United mainline service CVG-ORD to end Feb 2013

cdayind · Nov 10, 12, 12:17 pm

Mainline United service to Chicago will end in Feburary. We were told a few weeks ago. I hadnt posted anything till this point cause I was waiting for more information. But at this point no more information that that has been given to us in regards to what is coming down the road. Has anyone heard anything running around the rumor mill about any other citys mainline service being pulled?

goodeats21 · Nov 10, 12, 1:27 pm

Awful news. Very sorry to hear about more stations losing UA service.

I guess the world's largest network will soon be comprised solely of outsourced regional jets.

when you can't compete, I guess shrinking is the only option.

Was the announcement a complete withdrawal, including ground staff? If so, CVG flyers should brace themselves....it goes downhill fast.

cdayind · Nov 10, 12, 1:37 pm

At this point they have not said anything about mainline agents getting furloughed. Cvg was a mainline UA (only 1 a day) and a express jet Co station. Express jet decided they would no longer do ground handling in Cvg and also many other stations. AA eagle got the bid. So at this point Eagle has taken over the old express jet contract. That all happened the last week of Oct. So at this point United mainline agents are working side by side with Eagle agents and training them on Shares. Im sure that has somthing to do with why they are telling us not a thing.

rch4u · Nov 10, 12, 2:15 pm

Any chance of CVG-IAH or CVG-DEN picking up mainline instead?

UnitedFlyGuy · Nov 10, 12, 2:42 pm

A real bummer about this. CVG is in my list that I fly to more frequently than others and I always took a mainline flight.

ilovesprint · Nov 10, 12, 3:28 pm

OK, Excuse the newbie question... Does this mean there will be NO united Flights ORD to CVG or just that there will only be regional Jets from now on...

3Cforme · Nov 10, 12, 4:30 pm

UA ERJs, ER4s and a CR7 will compete with AA's ERDs/ER4s and Delta's CRJs and a CR9.

ilovesprint · Nov 10, 12, 4:33 pm

I have flown to CVG from ORD probably 10 times in the last 4 months and have Never NOT been on a RJ.

So when you say compete, what do u mean?

I assume UA is not changing RJ service to CVG ?

If they do, then I need to find another airline as 50% or more of my segments are that route

golfingboy · Nov 10, 12, 4:34 pm

The problem is AA has the PG contract. Even with the contract, many employees are still sticking with DL as long as the fare is not 20% more than the lowest available fare.

If UA wants to make CVG work, try to score a contract with PG. They will pay top dollars to ensure the route is profitable if you meet PG' flying needs.

PG is the only reason DL still has CVG-CDG.

buckeyefanflyer · Nov 10, 12, 5:39 pm

Was it not this past summer UA CVG officals made a big PR splash when it dropped it's CLE service and added as they said 17 flights a week to ORD and EWR then they said dropping 2 but actually they were dropping 10
so the net gain was 7.
Don;t feel bad, today CLE-ORD out of 9 flights only 1 mainline and this is hub to hub.

3Cforme · Nov 10, 12, 5:55 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfingboy

PG is the only reason DL still has CVG-CDG.

Oddly, a recent WSJ article cited the volume and value of GE aircraft engine parts on that route, not P&G.

cmhua777 · Nov 10, 12, 6:07 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfingboy

The problem is AA has the PG contract. Even with the contract, many employees are still sticking with DL as long as the fare is not 20% more than the lowest available fare.

If UA wants to make CVG work, try to score a contract with PG. They will pay top dollars to ensure the route is profitable if you meet PG' flying needs.

UA and DL are the U.S. preferred carriers for P&G; AA is not. In fact, I was under the impression that the reason UA kept mainline in CVG for so long was because it was required as part of that contract. They certainly weren't keeping it because of the loads! I would wager that the mainline ORD-CVG-ORD flight has one of the worst load factors in the network!

Sad the flight will be going and even more sad if it means losing UA agents at the airport.

Quote:

Originally Posted by golfingboy

PG is the only reason DL still has CVG-CDG.

The WSJ had a good article on this a couple weeks ago. I am sure P&G helps, but it appears cargo (GE Aviation parts going to Airbus) is the main reason for the flight. P&G's US-European traffic is mostly to Geneva, so passengers are either taking DL through CDG or UA through IAD. UA would be very happy if DL ever did remove the CDG flight as they would quickly become the faster option of the two airlines.

golfingboy · Nov 10, 12, 6:21 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by cmhua777

UA and DL are the U.S. preferred carriers for P&G; AA is not. In fact, I was under the impression that the reason UA kept mainline in CVG for so long was because it was required as part of that contract. They certainly weren't keeping it because of the loads! I would wager that the mainline ORD-CVG-ORD flight has one of the worst load factors in the network!

Sad the flight will be going and even more sad if it means losing UA agents at the airport.

The WSJ had a good article on this a couple weeks ago. I am sure P&G helps, but it appears cargo (GE Aviation parts going to Airbus) is the main reason for the flight. P&G's US-European traffic is mostly to Geneva, so passengers are either taking DL through CDG or UA through IAD. UA would be very happy if DL ever did remove the CDG flight as they would quickly become the faster option of the two airlines.

AA has contract for a few CVG routes like LGA, which DL is trying to grab. When PG gave in with DL's fare groping they reached out to UA and AA, which both airlines immediately announced they were adding flights out of CVG (in early 2000s). Yes, UA and DL are preferred carriers only if they are within 20% of the lowest fare. My dad's upcoming CVG trip is out of policy on DL due to the fare, and his explanation was preferred routing/direct flight. He makes the decisions so he can take whatever he wants anyway. Took LH in paid C to FRA for a week for work. He also flew to GVA for meetings (Wella/Sebastian HQ as well as the Western Europe HQ). The latter, he almost took LX or BA out of LAX but I convinced him to take UA since my mom was tagging along on the trip.

Most people out of CVG prefer taking the CDG flight rather than dealing with the mess of IAD. Even with GE, PG is crucial to the CDG flight. Heck, when they got tired of DL's antics, they charted their own plane transport employees to Europe.

Quote:

Originally Posted by 3Cforme

Oddly, a recent WSJ article cited the volume and value of GE aircraft engine parts on that route, not P&G.

DL will not fly CVG-CDG without PG, they are subsidizing the route, by buying seats in bulk, a lot of seats.

Even if only a few employees will fly on that given day, PG pays for the empty seats.

UA-NYC · Nov 10, 12, 6:32 pm

Not surprising - even going from 3 terminals down to 1, CVG always seems like a ghost town still

ORDnHKG · Nov 10, 12, 8:33 pm

Quote:

Originally Posted by ilovesprint

I have flown to CVG from ORD probably 10 times in the last 4 months and have Never NOT been on a RJ.

+1

Even 5 years ago, ORD-CVG were already always RJ, and nothing but ER4 operated by TransState, once in a blue moon it would have CR7 operated by GoJet, so there is really nothing new here.