JRS

After 6 straight-years of CP status, I flew only 80K miles in 2005 and finally received a PLT card on Tuesday. I sent a note to US asking to reconsider based on my 65 segments YTD in 2006. They response was they had no challenges avail and I need to "fly more" to become CP again. Had a need to go to Boston for the first time since JetBlue started up here in PIT so decided to try them out. Very impressive. They fly E190s to/from PIT and I checked online the night before. I had an aisle seat mid-plane, but noticed that the last 4 rows were all empty so I grabbed a seat in 2nd row from back. They then had a equipment change and when I got to the gate yesterday morning there was a 2-week-old A320. I was the only person in the last 10 rows on the plane (felt obligated to watch the FA seat-belt presentation as I was her entire audience...), watched DirecTV, drank the Dunkin Donuts coffee they serve, and had a couple of biscotti they handed out. Return flight last night was a nice E190. Their employees are clearly happy to work for that airline. I'll be flying them whenever I need to go to BOS or NYC. Hopefully they'll add more service from PIT.

trvlr64

I was chatting with a B6 GA last weekend. He said their loads are good and they are already talking about adding flights from PIT.

flyingcat

Hmm lets see according to 2nd Quarter 2006 B6 financials breakeven is around 80% and according to the previous poster was the only person in the last 10 rows.

Unless I'm missing something that is not a good sign, granted its only one observation but I have yet to meet a GA at any station for any airline that says they don't want more flights or that they are not doing well.

safetymom

I think Jet Blue is a great airline. I took them several times and the FA's were great. If they flew nonstop to more places I think they would become my airline of choice.

deelmakur

If you noticed, there was a ship change from the E190 to a much larger A320. Since it was last minute, those empty rows would have represented seats the computer never knew it would have, when the flight was being offered.

sbtinme

What deelmakur said

Mayormike

Break even is 80% on average. On many of their flights (particuliarly Florida runs) they approach 100%.

They seem to have returned to profitability so one would guess they're at or above that 80% on the whole (for the quarter, anyway).

trvlr64

READING is a WONDERFUL THING.......

Mayormike

Good catch on load, deelmakur. B6 just started flying the Embraer last fall or so, and have had some shakedown problems. Fortunately for JRS they had one of their old (tho' in this case brand new!) A-320s as a spare. Cost them a tad more per pax but they were able to timely deliver the freight.

They are a class act, safetymom, not least because most of the employees, not just, but certainly including the FA's, are cheerful, accomodating, and eager to please. Dunkin Donuts coffee and Direct Tv are agreeable bonuses and, operationally their incredibly fast turn around time often makes up enough time so that an incoming flight held up by the inevitable weather hold often makes the return on, or nearly on, time.

I've been flying them rather heavily almost from their birth. I just hope they don't agressively overexpand and implode

Jumpgate

I am not (any longer) a US-apologist, and I agree that B6 has superior service and comfort, but I'm not too clear as to what you expected from US.

You only flew 80K EQM last year - 20K short of what's required for CP - and thanks to the new DM program you're now Plat. A year ago, you would have only been Gold.

I understand it would have been cool for them to allow you stay CP - but neither the new US or the old US was known for making exceptions in this case.

deelmakur

If they had an interest, which they didn't, they would have extended status for another year to people who got that close, and had held the status level for years. Given that status had already been carried over into nearly a third of the new year, due to the merge of FF programs, it would have been easy. When they want, they can be very ingratiating, as with the Legacy paint jobs on some planes (clearly designed to win over employee groups). Now, they have knocked the cover off the ball, and are busy phoning up Delta and NW. Secure in the knowledge that they know everything (and they just might), nothing will change in the game plan. It's Newton's Law in reverse. Apples falling up. The thought center of the airline universe is really in Arizona. You build loyalty by ignoring long time customers, charge more than your competitors for less quality, and have a success. In the plus column, by acquiring a bankrupt company, they inherited historically low operating costs. To their credit, they obviously saw just how rock bottom the management was at the old US, which is why they persisted in taking the place, even as the meltdown worsened. Having been created by that bunch of dolts, it's no wonder they threw a lot of us out with the rest of the trash. As the famous catcher once said, "it ain't over til it's over". I don't like 'em. I think they are arrogant, and very lucky, but by the same token, others had a chance to look at US, and these guys saw the opportunity. I'm gone, but I certainly think they deserve credit. They were better than they looked. So much for developing opinions without knowing the other guy. They should remember that, with some of you brand loyals who stuck around. People like JetBlue may have underestimated them, too, but as competitiors, it doesn't make them any less of a threat.

DeacDiggler

i have 60 segments ytd and probably won't make plat. past earnings are not an indicator of future performance.