Posted on 05/13/2015 11:43:05 AM PDT by rickmichaels
After more than 75 years of flying, the end is near for US Airways. American Airlines plans to shut down the venerable carrier over a 90-day stretch that could begin as soon as July, which would mean a final departure around October.
American executives designed the gradual fade-out to avoid the kind of technological glitches and massive flight delays that plagued United Airlines after it abruptly switched to Continental's computer systems in 2012.
(Excerpt) Read more at dailymail.co.uk ...
RIP Piedmont
“Wondering where all those flight crews will be going.”
American...
This is the end result of the Merger of America West, USAirways, and American Airlines.
Sorry, but you are insane if you think Pittsburgh has more flight choices now... yes more carriers, but not remotely the same number of flight choices this city had when it was a hub.
——Didn’t their customers object? -——
No but the customers in the back of the line had to stand on tip toes to watch
(sorry.... couldn’t resist)
It’s amazing how a few words can put a tune from fifty plus years ago back into your head. That was a very funny show (Ooh! Ooh!).
I do think we have as many or more destinations. To me, saving $100 or $200 to have a two hour layover somewhere is well worth the cost savings. To others, it may not be.
Southwest has become my favorite carrier out of PIT. I don't care for their cattle car line up boarding system, but it is worth the hassle given that they don't charge me for checked bags. This also leads to a far better cabin experience since everybody isn't maxing out their carry-on luggage.
I do remember a couple of the nicknames we used from my time living in Upstate New York. Allegheny was “Agony Airways” and Mohawk was “Slowhawk”.
Sure will be interest then on how the seniority list will meld. Different unions? Wonder what ALPA will say ...
Unfortunately, the Piedmont legacy was destroyed almost immediately upon its acquisition by USAir in the late 1980s, despite assurances to the contrary. Everything, from big things, like consistent on-time performance, to little things, like a full can of Coke, was gone.
“Sure will be interest then on how the seniority list will meld. Different unions? Wonder what ALPA will say ...”
That was settled two years ago.
http://www.dallasnews.com/business/airline-industry/20130429-american-airlines-us-airways-unions-agree-on-how-to-merge-seniority-lists.ece
Northwest
You forgot TWA.
If I remember things correctly, it was actually US Air which purchased American Airlines, and previously it was America West which purchased US Air. If the management team from America West is still running things, and they managed to go from a small regional airline to one of the world’s largest, maybe there is hope that American will be around for a while.
I rarely flew US Air or American, but the times I flew on America West were good. They seemed to be more together then most of their competitors.
Still
Allegheny
In
Reality
Isn’t is great how our wonderful Federal government anti-trust folks have protected us flyers. One by one, the Feds have approved airline consolidation. Not so strange that fares have gone up, flights have been eliminated, aircraft are packed, meals have been eliminated, luggage fees are charged, etc., etc., etc.
Before the AA/USA merger, we had options flying between Palm Springs, CA and Hartford, CT. Now, we are down to only AA. The fares are substantially higher, the early morning flight from PS to Dallas no longer connects with the flight from Dallas to Hartford, so one arrives in Hartford at 11 PM, and on the return flight, it now takes two stops and plane changes in order to arrived back in PS.
So, this year, we will be driving to the Ontario, CA airport, an hour and a half drive, having to stay overnight at a hotel. On the bright side, now there is a choice of airlines, the fares are lower, and the hotels offer free parking. Bye, bye American Airlines.
Hubs are passé, so I’ve heard.
Actually that scenario would have been much more appropriate after the airport had been renamed for JFK.
That's funny, I saw that PSA logo on US Airways A-320 I was getting on last week and I thought "Good Lord, how old is this plane?"
Trying to merge pilot seniority numbers will result in bloodshed.
They may agree but I doubt if a senior pilot with 15k hours would want to be under a senior pilot with just 8k hours.
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