US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-FlightFund Merger) - Has anyone flown LGA-PHL succesfully?

I booked my first flight from LGA through PHL next week, late Sunday. I was checking these flights on random days and it's almost always very late (nearing two hours) or cancelled a lot.

Has anyone flown this route often? Any comments?

I hope I'll be able to get onto the LGA-PIT flight if there is a problem. I probably should have just booked and forgotten the extra segment.

Leave early.

... and bring a book! (you might finish the newspaper http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif )

You're flying LGA to PHL to ?

LGA-PHL-PIT.

I needed the segments for Chairman's Preferred (1k?) requalification. I'm already regretting breaking my own number 1 rule of not connecting in PHL.

BTW, The interesting thing is that normally flights are delayed enough that they leave about the time of the NEXT flight.. Here's hoping that there's an open seat and no other Chairman's Preferred on my original flight! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Originally posted by dg1:
I booked my first flight from LGA through PHL next week, late Sunday. I was checking these flights on random days and it's almost always very late (nearing two hours) or cancelled a lot.

Has anyone flown this route often? Any comments?

If you are leaving LGA in the morning or evening rush, you will probably sit an hour or so waiting to takeoff, and wait for 15-30 minutes for a gate. Last year I flew that same routing a lot (in some cases, it was cheaper than LGA-PIT directly) and that's generally what happened.

If you did not need the segments, I'd take the train to PHL, and from there to PIT. It might be quicker.

CBF: The issue was not cost -- I had to force the connection -- the fare was cheaper (no PFC to PHL) without the connection. One good part of United taking over USAirways -- I won't do ridiculous things like connect in PHL anymore http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Originally posted by dg1:
One good part of United taking over USAirways -- I won't do ridiculous things like connect in PHL anymore http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif


yes, you will have ORD to look forward to. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/rolleyes.gif

Last month I entered a consulting arrangement with a company whose employees must fly US Airways whenever possible (i.e., if US flies there, you are flying US there!). I tried to fight against this, as there are many better options of NY, but I gave in, as I liked the company too much. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif Apparently they get some huge discount, but I have no clue what the details of their agreement are.

I've had good luck avoiding PHL (a great city, but poor for air service), and PIT and CLT are now among my favorite US hubs http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif. But I'll be forced to fly US via PHL in the future, and this thread is not making me look forward to it!

I know US has some mainline planes on this route (presumably to relocate the aircraft), and I can only hope and guess they are more reliable than friendly USX.

Here are PHL's problems as an airport:
1. The distance between terminals (fingers) is not nearly enough. At a push, planes pushing back or parking create total gridlock. Look at ATL, for example. Similar set-up as far as parallel concourses, yet far enough part to have a couple lanes of traffic.

2. Right in the middle of the NY and DC corridors. When either airspace is blocked, PHL pays the price.

Let's look at at an average recent PHL experiences.

a. We can't push back because of gridlock.

b. We can't take off because the airspace is too crowded thanks to DC and NY traffic being rerouted due to weather blocking a major "shipping lane".

c. Finally take off, but we can't get our "shipping lane" (captain's words) down to Florida. We circle over PHL for an hour before starting our trip down the coast. The pilot says he has never heard of this happening...except at good ole Philly.

The horror that is this flight. I am on Flight 3880 this Sunday. Scheduled to leave at 5:50pm and arrive at 7:15pm.

Yesterday (Monday) this flight left at 6:55pm and arrived at 9:10pm -- about two hours late.

I will keep following this flight and updating this message. I am not feeling good about my chances of making it through PHL..

I've done PHL-EWR - but last about 9 years ago! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif

As you know, 100 highway miles goes quickly compared to extended holds/waits on a runway! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/frown.gif

That was when I'd made Baltimore/Washington my minimum flight distance from NYC! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Trains, cars - even maybe walking http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/wink.gif, seems a bit better for me personally!

Yet I get the picture! Enjoy the miles and the segments! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Actually, I frequently take the first flight in the morning. It is quite dependable. The rest of the day is more complicated, as aircraft begin to run late, and the situation compounds itself If you are looking for miles, and have transport, consider the 5 flights a day, White Plains - PHL. The airport is about 25 minutes north of LGA, and those flights are generally dependable .

Thanks for all the tips. It's too late for me to change the flight now (one of those rockbottom V fare tickets)..

Tuesday: left 20 mins late
arrived 10 minutes early
Wednesday: left on time
arrived on time
Thursday: left 30 minutes late
arrived an hour late


[This message has been edited by dg1 (edited 09-28-2000).]