Tag Archives: US Airways

American Airlines and US Airways issue their fleet plans

American Airlines Group (American Airlines and US Airways) (Dallas/Fort Worth) has issued its new fleet update (see below) for 2014. Overall the fleet will grow by only three aircraft this year. The Group will take delivery of 83 new mainline aircraft during 2014, namely 10 Airbus A319s, 42 A321s, three A330-200s, 20 Boeing 737-800s, two 787-8s and six 777-300s (more Airbus aircraft than Boeing aircraft). The Group expects to retire during 2014 26 McDonnell Douglas DC-9-82/83s (MD-80s), 14 Boeing 737-400s, 22 757-200s, 13 767-200s and five Airbus A320s.

The last eight Boeing 737-400s being operated by US Airways (top) are expected to be retired before the end of the third quarter (September 30).

On the regional side, the Group is significantly reducing its Embraer ERJ 140 fleet but it will also operate a large amount of inefficient 50-seat Bombardier CRJ200s (138) and Embraer ERJ 145s (118).

Here is the full report:

In addition, according to Airline Route, American Airlines and US Airways will begin assigning certain routes to either American or US Airways:

Effective June 1: American Airlines routes to be operated entirely by US Airways:

Charlotte – Chicago (O’Hare)
Charlotte – Miami
Los Angeles – Phoenix

Effective July 2, the following American routes will be operated by US Airways:

Miami – Detroit
Miami – New Orleans
Miami – Raleigh
Miami – Tampa

Effective July 2, the following US Airways routes will be operated by American:

Phoenix – Detroit
Phoenix – Newark
Phoenix – Orange County
Phoenix – Seattle

Top Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. A significant milestone is approaching quickly. US Airways has had a long association with the Boeing 737 and the last 737-400 is expected to be retired before the end of September according to this fleet update. Boeing 737-4B7 N433US (msn 24555) taxies to the runway at Charlotte Douglas International Airport (CLT).

US Airways:

American Airlines (current):

American Airlines (historic):

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. American is quickly replacing the older Boeing 767-200 ERs currently being operated between New York (JFK) and Los Angeles with newer Airbus A321s. The last AA 767-200 is expected to be retired on May 7 according to ch-aviation although the type will continue with US Airways into 2015. American Airlines’ Boeing 767-223 ER N335AA (msn 22333) departs from Los Angeles bound for New York (JFK).

American Airlines changes its policies concerning mileage redemptions and checked bag policies

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) today announced new mileage redemption options for American Airlines AAdvantage and US Airways Dividend Miles members, as well as new checked bag policies for customers traveling across the combined network of more than 356 destinations in 56 countries. The changes, along with enhancements in First and Business Class on flights operated by US Airways, part of American Airlines Group, will provide customers a more consistent experience and an onboard product in line with or better than that of American’s competitors.

Mileage Redemption Structure

Effective today for travel starting June 1, Dividend Miles members now will be able to book last seat availability awards for flights year-round without any blackout dates. For AAdvantage members, AAnytime award travel will now be available more for than half of the year at an even lower redemption level. Previous redemption rates called for 25,000 miles one way, and the new redemptions will start at 20,000 miles one way. Redemption mileage during the remainder of the year will begin at 30,000 miles one way for last seat availability. The exceptions will fall on the busiest travel days of the year. On those days, American will offer a higher award redemption option, which will be available starting at 50,000 miles one way. Since January, when American and US Airways launched the first phase of reciprocal frequent flyer benefits, AAdvantage and Dividend Miles members have earned more than 587 million miles through travel across the new American’s combined global network. For details on award travel levels, visit aa.com/aadvantage or usairways.com/dividendmiles.

Checked Bag Policies

American has also updated its checked bag policies. For flights operated by American, these changes take place for tickets issued starting today. For flights operated by US Airways, these changes take place for tickets issued starting April 23. The changes include removing the second bag charge on flights to and from South America. Also, AAdvantage Gold members and Dividend Miles Platinum and Gold members will receive one fewer free checked bag than they do today. Customers traveling on an AAnytime award or a full-fare economy ticket (on legacy American) will no longer receive free checked bags. Lastly, Citi cardholders will continue to receive one free checked bag, and starting April 30, that same benefit will also apply to customers who have the US Airways MasterCard® with an annual fee of at least $79.

Importantly, American leads the industry in baggage exemptions for our nation’s military as the only airline to offer five free checked bags to military servicemen and women traveling on orders, and three bags to military servicemen and women on personal travel.

Inflight Enhancements

Customers in First Class on flights operated by US Airways will now enjoy an updated selection of fresh meals on most flights longer than 1,000 nautical miles, or about 2 hours 45 minutes in duration. Customers in international Business Class on flights operated by US Airways will be able to tune out or tune in to new entertainment options with new Bose® Quiet Comfort® 15 Acoustic Noise Cancelling headphones. Another feature includes Business Class on Boeing 757 and 767 aircraft which will now offer 60 movies and a greater variety of television programs, as well as audio selections on the new Samsung Galaxy Tab. Business Class on Airbus A330 aircraft now offers double the previous entertainment options, with more than 250 movies and 350 audio choices.

American Airlines (current):

US Airways:

US Airways joins the trans-Atlantic joint venture

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth), British Airways (London), Iberia (Madrid) and Finnair (Helsinki) today (April 3) celebrate a key milestone as US Airways (Phoenix) joins the airlines’ trans-Atlantic joint venture. As part of the joint business, established by American, British Airways and Iberia in October 2010, the airlines can cooperate commercially on trans-Atlantic flights. The joint venture also includes a revenue sharing agreement in which member airlines have permission to coordinate schedules and pricing on North Atlantic routes. These benefits provide customers traveling between North America and Europe increased choices and access to a more comprehensive network.

US Airways brings 28 trans-Atlantic routes to the joint business including nonstop service from the United States to 18 European destinations including Munich, Athens and Amsterdam. Philadelphia and Charlotte, N.C., will become oneworld’s largest East Coast gateways to Europe providing customers access to more than 100 destinations throughout North America with one-stop connections from these two airports. With combined operations, the joint business will serve 29 destinations in North America and 25 destinations in Europe, operating nearly 100 routes between the two regions.

US Airways also plans to implement extensive codeshare agreements with the other carriers in the coming weeks, providing easy access to the joint business’ combined global network.

US Airways:

US Airways jumps from the Star Alliance to the Oneworld Alliance

US Airways (Phoenix) yesterday (March 31) as planned, completed its transition to Oneworld along with TAM Airlines (Sao Paulo) marking the biggest single-day expansion of the alliance since its launch 15 years ago.

US Airways’ regional affiliates, operating as US Airways Express, also transitioned to Oneworld, following US Airways’ recent merger with American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth).

With its regional affiliates, US Airways serves more than 200 destinations and 30 countries with a fleet of more than 620 aircraft. It carried 82.5 million passengers in 2013 and currently operates 3,200 departures a day. It uses the two-letter code US, but this will be changed to AA once the two airlines combine under a single operating certificate.

It has added more than 50 destinations to the oneworld map – most in its US home but also two in Canada and one each in Ireland and Mexico – along with its key hubs of Charlotte, Philadelphia, Phoenix and Washington DC’s Reagan National, expanding oneworld’s presence across the USA, particularly throughout the East Coast and across the North Atlantic.

Once the integration is completed, the new American will offer service to more than 330 destinations in more than 50 countries, carrying 190 million passengers a year on a fleet of 1,500 aircraft.

US Airways:

US Airways announces its routes to be dropped from Washington’s Reagan National Airport

US Airways (Phoenix) according to Airline Route, has announced the anticipated US Airways and US Airways Express route deletions and dates from Washington’s Reagan National Airport as required by the Department of Justice (DOJ) agreement as a prerequisite for the American Airlines-US Airways merger.

May 22, 2014: San Diego

June 5: Augusta, Fayetteville, Fort Walton Beach, Jacksonville (NC), Little Rock and Omaha

June 19: Tallahassee

July 2: Islip, Minneapolis/St. Paul, Pensacola and Savannah

August 19: Detroit

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A321-231 N508AY (msn 3740) arrives at Washington’s Reagan National Airport (DCA).

US Airways:

US Airways flight 1702 with Airbus A320 N113UW blows a tire on takeoff at Philadelphia, nose gear collapses

US Airways (Phoenix) flight US 1702 was departing the Philadelphia hub last night (March 13) headed towards Fort Lauderdale/Hollywood at 6:25 pm (1825) local time. The flight with 149 passengers and five crew members was being flown on the pictured Airbus A320-214 N113UW (msn 1141). On the takeoff roll the A320 blew a tire and the takeoff was aborted. Eyewitnesses reported the bounced at least twice. The nose wheel gear collapsed as the airliner came to a halt at the edge of the pavement. The passengers and crew members safely exited the airliner via emergency exits and chutes. The incident closed the main runway for a period of time.

Read the full report from CNN: CLICK HERE

Top Copyright Photo: Jay Seman/AirlinersGallery.com. Airbus A320-214 N113UW (msn 1141) taxies at the Charlotte hub prior to incident at Philadelphia.

US Airways:

Evacuation Video:

US Airways to add three new routes from Philadelphia

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) and US Airways (Phoenix) have announced the addition of new regional service in June from Philadelphia International Airport (PHL) to Yeager Airport (CRW) in Charleston, West Virginia, Blue Grass Airport (LEX) in Lexington, Kentucky, and Memphis International Airport (MEM) in Memphis, Tennessee, adding three new routes to the airline’s network.

Following the launch of the new service, American Airlines and US Airways will serve 127 destinations in 25 countries from Philadelphia.

US Airways Express service between Philadelphia and Charleston will be operated once daily (except Saturday) by regional partner Piedmont Airlines with a Bombardier DHC-8 aircraft.

US Airways Express service between Philadelphia and Lexington will be operated three times per day by regional partner Air Wisconsin with a Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft.

US Airways Express service between Philadelphia and Memphis will also be operated three times per day by regional partner Air Wisconsin with a Bombardier CRJ200 aircraft.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Piedmont Airlines’ Bombardier DHC-8-102 N936HA (msn 145) approaches Washington’s Reagan National Airport for landing.

US Airways Express-Piedmont Airlines (2nd):

US Airways Express-Air Wisconsin:

US Airways flight attendants vote to join forces with American Airlines flight attendants

US Airways Flight Attendants, represented by the Association of Flight Attendants-CWA (AFA), voted to ratify an Agreement on Bargaining and Representation between AFA and the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA) along with a Negotiations Protocol Agreement with American Airlines management. The agreement establishes a joint negotiations protocol for a single contract at the New American Airlines with the assurance of improvements in one year for all 24,000 Flight Attendants.

Beginning next week, AFA and APFA will form a joint negotiating team with an equal number of representatives and professional advisors as they spend the next 60 days preparing an opening proposal based on the best of both contracts and input from all Flight Attendants at the New American. Management has agreed to meet for 150 days with an intensive schedule that averages three weeks a month in an effort to reach an agreement on a combined contract. The parties will utilize the mediation services of the National Mediation Board and other expedited bargaining methods. If an agreement cannot be reached, only the open items will be submitted to arbitration based on an economic standard that will produce improvements over the current contracts. The entire process includes timelines that lead to implementation of a new single contract no later than the first quarter of 2015.

The agreement transitions representation for the combined group to the Association of Professional Flight Attendants (APFA). The unions will jointly file a single carrier petition with the National Mediation Board in June, which will lead to certification of APFA as the representative in summer or fall. AFA will continue to work in partnership with APFA until the joint bargaining process is concluded and the new contract is implemented. Even after APFA’s certification, AFA will continue to enforce the current US Airways contract and related grievances.

American Airlines ends its bereavement fares for family members

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) has ended its policy of extending special fares to family members who must buy a ticket a last-minute flight because of a relative’s death according to the Associated Press.

The change at American now mirrors the policy at merger partner US Airways, which does not offer bereavement fares. US Airways management is now running the “new American”.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Boeing 737-823 N815NN (msn 33208) completes its final approach from the south into Washington’s Reagan National Airport.

American Airlines (current):

US Airways Express/American Eagle to return to Watertown, New York

US Airways (American Airlines) (Phoenix) will resume passenger service to Watertown, New York on May 8. US Airways Express service was last operated in April 2007 from and to Pittsburgh. This time, US Airways Express (soon American Eagle) 50-seat CRJ200s will be operated to and from the Philadelphia hub with two flights a day.

Read the full report from 7 News in Watertown: CLICK HERE

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Bombardier CRJ200 (CL-600-2B19) N241PS (msn 7909) of PSA Airlines (2nd) taxies at the Charlotte hub.

US Airways Express-PSA Airlines: