An alternative arrives from America West

10-20-2002

For decades now, US Airways, its predecessors and affiliates have been the primary airline serving Pittsburgh airports.

In that time, while the other major carriers have maintained limited service between Pittsburgh International and their primary hubs, none have mounted serious competition to the carrier that controls more than 80 percent of the gates. In recent years, several upstart alternatives have dipped their toes in this market only to pull them out as soon as US Airways matched their fares and offered more departures to the destinations they served, along with its 500-pound gorilla of a Dividend Miles program.

Of course, the weak economy and jittery post-9/11 passengers haven't helped competition either.

Witness what happened when AirTran stopped offering service between Pittsburgh and Chicago. Last spring, when there was competition, it was possible to fly round trip from Pittsburgh to the Windy City on short notice for less than $100. Now, the one-week advance purchase fare is hovering around $175, but if you have to go on short notice and are unable to stay over a Saturday night, the fare is more than $450.

Maybe the entry of America West into this market next week will lead to a story with a different ending.

Starting next Sunday, America West will fly two round-trip flights every day between Pittsburgh and Sky Harbor International in Phoenix. From there, passengers can make connections to dozens of America West destinations in the Western states and Calgary and Vancouver in Canada, along with nine cities south of the border, including Mexico City, Los Cabos and Puerto Vallarta.

America West's morning flight will depart Pittsburgh at 8 a.m., arriving in Phoenix at 10:32 a.m. local time. The afternoon flight is scheduled to depart at 4:52 p.m. and land at 7:24 p.m. The return flights leave Phoenix at 10:04 a.m. and 3:45 p.m., arriving in Pittsburgh at 4 p.m. and 9:41 p.m.

Not a rookie

America West may be new to Pittsburgh, but it isn't new to the East.

The carrier presently offers similar service between Phoenix or Las Vegas McCarran Airport and 20 cities east of the Mississippi. Baltimore has three non-stops daily and a variety of other connections, Philadelphia has two and Cleveland one. America West also maintains an eastern hub in Columbus, Ohio, with in-flight clubs at all three airports.

Furthermore, America West is neither small nor an upstart.

It is the only carrier founded since deregulation that has become a major airline. Since 1983, America West has grown into the eighth-largest U.S. carrier, now flying 144 aircraft, the bulk of which are Airbuses A320s and 319s. In addition, it and its affiliates operate 50 regional jets.

In addition, it has been operating those planes on a timely basis. So far in 2002, it ranks as the nation's most punctual carrier, with 86 percent of its 800 daily departures arriving within 15 minutes of its schedule. (On the negative side, America West also has been the most complained-about carrier, according to government statistics, with an average of 1.31 grievances filed for every 1,000 passengers.)

As far as the particulars, America West offers two classes of service, first and economy. Its regular, unrestricted, round-trip economy fare from Pittsburgh to Phoenix is presently pegged at $828, but a one-week advance purchase will lower that to $648. Fare sales, such as one now in effect that requires purchase by Oct. 24, produce fares as low as $288 round trip. One-way fares to Phoenix start at $354.

America West also has set itself apart from other major carriers by adopting an aggressive, proactive approach to fares, with a marketing strategy based on simplified pricing and sensible rules that are reasonable for both customers and the airline.

Last April, for example, it led the way among domestic carriers by eliminating the requirement of a Saturday night stay to get a round-trip discount. Unlike other major airlines, it still offers discounts to seniors, doesn't charge for paper tickets, permits ticket holders to stand by for other same-day flights at no cost and gives passengers credit for unused tickets. It also offers regular three-day advance-purchase business fares, which provide significant savings without bothersome restrictions and requirements.

Rather than a no-frills carrier, America West pegs itself as sort of a low-frills airline, providing all passengers with full meal service on flights to Phoenix. It also provides advance seat assignments.

It also offers regular passengers a generous frequent-flier program called FlightFund: free flights within the United States for 20,000 miles and three elite status levels -- Silver, Gold and Platinum -- which allow complimentary first-class upgrades.

Welcome option

In its usual response to new competition, US Airways has already moved to match America West's prices to Phoenix, although not necessarily to markets beyond that. For example, America West offers one-stop flights from Pittsburgh to Los Angeles for $634, while US Airways' price for a non-stop is $901.

Yet don't expect America West to seriously impact the US Airways stranglehold on Pittsburgh International. After all, it is offering only two flights a day, and those to its primary hub. In that, it is no different than the other major carriers who offer similar service from Pittsburgh to their own hubs. Of course, if America West finds area travelers receptive to its service and philosophy, there is the option of adding additional flights to Phoenix or introducing service to Las Vegas or Columbus, which would open up its Florida markets to Pittsburgh travelers.

Unlike the start-up carriers that have introduced service here, America West has sufficient size and resources to hold its own in Pittsburgh against US Airways competitive responses. Like US Airways, America West has been through the process of bankruptcy protection and was the first carrier to take advantage of the federal loan guarantees offered to airlines last fall in the wake of Sept. 11. Another plus is America West's route system, which will offer travelers from Pittsburgh connections to a wide variety of cities throughout the West, not to mention Mexico's primary tourism destinations.

We welcome America West to Pittsburgh.

Even as we root for US Airways to survive and prosper, we shouldn't underestimate the importance of serious competition. There's been a lot of discussion and hand-wringing around here about the need to attract alternative airlines. Now that another one has come, it's important that travelers and, in particular, the local business community support them.

The bottom line with alternatives: Use them or lose them.

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