Frontier Airlines EarlyReturns - FRONTIER TO SERVE PHILLY

OK this gots to hurt USAir that much more on top of Southwest flying into Philly. Frontier is holding a news conference today announcing their plans to start service to Philly.

Frontier will not fly routes in competition with Southwest, but select routes served by USAir. Should USAir have yet another low cost carrier fly into either Charlotte or Pittsburgh, there is no way they can stay in business.

It's VERY interesting to note how the Philly Airport Authority is recruiting more low cost carriers to speed the demise of USAir.

Either the USAir pilots better take more pay cuts soon or USAir better sell some assets right quick before they are worth nada.

Here's the article announcing the move:

http://biz.yahoo.com/djus/040218/1813001111_1.html

Frontier is actually rather late in the game. I think ATA (TZ?) already flies to CLT and HP, FL and TZ to PIT--and US will probably do not much more than the bare minimum to keep them from obtaining more than a toehold in the market. B6 is about the only LCC NOT to compete directly with US at at least one of its hubs.

Frontier's entry will provide some competition on the PHL-DEN route that would otherwise have been a [Star alliance] UA/US hub to hub routing.

PHL-DEN
PHL-LAX

http://www.frontierairlines.com/news/articleDisplay.asp?article=/general/2004/pr_02192004.news

This is fantastic news! I fly DEN-PHL several times a year, and have been hoping that Frontier would add service there. US Air & United have had a lock on that route for a long time.

If they undercut US (as I expect they will), I'll probably switch almost all of my PHL travel to them. Unless US matches the price, in which case I don't know what I'll do.

Two flights daily to and from Denver and one flight daily to/from LAX.

The airline also provided introductory Philadelphia fares for flights to/from Denver from $109 for off-peak travel (Tues. and Wed.) and $129 for peak travel, one-way round-trip purchase required, and to/from Los Angeles from $99 for both peak and off-peak travel, one-way round-trip purchase required*. All sale fares must be purchased by 10:00 p.m. MT, Mar. 18, 2004. To make a reservation, customers may visit Frontier's Web site at www.frontierairlines.com, (http://www.frontierairlines.com,) contact Frontier Airlines at 1-800-4321-FLY, or consult their professional travel agent.

Don't forget double miles on the new flights. If not already a member of Early Returns, sign up online for 1500 miles. One PHL-LAX r.t. with sign up bonus will earn over 11,000 miles. Only 15k needed for a free trip.

Great news...I should be able to squeeze in a DEN-PHL one way and PHL-DEN-SEA before the double miles expire...This news of DEN-PHL is the nail in the coffin on my US travels, F9 has my loyalty as their routes now fit my needs perfectly...

[This message has been edited by N674UW (edited Feb 20, 2004).]