US Airways makes its final flight: Look at the Amazing Journey of US Airways

 

US Airways traces its history to All American Aviation Inc, a company established by du Pont family brothers Richard C. du Pont, Alexis Felix du Pont, Jr. and CEO Steven Gardner. Headquartered in Pittsburgh, the airline offered the Ohio River valley in 1939. In 1949 the company was re-named All American Airways as it switched from airmail to passenger service; it became Allegheny Airlines in 1953

1970s: Deregulation and rebranding

Allegheny changed its name to USAir in 1979 following the passage of the Airline Deregulation Act the previous year, which enabled the airline to expand its route network into the southeastern United States.

USAir was a launch customer for the Boeing 737-300, as the airline needed an aircraft with greater capacity to serve its rapidly growing Florida markets. USAir was the world’s largest operator of DC-9 aircraft at the time and approached McDonnell Douglas to negotiate a new airplane design. However, in the late 1970s, the McDonnell Douglas’ proposed successor to the DC-9-50 did not suit USAir’s requirements. After the negotiations with McDonnell Douglas broke down, Boeing came forward with a proposed variant of the 737. USAir selected the new 737 aircraft and the company worked closely with Boeing during its development, taking delivery of the first plane on November 28, 1984.

1990s: Rebranding, fleet modernization, and failed sell-off

In the early 1990s, USAir expanded its service to Europe with flights to London, Paris and Frankfurt from its four primary hubs. The company formed partnerships, marketing the Trump Shuttle as the “USAir Shuttle” and accepting a large investment from British Airways that started one of the first transatlantic alliances, resulting in several 767 aircraft being painted in the British Airways livery, but operated by USAir

2000–2004: September 11 and financial woes

Beginning in 2000, US Airways started retiring aircraft in an attempt to simplify its fleet and reduce costs, replacing many of its older planes with the new Airbus A320-family aircraft.

March 30, 2000 US Airways received its first A330-300.

On May 24, 2000 US Airways announced plans to be acquired for $4.3 billion by UAL Corp., the parent company of United Airlines, the world’s largest commercial carrier at the time. The complex deal drew immediate objections from labor unions, consumer advocates and antitrust regulators.[34] Negotiations stalled; with both airlines losing money and the deal all but certain to be blocked by the federal government, UAL withdrew its purchase offer on July 27, 2001, paying US Airways a $50 million penalty for withdrawing from the deal.

2003–2004: Pittsburgh hub conflict

In late 2003-early 2004, US Airways lobbied for lower operating fees at Pittsburgh International Airport, citing its economies of scale as the primary carrier and largest tenant at the airport. US Airways attempted to leverage its adverse cash position and “red ink” in the years following 9/11 to negotiate better financial terms with the airport. TheAllegheny County Airport Authority rejected US Airways’ demands for reduced landing fees and lower lease payments, in part due to antitrust and FAA regulations that required the airport operator to extend the same financial terms to all carriers if it accepted US Airways’ demands. US Airways threatened to move traffic to rival hubs in Philadelphia and Charlotte, and the airline made good on its threat in November 2004, reducing its flights at Pittsburgh International Airport from primary-hub to secondary-hub status.

2004–2005

In August 2004, US Airways attempted to build a Latin American gateway at Ft. Lauderdale/Hollywood, announcing service to 10 cities in Latin America and the Caribbean. The attempt was largely unsuccessful and short-lived, in part due to Fort Lauderdale’s proximity to American Airlines’ hub at Miami International Airport and its extensive Latin American network. US Airways also began a process of de-emphasizing itshub-and-spoke system to capitalize on direct flights between major eastern airports such as Washington National Airport and New York-LaGuardia.

The airline became the 15th member of the Star Alliance on May 4, 2004.

During 2006

The airline began consolidating its operations under the US Airways brand. Operations were not fully integrated until October 2008, when government approval was obtained to allow the airlines to operate under a single operating certificate.

In May 2006, the US Airways and America West web sites were merged. The new US Airways web site unites the two brands using graphics and styles reflective of the airline’s new livery and services.

In July 2006, US Airways and America West ordered 20 new Airbus A350 aircraft.

At end of 2006, US Airways made a bid for competitor Delta Air Lines, which opposed, treating it as a hostile takeover by US Airways. The final bid was valued at $10 billion but was withdrawn on January 31, 2007, since US Airways failed to secure backing from Delta’s creditors. The airline has stated that it will no longer pursue a possible takeover of Delta.

2007

A Consumer Reports survey of 23,000 readers in June 2007 ranked US Airways as the worst airline for customer satisfaction. The survey was conducted before the airline’s March 2007 service disruptions. A follow-up survey polling a smaller sample size, conducted in April, found that US Airways remained in last place, with its score dropping an additional 10 points. Also in 2007, the Today/Zagat Airline Survey rated US Airways as the worst airline overall in the United States, ranking it 10/30 for comfort, 5/30 for food, 10/30 for service and 15/30 for its online reservations system

2008

US Airways East pilots took steps to relinquish their ALPA membership and form their own in-house union. “East” pilots were dissatisfied with the results of binding arbitration when the arbitrator’s ruling placed all active former America West pilots, including their most junior pilot, who had been hired only three months previous to the merger, ahead of furloughed US Airways pilots with up to seventeen years of service. The former US Airways pilots petitioned the National Mediation Board to conduct a vote to determine whether to replace their union. East pilots (3,200) outnumbered west pilots (1,800) and the proposed union’s president stated that the union has a sufficient number of requests to call a vote according to National Mediation Board regulations. The new union would be called the US Airline Pilots Association (USAPA). On April 17, 2008, USAPA was voted in as the sole bargaining agent for the pilots of US Airways, East and West.

2009

On January 15, 2009, US Airways Flight 1549, under the command of Captain Chesley Sullenberger, flying from New York City’s LaGuardia Airport to Charlotte Douglas International Airport, ditched into the Hudson River shortly after takeoff. It is believed that “multiple bird hits” from a flock of Canada geese caused both engines to lose power. All 150 passengers and 5 crew members (2 pilots and 3 flight attendants) survived with only minor injuries. New York’s Governor Paterson called it “the miracle on the Hudson.

2010

US Airways cut many routes to close its focus cities at Las Vegas, Boston and New York LaGuardia. The airline was given tentative government approval to trade many of its LaGuardia takeoff and landing slots toDelta Air Lines in exchange for Delta’s slots at Washington National. This exchange would strengthen each airline’s presence at both airports. The DOT gave approval pending the carriers selling a small percentage of their routes to other carriers. US Airways and Delta disagreed with the decision and said they planned to sue the US DOT

2011

In April 2011, US Airways earned the top spot in the 2011 Airline Quality Rating (AQR) report among “Big-Five” hub-and-spoke carriers. US Airways President Scott Kirby said that US Airways was the last viable airline in the U.S. to merge and that any potential merger would be with one of three U.S. carriers: United Airlines, American Airlines or Delta Air Lines. Kirby also commented that US Airways’ membership in theStar Alliance would make a merger with United Airlines easier, but added that “it’s not meaningful enough to really be a factor.

2012

In January 2012, US Airways expressed interest in taking over bankrupt carrier American Airlines. Tom Horton, CEO of American parent AMR Corporation, said in March that American was open to a merger. ABloomberg News report dated March 23, 2012, stated that US Airways has been in talks with AMR’s creditors about a takeover bid. On December 7, 2012, US Airways announced a merger proposal withAmerican Airlines. The merger required approval from a bankruptcy judge, which was successful. The combined airline will keep the American Airlines name and will be based in American’s hometown of Fort Worth.

2013

On February 14, 2013, US Airways Group and AMR Corporation announced that the two companies would merge to form the largest airline in the world. In the deal, shareholders of AMR will own 72% of the new company and US Airways Group shareholders will own the remaining 28%. The combined airline will carry the American Airlines name and branding, while US Airways’ management team, including CEO Doug Parker, will retain most operational management positions. The headquarters for the new airline will also be consolidated at American’s current headquarters in Fort Worth, Texas.

2015

On July 13, 2015, American announced that it planned to discontinue the US Airways brand name on October 17, 2015. On that date, US Airways made the final flight for the airline as a red-eye from San Francisco to Philadelphia, operating as US Airways Flight 1939.