US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - US to fly PIT-LGW

I just read a press release which seems to indicate USAirways might fly PIT-LGW soon.
http://biz.yahoo.com/prnews/000403/va_us_airw_1.html

Don't know any more than what's in that press release.

Good news for me, in any case http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

ARLINGTON, Va., April 4, 2000 – The U.S. Department of Transportation today awarded US Airways the authority to operate daily nonstop flights between Pittsburgh and London’s Gatwick Airport. US Airways expects to begin the service on July 17, 2000.

http://www.usairways.com/corporate/press/nw_00_0404.htm

... London, here I come ...

the question: A-330 or 767 ??????

I bet they are doing some number crunching right now in Crystal City. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

In its application to the DOT, filed in 3/99, they said its service from Pittsburgh to Gatwick would use the 203-seat Boeing 767 planes "or other suitable over-water aircraft."

Last month, however, US Airways received the first of 30 widebody Aircraft A330 aircraft, which was scheduled to arrive today at Pittsburgh International Airport after its first test flight from Europe. The airline intends to use the twin-aisle A330s, which can hold 261 passengers, for TA flights.

US Airways said there would be 1 flight each day from Pittsburgh to London. During summer months, the flight would depart Pittsburgh at 4:35pm and arrive at Gatwick the following morning at 5:05, local time. They also would have a daily return flight departing Gatwick at 11:20am and arriving in Pittsburgh at 2:45pm, local time.

This is great for US! And the timing couldn't be better, right after the strike and with the A330 coming on line.

5:05 in the morning? what are they trying to do to those poor people??

what will ual do with this route after their 2 yr period if the merger goes thru, will they cancel this route and use the heathrow slot for a more high yield route like from either lax or nyc to heathrow?
Jason

This flight currently arrives and departs London Gatwick - not Heathrow. I think the long term prospects for this flight coincide with what UAL will do with PIT as a hub. The current US flight is successful because of all the feed coming into and going out of PIT. PIT's status as a hub will determine this flight's fate

United presently has no operations at Gatwick, the result of having gotten their UK routes by buying them from Pan Am. Travelers supposedly have a fetish about using Heathrow, presumably because onward connections are better. In the case of traveling solely to the UK, experienced flyers know that with the Gatwick Express train to Victoria in 25 minutes, you can actually reach central London quicker, and with less hassle. In any case, all the carriers want LHR (prestige, maybe?)and most have filed applications to move or add flights there. Assuming the USAirways domestic hubs remain, post merger, the feed is excellent, and one would further assume UA would gladly expand operations to LGW. Under the current bilateral (which the USA is always trying to change), while it is virtually impossible to add new city pairs, I believe it is possible to move a gateway from one city to another. The reality is, there are few, if any, major cities without direct UK service (even Las Vegas got nonstops a few weeks ago). Certainly not many that would be more attractive than PIT, CLT, and PHL. By the way, the 5:05 arrival is a case of getting what you can get. There just aren't enough slots, and the Brits make sure we get the crappy ones.

There is also a new express service from Heathrow to Paddington which I believes takes on the order of about 15mins. now. So actually LHR now has the edge getting to downtown. No more hundred-stops-on-the-Piccadilly-line!

Another plus for Gatwick versus Heathrow, if you are connecting to some cities, such as Inverness, the only flights are from LGW none from LHR.
I'm looking at a future trip that will have me flying UA into LHR and then bus to LGW for a flight up to INV.

just a quick word about the two year thing mentioned above. - the two year committment was in reference to FARES not ROUTES.

If you read the press releases carefully you should see that UA agreed to keep all fares and travel agent commissions level for at least two years.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Yes, it is wonderfully generous of United to promise not to raise the $1,400 coach fares from IAD to SFO. I look forward to availing myself of this wonderful opportunity well into the year 2003!!! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/tongue.gif

As geo and indogulf have pointed out,

1) United can move routes like it pleases
2) United can move employees like it pleases
3) United can raise any fare like it pleases (except Y, which can be raised for COLA for two years)

<sigh>

Originally posted by dg1:

United can move employees like it pleases.

Most likely from economy to First Class http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/mad.gif



[This message has been edited by geo1004 (edited 06-20-2000).]

How true, how true. On other boards I see employees getting worried about non-rev/pass travel -- now that you'll have thousands upon thousands of USAirways employees trying to get to Asia, etc. I think we're all going to spend more time in coach, and see a lot less middle seats open!