olympicnut

From a reliable source that currently works for HP, they are shooting for Oct. 1 for the HP name to vanish and for it to be called US from then on out.

MFLetou

When they do they move out of Crystal City? I used to live right near the HQ (still am relatively close), and I'm very sad that US will no longer be a corporate citizen of Northern VA. It truly was DC's hometown airline.

jaymay

When I was in college up in DC, I felt the same thing - When fares were equal, I chose US cause it was the "local" airline.

Not that anyone has any love for for the executives, etc, but it will be odd for US to not be HQ'd on the East Coast.

PBIGuy

Today I snagged my copy of September's award winning Attache magazine. It may be the last one printed before the new route network is in place - who knows. It's a great way to snag something from the "old" USAirways that won't really impact them.

iahphx

I'm not sure how different the new USAirways will be from the old USAirways in the short term. I'm assuming the f/a's will be making some sort of announcement, but that may be it for most travellers. The biggest change in the short term could be ticket counter locations and gates. "Day One" is supposed to come first at LAS, and it's scheduled for next Wednesday! So be on alert in the next couple weeks if you're flying to a city which both airlines serve.

Alysia

From today's Wash Post:
The merged airline's first day of operation could come as early as Sept. 27, said J. Scott Kirby, America West's executive vice president of sales and marketing.

http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn...091100831.html

iahphx

The info in the WaPost story is only partially accurate. While "Day One" is officially the date America West starts calling itself "USAirways" systemwide, real changes will occur before and after that date. Systemwide, "temporary signage" is supposed to go up next Wednesday, Sept. 21, which is also the date that the first airport consolidation is to occur (at LAS). Consolidation at PIT and PHL is scheduled for Sept. 28, and at PHX and a bunch of other stations on Oct. 5.

ByrdluvsAWACO

I don't understand all this "woe is me, US is going away" sentiment. The airline's name will still be US. DM, Attache, etc will still be there whatever the official merger date. On the surface extremely little is changing for you east coast US travellers.

The ones who have any right to sorrow are the true HP fliers out west. The only consolation we have is that HP mgmt/HQ will stay here in Tempe. The America West we know will completely vanish.

I'm not one to boast about Arizona. In fact, I'm usually cursing this state for one reason or another(light rail routing being one of them), but in a few more years the Tempe Town lake area will be a really interesting area. Construction is already starting on a number of projects. Also HP, owns(or is leasing from Tempe) additional land it plans to use for it's headquarters.

Oktoberfest in Tempe is held right next to HP's corporate headquarters, not to mentioned any number of festivals held on Mill Avenue.

I'm not sure how old this map is, but it seems to missing some projects that are under way. For those unfamiliar with PHX, It shows HP's proximity to ASU and the town lake area.

HP HQ and Tempe Towne Lake

HP HQ is the building in the center.

The PHX flight path runs right over the river so you should see HQ every time you arrive or depart from PHX.

KevAZ

I met a gentleman last night at our son's soccer practice who retired as an Exec VP of HR for American Cyanamid. He said that they never were able to hang on to a top performer once they moved them West of the Mississippi and then tried to bring them back East. He moved to AZ 12 yrs ago and now understands why. I told him that we're in the same boat; lived in Michigan until we were 30 and have no desire to go anywhere East of the Mississippi on our own accord. My wife goes to Philly regularly and grits her teeth the entire time. I go all over the East, but do everything in my power to stay West if I can help it.

GotCalcio4

Actually (I know this is really random, forgive me Byrd), I read that Attache might change to "US Airways Magazine." Why on earth would they do that?

ByrdluvsAWACO

I understand it as well. We moved out from PHL to LAS(when it was the "real" vegas) in 1976 then to PHX in 1980. I flew back to PHL this past week for the first time in 18 years. I wasn't avoiding it because I hated it, but because it was too sad to see my old neighborhood so different from when I grew up there.

However, I do like certain things about the East. Snow during the holidays, far more cultural events/concerts, better food, Europe being a transcon away, etc. The only western city that gives me that back east feel is SFO.

PHX is a town of transplants(not always from the best parts of the us). The general population here are not travellers. I encounter more people than you can imagine that have never flown on an airplane. In fact, most people I run into here are floored to hear that someone would fly to Europe for the weekend.

If it weren't for ASU and Scottsdale pulling in cultural events, PHX would be a 100% s**t-kicker town.

US Airways + America West Magazine = US Airways Magazine.

Wow. That sounds way worse than either of the current inflight mags. I must admit that I do like the name Attache. It sounds French and cultured.

However, I will miss the newly redesigned America West Magazine. I have a copy of every month of this year so far.

iahphx

Which is why it's likely to go away. While the USAirways name will stay, this will become, over time, a Western airline. There are no "attaches" in PHX. The magazine will have an Ameri'cun name.

I don't think the America West you know will fade away. Slowly, US will BECOME HP. It will be a different HP, of course. Just like CO's Newark operation ain't Texas. But it will be recognizable as HP. Just watch.

ByrdluvsAWACO

God forbid, they have anything with a touch of class.

And no culture either.

If that's the case then why rename to US in the first place. I thought all the talk was how HP wanted to be a national airline not just a "regional" one.

I don't see how US can become a Western airline with such a substantial eastern presence, and intl routes.

Attache is a far more appropriate reflection of the airline HP seems to trying to create. US Airways Magazine sounds like some two bit rag you find on the grocery store shelves.

KevAZ

Boy, not sure where you live, but this hasn't been my experience over the past 12 yrs of living in Fountain Hills. We have plenty of neighbors that split time between homes in Europe and FH. My wife and I moved here from Amsterdam and know quite a few people that came from Europe.

I think my wife has your weekend in Europe beat, back in 1989 she flew to FRA to have breakfast and return to PHX. Actually she did me a favor as the company I was working for needed a personal courier to hand carry a part from Garrett Aviation to FRA. I was working in Europe at the time, so met her there in FRA, had breakfast then she flew off to PHX while I headed off to SYD.

ByrdluvsAWACO

Well, that's like saying LA is nice having only looked at life in Beverly Hills. Fountain Hillls is in no way an accurate representation of how the majority of people in PHX live.

I'm living in Scottsdale right now. However, I used to live in west and north Phoenix, and I've been all over this valley. That's includes places where many in Fountain Hills would be too afraid to go.

LOL!