Earlier demise of "The Bayer Express"

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Mar 16, 2005, 12:45 pm

#46

US AIRWAYS FAN

Join Date: Jul 2004

Location: Honolulu, Hawaii

Programs: US1

Posts: 1,928

HPTunco does have a point...I have heard of people who live in NYC. Live in Manhatten and will go to JFK to save 30 dollars on a fare and yet they will take a taxi which takes more time and costs 35 at the least one way. There are many people out there that will do some crazy things to save a buck or two.

Mar 16, 2005, 12:54 pm

#47

hscottm

Join Date: Feb 2001

Location: Pittsburgh, PA

Programs: United Gold

Posts: 2,047

Quote:

Originally Posted by PHLbuddy

Flying a LCC to board an all-biz Lufthansa flight to Europe seems entirely counterproductive to this "creative passenger."

Note that the all-biz solution was never listed as the only remaining possibility by LH, I think it was just what was being considered at the time that the quote came out from LH/PIT.

Mar 16, 2005, 3:13 pm

#48

chalf

Original Member

Join Date: May 1998

Location: London

Programs: BA Gold, ex-BD Gold, SPG Gold, HH Gold

Posts: 2,040

Quote:

Originally Posted by US AIRWAYS FAN

It's not a buck or two. It's the idea of a guaranteed savings of $50 (or whatever) on the ticket, versus the "option" to "splurge" on the cab for $40 instead of taking public transport. Which carries better bragging rights? "I spent $198+tax to fly to LA for the weekend [but spent $80 getting to/from JFK]," or "I spent $258+tax to fly to LA for the weekend [but spent only $20 on an airport shuttle to/from LGA, on the AirTrain to EWR, etc.]". Total out of pocket is the same in either case, so the rational consumer should be indifferent. Of course, we all know that if one flight offers FF miles and the other doesn't....

Mar 16, 2005, 5:22 pm

#49

murphy

Join Date: Dec 2003

Location: Washington, DC

Programs: Hyatt Globalist, AA Executive Platinum

Posts: 1,932

Quote:

Originally Posted by HPTunco

Sure, it's more convenient to check bags through and have one continuous ticket, but people do many elaborate things with regard to saving money on airline tickets. Don't underestimate the creativity and resolve of passengers who can save hundreds of dollars by flying LCC to PIT, then on to Europe.

Yeah, and then they'll come onto FT and complain after the LCC flight is late, they misconnect, and the Int'l carrier tells them they're SOL! I agree, people sometimes do this, but I find it difficult to believe that the savings are ever worth the potential aggravation. I also can't imagine any carrier takes this sort of feed into account when deciding whether to offer service.

I think the most likely scenario (if any) is the all-business 737, with Bayer et al guaranteeing enough seat sales to make it profitable. Anyone have any idea what the loads were like in front when US operated the service?

Mar 16, 2005, 10:08 pm

#50

HPTunco

Original Poster

Join Date: Oct 2002

Location: Pittsburgh

Programs: US Chairman's Preferred, Intercontinental Platinum

Posts: 983

Quote:

Originally Posted by murphy

...............................

I think the most likely scenario (if any) is the all-business 737, with Bayer et al guaranteeing enough seat sales to make it profitable. Anyone have any idea what the loads were like in front when US operated the service?

The flight was always full of passengers and full of cargo. US maintains that with less feeder flights, the flight wasn't practical for them. However, the truth is closer to the fact that they wanted to channel Euro flights through PHL, with CLT as a secondary departure point. US didn't want to maintain another international station, customs, etc.

PIT can sustain a daily flight to FRA......hopefully LH will be the carrier! ^

Mar 13, 2006, 3:13 am

#51

Wave1

Join Date: Nov 2004

Location: PIT/LAX

Programs: US Gold, CO Silver,HH Gold,*wood Gold

Posts: 301

Based on the linked article, it doesn't look like PIT will be getting any direct European service anytime soon via US. According to Parker, US won't be adding this service and the airline is saying that the route needs to generate $70mm to $80mm per year to start up. That sounds prohibitively high.

At least the PIT operations center is (for now) being designated as the primary operations center for the airline nationally (and PHX the secondary center). Also the heavy airbus maintenance will stay at Pittsburgh International.

http://www.pittsburghlive.com/x/trib.../s_432146.html

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