US Airways Dividend Miles (Pre-2005 America West merger) - The incredible shrinking route structure

I was looking to get to Branson, MO and find out that you can't get there from here. Apparently, the former service from MCI to SGF is now gone and everything shows interline travel with AA or UA. Searched for some info on the US website about service ending but did not see it. The map still shows service both in the April Attache mag and the web. Was this one of the cities cut with the recent changes? What other cities are now toast?

Now I have to decide whether to spend a fortune on AA to Branson or maybe be a cockroach and fly to Fayetteville and drive. Anybody done this?

Service to Naples, FL will end on June 15. Route was APF-TPA using BE1900's.

UA flies to both RDU and SGF.

Hello,

I just got back from Branson last month on a Business trip. I flew US PHL-MCI-SGF.

You may want to look into flying UA as they fly an RJ into SGF. You can't really fly into Branson itself you have drive about 40 miles from Springfield Airport. Kansas City might be another option, but its about 3 1/2 hours away.

It's worth noting that my SGF-MCI flight was cancelled due to weather, and from what I understand that frequently happens, I ended up getting put on AA on the way back. I was happy to not be on the B-1900D that US Express was flying.

[This message has been edited by catwood (edited 05-14-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by biggs:
[B] Searched for some info on the US website about service ending but did not see it. The map still shows service both in the April Attache mag and the web. Was this one of the cities cut with the recent changes? What other cities are now toast?
B]</font>

Lancaster PA, Columbus GA, & Topeka Kansas are all gone as of June.

In regards to you not finding any information about the SGF flights getting the axe, I must say that this has been one of my only gripes with US Airways. but its a big one.

the website is atrocious when it comes to dropped service. The "destination maps" online still show Des Moines as a destination. Ummm, Des Moines was dropped in fall 2002. Nearly 8 months ago. Along with Cedar Rapids, Wichita, Madison, Baton Rouge, Kalamazoo and Worcester. All these cities are prominantly displayed on the maps, despite the fact that you cant get there on this airline. Hello US Airways.com--get with the program!

Sure, they are quick to announce new caribbean or European service (and they should, as its something to be proud of! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif), but when Cedar Rapids drops off the face of the earth, you never hear about it. I even checked the Air Midwest website and they make no mention of it.

This is, put mildly, really bad customer service. Especially when you try and buy a ticket to SGF and your computer returns some cryptic error message that translates into

"we dont fly to Springfield anymore, you nerd!"

I love US Airways. I won't get mad at them for service cuts. times are tough, and some cities are no longer profitable. No hard feelings. But you have to tell people whats going on. Don't keep us in the dark.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PurdueFlyer:
Lancaster PA, Columbus GA, & Topeka Kansas are all gone as of June.


</font>

Columbus, GA is already gone.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PurdueFlyer:
Lancaster PA, Columbus GA, & Topeka Kansas are all gone as of June.
</font>

Maybe they'll use the Express equipment to "rightsize" other routes. That will make Airbi available for the soon to be announced hourly service from Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Mobile and Phenix City to all US hubs and selected resort destinations. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

Lancaster, PA gone. Soon, I imagine Reading, PA too. That's a pretty spartan operation.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PHL:
Lancaster, PA gone. Soon, I imagine Reading, PA too. That's a pretty spartan operation.</font>


I had heard about the possibility of Reading getting canned. Tough to draw the pax there when Philly is so close. Same for LNS, competing with PHL, MDT and also BWI.

As a side note...I always found it ironic that Lancaster had commercial service, when a good deal of the residents still use horse-and-buggy as their primary form of transportation! http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

It's barely 30-40 minutes from Lancaster to MDT (Harrisburg Intl.). Not a huge loss.

I'm waiting for LBE (Latrobe) to get the axe.



------------------
Saving the world, one clue at a time.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by AtlanticBeach:
Maybe they'll use the Express equipment to "rightsize" other routes. That will make Airbi available for the soon to be announced hourly service from Huntsville, Birmingham, Montgomery, Tuscaloosa, Mobile and Phenix City to all US hubs and selected resort destinations. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif</font>

I'd take that in a second, considering my weekly trips to BHM have been on RJs or Delta (ick!) for many months now. And make that hourly BHM-DCA service. I'd even settle for a shuttle plane on that one. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif

[This message has been edited by goldstj2 (edited 05-14-2003).]

Here's a news release I found dates Aug 2002 regarding the routes.

US AIRWAYS SAYS SERVICE TO 203 OF ITS 204 CITIES
WILL CONTINUE

Only Saginaw to Lose Service from Regional Affiliate
Carrier

ARLINGTON, Va., Aug. 15, 2002 US Airways announced
today that its restructuring plan will not result in
pulling service from any of the cities it currently
serves, with only one city in its network, Saginaw,
Mich., losing service on Sept. 7 as a result of an
independent business decision made by Air Midwest, a
US Airways Express affiliate carrier that was flying
between Pittsburgh and Saginaw.

"We are committed to making this reorganization
transparent to our customers, and to get people from
point A to point B, in much the same manner as we do
today," said B. Ben Baldanza, senior vice president
of marketing and planning. "We will maintain our
hubs in Charlotte, Philadelphia and Pittsburgh, and
keep our strong levels of service at Boston, New York
LaGuardia and Washington Reagan airports. Our
strengths include our service to large and small
communities in the east, as well as our building
presence in the Caribbean and some successful
transatlantic operations, so those are assets we want
to nurture."

Baldanza said that strong advance booking patterns
should continue. "Our passengers should purchase
their travel with confidence, knowing that we are
continuing normal operations to all of our cities and
are committed to providing quality service. While we
expect to make further refinements to our schedule,
these will be phased in and any customer needing
reaccommodation will be personally contacted well in
advance by US Airways or their travel agent," he
said.

US Airways continues its exceptional service record,
consistently placing near the top in the DOT's
monthly statistics for on-time performance, baggage
delivery, and customer service throughout 2002. In
2001, US Airways finished first in three of the four
DOT quality measurements and was ranked as the top
network carrier by the Airline Quality Rating index.
The largest air carrier east of the Mississippi where
more than 60 percent of the U.S. population resides,
US Airways operates the seventh largest airline in
the United States and the fourteenth largest airline
in the world with approximately 40,000 full-time and
part-time employees. US Airways carried
approximately 56 million passengers last year with
regularly scheduled service to approximately 200
destinations in 38 states across the United States
and in Canada, Mexico, the Caribbean and Europe.
Operating revenues for the year ended December 31,
2001 were approximately $8.3 billion.

This press release as well as other statements made
by US Airways may contain forward-looking statements
within the "safe harbor" provisions of the Private
Securities Litigation Reform Act of 1995, that
reflect, when made, the Company's current views with
respect to current events and financial performance.
Such forward looking statements are and will be, as
the case may be, subject to many risks, uncertainties
and factors relating to the Company's operations and
business environment which may cause the actual
results of the Company to be materially different
from any future results, express or implied, by such
forward-looking statements. Factors that could cause
actual results to differ materially from these
forward-looking statements include, but are not
limited to, the following: the ability of the Company
to continue as a going concern; the ability of the
Company to operate pursuant to the terms of the DIP
facility; the Company's ability to obtain court
approval with respect to motions in the Chapter 11
proceeding prosecuted by it from time to time; the
ability of the Company to develop, prosecute, confirm
and consummate one or more plans of reorganization
with respect to the Chapter 11 cases; risks
associated with third parties seeking and obtaining
court approval to terminate or shorten the
exclusivity period for the Company to propose and
confirm one or more plans of reorganization, for the
appointment of a Chapter 11 trustee or to convert the
cases to Chapter 7 cases; the ability of the Company
to obtain and maintain normal terms with vendors and
service providers; the Company's ability to maintain
contracts that are critical to its operations; the
potential adverse impact of the Chapter 11 cases on
the Company's liquidity or results of operations; the
ability of the Company to fund and execute its
business plan; the ability of the Company to attract,
motivate and/or retain key executives and associates;
and the ability of the Company to attract and retain
customers. Other risk factors are listed from time to
time in the Company's SEC reports, including, but not
limited to the quarterly report on Form 10-Q for the
quarter ended March 31, 2002. US Airways disclaims
any intention or obligation to update or revise any
forward-looking statements, whether as a result of
new information, future events or otherwise.

Similarly, these and other factors, including the
terms of any reorganization plan ultimately
confirmed, can affect the value of the Company's
various pre-petition liabilities, common stock and/or
other equity securities. No assurance can be given
as to what values, if any, will be ascribed in the
bankruptcy proceedings to each of these
constituencies. Accordingly, the Company urges that
the appropriate caution be exercised with respect to
existing and future investments in any of these
liabilities and/or securities.

NEWS RELEASE
2345 Crystal Drive Arlington, VA 22227

So here we are now in May 2003 without
Saginaw
Des Moines
Cedar Rapids
Madison
Southern Pines
Flint
Lancaster
Wicita
Lincoln
Topeka
Worcester
Baton Rouge
Springfield/Branson
Columbus, GA
Hickory
....any others?

[This message has been edited by BWI2MCO97 (edited 05-14-2003).]

[This message has been edited by BWI2MCO97 (edited 05-14-2003).]

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Saginaw, Des Moines, Cedar Rapids, Madison, Southern Pines, Flint, Lancaster, etc. etc....</font>


These smaller destinations are the victim of two factors:

1- They do not support regular air service at the levels needed for an airline to make money.

2- Most are close to one (or more) major cities that DO have major, daily air service.

Southern Pines!!! Give me a break. It's a great place but it's about 70 miles to RDU and 100 to CLT. And they want daily air service? Get real. There is just not the population to support it. And for the airlines, it's just not profitable to fly there. And if you're an airline and DO touch down in a bunch of smaller towns near your larger destinations, you end up marginalizing all of the routes in that area.

[This message has been edited by geo1005 (edited 05-14-2003).]

I understand all of these factors....my point was why brag in a press release that you are maintaining service to 203 of 204 cities !

Investigating, I have determined that XNA is 100 miles from the Branson area and is half the price of an AA or UA flight to SGF. I think I may be visiting Hertz at XNA.

I think the Branson area must not be big enough with FFers for US. I guess most arrive in their RVs http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif. Seems strange that there is not enough for a RJ for US when the closest major cities are 3 and 4 hours away. I understand the PA cities being axed being so close to PHL and even Southern Pines because the real money will fly in with their Citations and Lears, but a major tourist attraction like Branson and Silver Dollar City? Why they should be filling the new tourist 757s to SGF http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/biggrin.gif.

I too have always wondered...why can XNA sustain 3 RJ's a day to Charlotte but the SGF flights were all B1900's to Kansas City? Couldn't US plop one or two jets in there from CLT as well? And make money on it?

I know SGF was a leftover Air Midwest station from the days when MCI was a major US Air hub. When MCI got axed as a mainline US hub, many of the smaller express towns remained. Kind of a weird anomalie if you ever look at the Attache map.

Honestly, though, its easy to see why SGF got yanked along with Wichita, Cedar Rapids, Des Moines, etc. Customers going to the east coast from there are looking at 3 segments each direction, including the B1900 part, if they choose US Airways. AA puts you to STL on a jet, usually only one connection to your final destination. tough for Air Midwest to compete with that.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by PurdueFlyer:
I too have always wondered...why can XNA sustain 3 RJ's a day to Charlotte but the SGF flights were all B1900's to Kansas City?</font>

Simple: XNA = Wal-Mart.

Had a friend in Chicago who worked for one of the linen vendors and was on the flight to XNA monthly--she said it was terrific b/c the alternative. Likewise, from the textile area of CLT right to XNA.

JL

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by BWI2MCO97:
I understand all of these factors....my point was why brag in a press release that you are maintaining service to 203 of 204 cities !</font>


1. because the fine print in the announcement made the promise completely empty, and therefore cheap...

2. because a press release announcing "10 to 20 percent of US system cities WILL be dumped within the next year" would probably have depressed business to the threshhold of Ch 7 back in Fall of '02...

Checked the new map in the June Attache and Branson is gone. Guess they are updating the maps.

<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by ExtrAAordinaire:
Simple: XNA = Wal-Mart.</font>

Exactly. And Tyson Foods (and JB Hunt and others). Business Travel = Air Service. http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/smile.gif

Not only does XNA substain three RJs a day to Charlotte, they have mainline jets to Chicago O'Hare and non-stop service to LaGuardia (American Eagle) and Newark (Continental Express; new route starts later this year). And they might be getting weekend Eagle RJs to Miami soon. XNA is just one of those markets that everybody loves.

[This message has been edited by MAH4546 (edited 06-03-2003).]