US Airways today announced (in this press release) it is realigning its operations to focus on the airline’s core network strengths, which include hubs in Charlotte (CLT), Philadelphia (PHL) and Phoenix (PHX), and a focus city at Washington’s National Airport (DCA). These four cities, as well as the airline’s popular hourly Shuttle service between New York’s LaGuardia Airport (LGA), Boston (BOS) and Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport (DCA), will serve as the cornerstone of the airline’s network. By the end of 2010 they will represent 99 percent of the airline’s available seat miles (ASMs) versus roughly 93 percent today.
In a letter to employees US Airways Chairman and CEO Doug Parker outlined the changes, “Today we are announcing a realignment intended to focus on our key network strengths at our hubs in Charlotte, Philadelphia and Phoenix, our focus city at Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport and our Shuttle service. By concentrating on our strengths we will be better positioned to return US Airways to profitability, which will result in a more consistent experience for our customers, better returns for our shareholders and greater job stability and career opportunities for our employees.”
US Airways is making the following changes to facilitate the realignment strategy, which dictates matching the airline’s schedule and operation to customer demand:
Reducing Las Vegas (LAS) flights from 64 to 36 daily departures by February 2010 as a result of high fuel prices and continued weak demand associated with the Las Vegas market.
Closing stations in Colorado Springs (COS) and Wichita (ICT) and moving that flying to more profitable routes across its three hubs.

It’s been reported that they’ll ley off approx 1000 by next summer...I’m guessing their stock is on the rise today...while I completely understand the need to be profitable, I hate that our markets are driven by companies slashing costs and devastating peoples’ lives and only then are the stockholders rewarded and the markets do well. Seems something is fundamentally wrong with that, IMHO.

It’s a shame there isn’t one mention of thinning out the middle management or top management.  Which is extrememly heavey.  One managers salary is equal to 3 ramp service employee’s.  Shame, shame, shame.  Let’s throw 3 employee’s in the unemployment line, instead of just one, shall we?

US Airways, Inc. is an operating unit of US Airways Group and the number 6 airline by traffic and number 8 by market value, in the United States.

A member of the Star Alliance, the airline has a fleet of 345 mainline jet aircraft and 319 regional jet and turbo-prop aircraft connecting 200 destinations in North America, Central America, South America, the Caribbean, Hawaii, Europe and the Middle East.