I was browsing the US Airways website from 2002 thanks to the Wayback Machine. While it was interesting to reminisce about the way things used to be, one thing in particular caught my eye: the US Airways Shuttle Quintuple Guarantee.

http://web.archive.org/web/200212151..._guarantee.htm

Basically, a US Airways Shuttle business fare on weekdays came with the following 5 guarantees:

1. On-time guarantee: If a US Airways Shuttle flight departs the gate more than five minutes late, all Dividend Miles members on the flight will receive 1,500 bonus miles, which count toward Preferred status

2. Seat guarantee: If a US Airways Shuttle customer arrives at the gate at least 10 minutes before the scheduled departure and cannot be accommodated within 30 minutes of the scheduled departure because the flight is full, the customer will receive a $200 travel voucher

3. Counter-to-gate guarantee: If a US Airways Shuttle customer is unable to get from the check-in counter or electronic ticket kiosk to the gate in 20 minutes or less, he or she will receive a $200 travel voucher.

4. Reliability guarantee: If a US Airways Shuttle flight is cancelled for ANY reason on the day of departure, Dividend Miles members on the flight will receive 10,000 bonus miles. Customers traveling on a walk-up ticket must request the bonus miles by calling the Dividend Miles Service Center.

5. Jetbridge guarantee: If any US Airways Shuttle customer is forced to board a US Airways Shuttle flight outdoors without a jet bridge, the customer will receive 100,000 bonus Dividend Miles

It's hard to believe they ever did #1 and #4 given the weather and congestion in the northeast corridor. And the seat guarantee is certainly one of things that used to separate the shuttle service from typical hourly flights in other markets.

The jetbridge guarantee is curious. Certainly they must not have failed to offer jetbridge boarding very much given the 100,000 mile bonus! I don't at all recall the history of this — perhaps Delta Shuttle did outboard boardings more often?

All in all, I still fly the shuttles (US and DL) very frequently. Delta Shuttle still has some elements that differentiate it from mainline service, but US Airways Shuttle is just like hourly service in any other market, nothing special (except for the lack of assigned seats in advance, which is hardly a benefit).

Interesting to think back to how it "used to be."