Goodbye, CACTUS
 

Single Operating Certificate comes on Wednesday...

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articl...ces?cmpid=yhoo

So long America West...

Goodbye, CACTUS
 

Captain of US 797 made a nice announcement about it being the last Cactus flight when we landed in PHL. He gave a shoutout to the crew who came from Allegheny, PSA, Empire and USAirways.

Technically, 797 was the last inbound TATL flight. I believe US 675 is the last inbound TPAC. The FAs switched from the US script used for boarding to the new AA script on landing. It felt weird being pitched a Citibank Credit Card instead of Barclays on formerly US metal. It also felt weird boarding an AA painted aircraft in TLV after the TWA pension fiasco.

Goodbye, CACTUS
 

Captain on my connecting flight just gave a nice explanation of the new nomenclature and welcomed everyone aboard American.

It went into effect at 7 a.m. GMT.

Keep in mind that the certificate temporarily maintains the US Airways brand, something that will disappear once the res systems are merged.

See American Airlines Obtains Single Operating Certificate
Above appeared in FBT, where I serve as ed.dir.

is there an audio clip there somewhere?

There's an mp3 attached to one of the posts. But you need to be registered at the site to be able to listen to them.

Was definitely nice to listen to that. He seemed a little miffed at having to say "Cactus" even somewhat rejoiced to not have it "cross my lips".

'Cactus' call sign fades into US Airways history - The Arizona Republic

Yeah, but old habits die hard. I was listening the other night to an extended exchange between JFK ATC and a pilot. Pilot kept calling himself "Cactus" and ATC kept calling him "American." It was actually kind of funny.