US Airways today detailed plans for significant service reductions at Las Vegas and the elimination of 1,000 jobs as part of a network realignment it is introducing next year.
The airline's realignment includes more of a emphasis on its hubs in Phoenix, Charlotte and Philadelphia and its focus city of Washington, DC. The carrier also plans to redeploy 15 Embraer E-190s on shuttle markets from New York to Boston and and on flights from New York to Philadelphia. Currently the shuttle routes are served with Airbus A319s while the LaGuardia-Philadelphia flights feature a mix of Bombardier Dash 8 turboprops operated by US Airways' Piedmont Airlines subsidiary, Bombarider 50-seat CRJ200s operated by Air Wisconsin and Embraer E-170s flown by Republic Airways.
US Airways plans to slash daily flights from Las Vegas from 64 to 36 by February and close stations in Colorado Springs and Wichita. At its Philadelphia hub US Airways plans to cut five transatlantic markets - Birmingham and London Gatwick UK; Milan, Italy; Shannon, Ireland; and Stockholm, Sweden.
Earlier this year the carrier trimmed frequencies in the relatively new markets of Birmingham and Shannon, and in March US Airways SVP planning and alliances Andrew Nocella said performance on flights from Philadelphia to Gatwick was deteriorating more in general.
As it moves to cut service in some international markets US Airways plans late next year to transition seasonal flights from Philadelphia to Brussels, Belgium and Zurich, Switzerland to year-round.
US Airways has also returned rights to US authorities for flights from Philadelphia to Beijing. The carrier pushed back its original March 2009 launch date by a year, but failed to secure a second waiver to further delay introducing the new route.
Other closures planned in the carrier's network include crew bases in Boston, LaGuardia and Las Vegas.
The carrier expects to complete staff reductions during the first half of next year. So far in 2009 US Airways has announced the elimination of 233 airport support positions, a desire to cut 400 flight attendant jobs through voluntary furloughs and plans to eliminate 600 airport staff this autumn.
Source: Air Transport Intelligence news
