If it's an all-coach configuration, I'm calling it a RJ!

As for the DC-9's, I loved them. Nice and quiet up front. Don't forget the MD-80s!


I SECOND THAT! NO FIRST=REGIONAL JET. hands down. Plus it holds what 80 or 90 people? The 727's used to hold 140 or 150, and had first class. And it says EXPRESS on the plane meaning its a regional jet. And it is a small plane. And it seats 2-2 and the 727 used to seat 3-3. This is just another route I'm choosing UA for!

My guess is they have some O&D on the route and maybe a few connecting passengers. With CO having a mega hub at IAH, I'm near confident CO handles nearly all the traffic to PHL and to major cities many customers would connect to from PHL (via its nonstops from IAH). This is why ATL got downgraded as well. The route is now O&D and whatever connecting passengers DL cannot serve nonstop. On the flip side, CO and DL keep the route mainline as both have larger connecting hubs at ATL and IAH, including service to many cities US does not serve at all.

Although a valid point, does this mean that US should always just back off and let someone else take the business? So US should turn to RJ's for all flights to DTW, MSP, DEN, ORD, MIA, DFW, SFO, MEM, etc etc just because AA or NW or another one of the big 7 has a hub there?

Well who cares about the frequencies! that is just CRAP CRAP CRAP a 1400 mile flight on a RJ?!?! That is just so dumb I am outraged!!!!!! :mad: :mad: :mad:

^ ^ I won't fly on this route. I'll connect before I do 1400 miles in a RJ with no FC.

<snip>My guess is they have some O&D on the route and maybe a few connecting passengers. With CO having a mega hub at IAH, I'm near confident CO handles nearly all the traffic to PHL ...
</snip>


Hmmm... isn't PHL a US hub? I mean, what you're essentially saying is that CO is using their IAH hub much better than US uses their PHL hub...

Although a valid point, does this mean that US should always just back off and let someone else take the business? So US should turn to RJ's for all flights to DTW, MSP, DEN, ORD, MIA, DFW, SFO, MEM, etc etc just because AA or NW or another one of the big 7 has a hub there?

I guess that's part of their plan... (They've already done it to DTW, ATL, MSP and MEM...).