America West FlightFund (Discontinued Program) - HP service to IGM and PRC ending

Sad news for those who used it. PRC and IGM are being taken over by Great Lakes, no more HP service.

Kingman, AZ (IGM-Mohave County)

Prescott, AZ (PRC-Love Field)

Kingman, AZ (IGM-Mohave County)

Prescott, AZ (PRC-Love Field)

Thanks for the clarification. I should have been more specific.

This is related to the EAS contract being awarded to Great Lakes. :rolleyes: Typical ignorant AZ government decisions.

Mayor: ‘I’m sick about it’ - Airport to lose Mesa Airlines (http://www.communitypapers.com/DAILYCOURIER/myarticles.asp?P=1092136&S=400&PubID=13829)

This is related to the EAS contract being awarded to Great Lakes. :rolleyes: Typical ignorant AZ government decisions.

Mayor: ‘I’m sick about it’ - Airport to lose Mesa Airlines (http://www.communitypapers.com/DAILYCOURIER/myarticles.asp?P=1092136&S=400&PubID=13829)

Its a huge mistake. Maybe Great Mistakes can work something out with HP? Pretty slim chance though.

This is related to the EAS contract being awarded to Great Lakes. :rolleyes: Typical ignorant AZ government decisions.



You are talking subsidized dollars here. Typically the lowest bid wins, which is the way it should be. Those that want convenience need to pay for it and they obviously didn't.

You are talking subsidized dollars here. Typically the lowest bid wins, which is the way it should be. Those that want convenience need to pay for it and they obviously didn't.

Agreed. If Prescott & Prescott Valley continue to grow exponentially a major airline will come calling eventually.

You are talking subsidized dollars here. Typically the lowest bid wins, which is the way it should be. Those that want convenience need to pay for it and they obviously didn't.

I am well aware of how the bidding process works. I work for the county. However, lowest bidder doesn't always win. Even with govt money, there is some allowance for the consideration of quality of service or products.

I am well aware of how the bidding process works. I work for the county. However, lowest bidder doesn't always win. Even with govt money, there is some allowance for the consideration of quality of service or products.

Especially in the EAS process. Heavy weight is placed on the community comments, more specifically from elected officials. All of which were vehemently opposed to Great Lakes. In the end, the DOT went with ADOT's recommendation. Kind of defeats the purpose of relying on community feedback, especially when the comments were coming from elected officials.

Its a huge mistake. Maybe Great Mistakes can work something out with HP? Pretty slim chance though.

Are they allowed to? IIRC as part of ZK's codeshare arrangement with UA, ZK cannot codeshare with certain airlines. I do not know whether or not HP is one of those airlines.

Can Prescott take court action? It seems that this will have a negative impact on the communities involved.

Well, considering that Great Lakes' COMPLETION rate does circles around Mesa/AirMidwest's out of PHX, these communities should be THRILLED that they will have reliable services to Phoenix. They aren't the same airline from a couple years ago....

Great Lakes has been working with these communities for a while and told them of their intensions...

Great Lakes has interline agreements with most of the carriers, and I'd suspect that these cities will either have UA or F9 codes put on their flights.

Big deal HPX is no longer going to be carried on these flights, Lakes is a very efficient and affordable airline now...

Well, considering that Great Lakes' COMPLETION rate does circles around Mesa/AirMidwest's out of PHX, these communities should be THRILLED that they will have reliable services to Phoenix. They aren't the same airline from a couple years ago....

Big deal HPX is no longer going to be carried on these flights, Lakes is a very efficient and affordable airline now...

What is the definition of "completion" rate?

How is dumping pax out into T2 at Sky Harbor where the main hub action is located in T4 (HP & WN) better than using Mesa/HPX?

Marketwise, which are pax in outlying/remote EAS routes more likely to want to purchase, tickets on LCC or other larger carriers? Or is the point of an EAS that the carrier can charge whatever they want as options are limited unless you want to drive several hundred miles?

Just wondering.

Completion rate= Percentage of flights that are operated between two points, meaning a flight departed from City A and Arrived at City B.

Air Midwest has about an 80/85% completion rate, one of the worst in the business. Great Lakes completes 98% of all flights, meaning 2 out of 100 are cancelled versus 10 - 15 out of every 100 ZV flights out west.

Great Lakes can also move their gate area as they have a security plan.... such as moving flights over to HP's gate areas if HP allows it..

Lakes does not milk EAS markets. Williston/Dickinson are prime examples where they have an awesome following. They came into those markets to Denver with Beech 1900s (2 to 2 1/2 hours nonstop, btw) and was able to yield the market - find the right balance between maximum price and maximum passengers - and now they fly their 30 seater Embraer Broke.. err Brasilias on the run and do quite well.

any word on the date this is all suppose to happen? as an hp gold in prc, having great lakes come in is ridiculous. a few more flights out of 100 for a higher completion factor does not justify having a frequent flyer program, joint fares, controlled security and streamlined interlining that the current express flights offer. i back the city up, and if this follows through, that all the money the city has offered for a new terminal will be taken back. with great lakes coming in, we are taking an efficient 1 hr connection and at least doubling that by arriving with great lakes into terminal two, and please, let's not call what they use a gate, it's a fence at the side of the taxiway apron area

Are they allowed to? IIRC as part of ZK's codeshare arrangement with UA, ZK cannot codeshare with certain airlines. I do not know whether or not HP is one of those airlines.

They don't fly as UAX anymore. They just codeshare. That is what allowed them to build a relationship with F9. Unfortunetly, neither carrier really offers a reasonable add-on type fare to ZK service. HP used an add-on approach by adding approx $30 to PHX pricing. In some cases the PRC-PHX-PRC add-on was as low as $30rt. How can ZK compete with that?

In defense, I think they can position themselves in the market.

1) Offer reasonable fares - realizing they are competing with a car.
2) Improve access to other terminals - without exiting T4
3) Market the hell out of it.

ZK does have interline baggage agreements in place with many carriers, so the baggage can be checked through beyond PHX. The minimum connecting time is less than an hour, so they have to provide some type of transfer (MCTs are based on the ability to transfer luggage). Security is available in PRC, so I don't understand what security issue is preventing ZK from transferring luggage. I'm sure ZK is trying to figure out how to make the connections seemless.

Maybe HP and other carriers can position check-in kiosks near ZK gates. With WN making a move to another concourse at T4 maybe they can snag a gate to feed both carriers.

on Thursday and Friday this week, Great Lakes managers and executives will be doing presentations to all of the communities they are picking up.

A few notes:

-> flights will carry the ZK, F9, and UA codes. This includes joint fares / pricing / frequent flyer benefits.

-> June 1st flights will arrive sterile in Phoenix, meaning the arrival in Terminal 2 will be inside security, not outside.

-> Talks have begun with AmWest for a codeshare similiar to the UA/F9 agreements, they could possibly move to T4.

-> Flights will run much more efficiently than the ZV service.

-> prices will seem to mock LCC pricing. You won't pay $399 for a one way ticket to Phoenix from Show Low or Prescott.