I would imagine dealing with WMAA would be like hitting your self in the head with a hammer (it feels so good when you stop). It is the ultimate bureaucracy that represents Maryland, D.C., Virginia and the Federal Government so getting anything done at a reasonable time and cost is next to impossible.

When IAD opened (known as DCI) it was state of the art since at that time you had to walk to your plane and use steps to board. The distance between check in and the people movers was only a couple of hundred feet and you where protected from the weather, and loaded directly on to the plane. But it was expensive to operate so building the midfield gates and using the people movers as shuttles was a quick fix.

Anything ever built in Washington on a temporary basis is never taken down in a timely manner. The War Department was build on the Mall during WW I lasted over 50 years even though is was a temporary fix. So IAD will eventually be fixed since it has so much room for expansion.

I'm pretty sure that the IAH refurb was in the cards before the merger and it really didn't impact the prioritization there.

IAD is in the middle of political fights about the subway, and the cost division I'm sure. so I don't really think that there was a chance that they'd announce an up in the air project before the planned and committed one.

Personally, I think CO will try to put the screws on IAD for upgrading the facility. It is certainly an airport where they have a fortress hub and they like those, and it is *the* facility in the combined airline that is the most desperately in need of improvement.

What leads you to believe that UACO is the holdup at IAD rather than MWAA?

I think anyone with half a brain could have changed their minds after seeing what I'm guessing was wild evidence in favor of keeping E+.

It's irrelevant that he didn't have access to UA's books. You're missing the bigger point - he came into the merger predisposed to killing off E+. Was so brainwashed by the PMCO mindset that he couldn't fathom how having fewer seats on a plane could translate to profitability, loyalty, yield management, etc. Seems a bit myopic to me.

Not the type of leader I'd want running my company.

If it should be obvious that an E+ product is such a big money maker domestically, why don't any other 2-class carriers offer it?

I think that the combined UA/CO now has more leverage at IAD. With EWR < 200 miles away, they can really push the MWAA to cover more of the improvements by claiming that EWR can be the main TATL hub.

That is a stupid question. Why do you want to updated IAD? To make PAX happy.





Many people are going through DEN because of B. I feel there's more avoiding IAH then IAD.

Not a stupid question ... Just look at the passenger numbers streaming through decrepit terminals across the country ... NY, DC, LAX .... They are still passing thru, just hating the experience

But won't it be better if there happy? So are you saying UA shouldn't update IAD either?

I'm saying they've run the numbers plenty of times and somehow continue to accept pushing it out to the future .... Sometime

It's very expensive not only to build, but then operate the new terminals as the airport authorities increase the fees as part of the new construction, as well. The cost-benefit hasn't worked yet in the passengers favor so the hell of IAD continues

Yes, actually, as I've had occasion to directly deal with both of those airport managing authorities. Houston has some top notch airport managers (who have been amazingly successful, as evidenced by the airport's ability to attract a solid et of international carriers in recent years), while MWAA, well, is a maddening bureaucracy unto itself.

New United has adequate widebodies in fleet and on order, so that's a non-issue. However, much of the UAL capex spending over the next couple of years will be spent on the PMUA side to raise PMUA's domestic and international product offerings to PMCO standards. With the noteworthy exceptions of the longhaul F and C cabins, PMUA simply hasn't spent much on improving its hard and soft inflight products over the past decade, and refurbishing ~375 aircraft to install new interiors, AVOD, bigger overhead bins, and powerports ain't cheap.

Sure, both are single-aisle spaces. It is indeed hilarious that folks who move heaven and earth to sit in the single-aisle section of a widebody aircraft then gripe at the notion of sitting in the single-aisle section on a different aircraft, even when the seats are virtually identical and offer the same amount of space.

Neither AA nor DL will open a hub at IAD. Much better value for UACO to improve IAH than IAD (and I hub at IAD so would be thrilled to have a real terminal).

The even bigger upgrades that PMUA deferred for years are now being completed. Things such as hard and software upgrades on aircraft, etc.

This was announced back in March. The 777s are going to be upgraded to CO spec:

Posted March 22, 2011

United and Boeing announced Tuesday that we will modify our fleet of 52 UA Boeing 777-200s with a Performance Improvement Package (PIP) from Boeing that will result in greater fuel efficiency and reduced emissions.

The 777 PIP improves the airplane�s aerodynamics through a software change to enable three fuel-saving components: a drooped aileron, a ram air system improvement and the installation of improved wing vortex generators. We estimate the PIP will reduce fuel spending per airplane by about $200,000 annually (assuming $100 per barrel crude oil prices).

�We appreciate Boeing�s continued efforts to make existing aircraft more fuel-efficient,� said Fleet VP Ron Baur. �We are very focused on improving fuel efficiency in our fleet as a natural hedge against rising fuel prices.�

Our fleet of CO Boeing 777-200s was among the first retro-fitted with the package in 2007.

The PMUA 757 fleet will also be cycling through CO MCO MX for updates as well.

News to me - I see no shortage of UA flyers (and OAL flyers) talking about their IAD distaste; haven't heard much about IAH / B.

So being differentiated is a bad thing then?

AA tried it but executed poorly
B6 offers it
DL moving towards an enhanced version of it for int'l flights

And yet another comment to reflect those from the CO side have no appreciation for exclusivity, focused treatment or understand the value that was being provided. I'm sure the small cabin on 777 is the same as the back section in your minds, as well.

There is much more involved in why a 757 does not equal or provide similar value as a widebody to any UA flyer but it's really (and still) not worth the time or discussion