US/UA merger - PHL?
 

Hi all. What do you think about this?

We live in PHL and are scared about losing our hub status.

Any thoughts?

Well, if they don't merge and US goes under, wouldn't that be even worse?

United pilots are really putting up a fight about a possible merger with US Air.

What would be THE worst is losing PHL as a hub AND losing any miles. While USAir is not a great airline, we are able to fly a lot of places direct and I have decent luck with award seats recently.

karens - regardless of what they do with PHL as a hub, you won't lose miles. So far, at least, merging airlines have combined their respective FF programs. They may need to tweek the rules, but they won't wipe out miles.

dfr - I agree re: miles. But they sure are de-valuing them.

I don't understand the new rules of some airlines where you can no longer use double miles to secure a coach seat. I would think airlines would like you to burn through more miles.

On domestic flights I'm not too sure what will happen, as PHL does have a very large amount of O and D traffic, but I think if a merger took place, more international flights would be added to Dulles, since UA operates a MAJOR intl. operation there.

UA is adding flights from Dulles to Dubai and Moscow soon. No sign of leaving there.

No expert here but I would imagine that as with any mergers the strong parts of the company are maintained by the NEW OWNERS. Why would the new merged company forfeit
a hub city????

It would just be added, AA has more than one hub, no???

United has a lot of hubs. And PHL isn't exactly a model of efficiency. But it is our airport nonetheless and we're spoiled with so many direct flight options.

Since I have you on the line Karen. What ski resorts are direct out of Philly?

Visiting south jersey for xmas was trying to plug in a ski vacation OUT WEST.

Thanks

Sarah - AA has more than one hub, but remember BNA, RDU, SJC, RNO, and most recently (as well as most relevant) STL?

AA bought TWA for their routes, their MD80s, but most importantly, STL as another east-west hub to supplement DFW and ORD.

9/11 came, and STL lost most of its mainline flight. It's now much smaller than when it was TWA's main domestic hub.

Sarah - in addition to rkkwan's comments, none of these mergers will work without some major restructuring and costs cutting. A merger, without this, is a receipe for economic disaster.

For ex, DL has major hub at CVG; NW has one in MEM. If their merger is approved, I expect one of those hubs is going to be severely reduced or "disappear". They're too close together to continue "as is". Rkkwan's examples with AA are a case in point.

As to PHL, I would expect there would still be a major operation there, but US/UA could well decide to concentrate a lot of flights at IAD, where UA has a major presence.

Just my thoughts.

Sarah - Delta flys direct to Salt Lake City out of PHL. Park City is close 30-45 min. drive from there. I was hoping USAir would add a direct flight to SLC, but that's one of the few cities they don't fly nonstop to.

Denver flies direct from several carriers - Usair, United I know for sure. The ski resorts are bit farther from Denver - Breckenridge, Winter Park, Keystone, etc. are about a 2 hour drive from there.

Oh Karen thanks so much. I did not know park city was so close to the airport.

Think there will be good snow Dec.21????

Sorry, Sarah, I can't answer that one! But I know if you post that question over on the US forum, you will get some answers.

Sorry, karen, but I try to avoid connecting in PHL at all costs. But, then again, since US is such a lousy airline, I try to avoid it at all costs, as well.

IAD is far better suited to be a hub, and since the DC area has more people, it makes more sense to make IAD the main hub and downgrade PHL to a "focus city," as US did to PIT.