Northwest Airlines to reduce capacity yet again

[brooklynite]

Source: Minneapolis Star-Tribune

With no relief in sight from high oil prices, Northwest Airlines Tuesday announced its second round of capacity cuts this year as it said it will retire jets and promised an undisclosed number of staff reductions.

In a statement, the company said it would first look to "voluntary separation programs" such as early retirement.

The Eagan-based airline also said it will raise fares, fees and fuel surcharges, although it released no details. Northwest followed its competitors recently in adding a $25 charge on second and third checked bags -- and some of the same competitors have since announced new $2 fees for sodas and juice in coach and a $15 fee for the first checked bag.

,,,snip...

As part of the capacity reduction, Northwest will cut its fleet by 47 aircraft, including 14 Boeing 757s and Airbus A319s and A320s, and dropping from 94 DC-9s at the beginning of 2008 to 61 by year-end.

Read more: http://www.startribune.com/business/20090274.html?location_refer=Homepage:highlightModules:6

[lse7581011]

1. Heard This Morning

In reference to this article that as more and more airlines follow suit flying will once again become only for the elite. They were saying that the days of using airlines for mass transit are numbered.

[DCKit]

8. Past time to invest in the railroads and develop an affordable system.

If Amtrak had the money the airlines have been handed over the past three decades, there'd only be one airline left - the candidates have to get around somehow, and they're certainly not going to ride on trains with "Teh Rabble".

[LawyersGunsandMoney]

2. Who else besides me thinks they'll end up having to nationalize

the airline industry?

[lse7581011]

3. Agree Completely!

Back to the pre-deregulation days!

[liberalhistorian]

4. I don't think the airlines and republicans will allow

that to happen, unfortunately. But be assured that they'll have their hands out for billions more in federal subsidies and congress will scramble to get it to them whenever they need it.

[marshall]

5. I remember when flying was something special

People dressed up in their better clothes, flight attendants were courteous, the pilots greeted children and gave them little gifts.

Now people dress like slobs, flight attendants act like they're herding cattle, and you never see the pilots.

[lse7581011]

6. That's When It Was A Pleasant Experience! n/t

[electron_blue]

11. I remember dressing up, too! But all is not lost. On the last flight we took, the pilots

invited my daughter and a few other kids to the cockpit (before the flight) to explore and he was great with them.

[CanonRay]

7. So how many pilots, flight attendants, and mechanics are bein laid off becsuse of this?

I never hear any mention of this anywhere.

[happyslug]

9. How old are these planes? The US is noted to have the oldest air planes in the world

Now I last read the US had the oldest planes in the the World about 10-15 years ago, but I see nothing since that date to change that unpleasant fact. What happened is the rest of the world, the dominate form of airline was Government owned. Such Government owned airlines wanted the newest, most efficient planes. As these foreign airlines airplanes grew old, they were replaced by newer more efficient planes (Most made by Boeing in the US). At the same time the older planes were sold to US airlines at a huge discount. The US became a huge pool of where foreign airlines could get red of old airplanes. THe US Airlines bought up these older planes for jet Fuel was dirt cheap in the US so the lower fuel economy did NOT affect the Airlines bottom line much. The problem is now Jet Fuel is almost $5 a gallon NOT the $1 a gallon it was in 2000 (Airline fuel is NOT taxed). Those more efficient planes being flown by foreign airlines are now cheaper to run do to the fact they use less fuel. American Airlines are all going bankrupt for their planes use more fuel, and fuel more then Pilot, Stewardess and other airline employees salaries are the number one costs the US airlines are incurring.

[MercutioATC]

10. The DC-9s Northwest flies are about 40 years old.

Why do they still fly them? Because they OWN them.

Unlike most aircraft, which are leased by the airlines, Northwest bought those DC-9s decades ago so they make no payments on them.


I would be very happy to see them grounded...they're a pain in the ass to work.

[Parche]

12. Dc-9

They need to ground all of them, yes they do own them, but their maintenance on them is skyrocketing.

I am surprised they are getting rid of some 757's, they must be the older ones that were built in the early 80's

They will have to adjust some of their schedules, for instance FAR-MSP they have 8 flights daily
3 mainline and 5 'commuter', they could reduce that by 2 or 3 and still have the service
that they really need in that market......

:hi:

[Purveyor]

13. Continental will exit 15 cities, retire all it 737-300's by 2009

Marketwatch: http://www.marketwatch.com/news/story/fedex-outlook-volatility-oil-prices/story.aspx?guid=%7B433464FE-9ABA-4FA6-B7FC-EF21B38E857E%7D&dist=msr_1

Underscoring what the industry's up against, Continental Airlines said Wednesday it will exit 15 cities and retire all its Boeing 737-300s by 2009, as the carrier seeks to get out of flying to less profitable cities and rid itself of inefficient aircraft amid turmoil in the industry.