<font face="Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size="2">Originally posted by verndemerest:
Jacque,
UAX is not a LCC, anymore than Comair/ASA/Skywest represent one for Delta. They pay their employees less for sure, but their CASM's bear out a different story. Their CASM is in the neighoorhod of 16 cents versus about 11.35 for mainline UA, and about 7 cents for Southwest. </font>
I don't understand the objections to this restructuring. It seems reasonable that UA could reduce their pt/pt LCC routes to maybe 9 cents, no first, near the Southwest level, I'd pay extra for E+ over Southwest, and the short range hub flights down to maybe 13 cents, and the mainline transcontinental and international routes down to maybe 10 cents with lower labor costs. Then with higher business fares, a still outstanding route structure and perks and upgrades on the main line they could be profitable again. Much of my travel from SEA was along the left coast on the Shuttle. I hated it, but you can endure almost anything for an hour and a half, and it didn't seem to have much effect on overall loyalty.
Bruce