Independence Air adds Airbus to Boston, Jacksonville (eliminates San Jose--Dulles flight)

Washington Business Journal ^

[wk4bush2004]

Independence Air is replacing regional jet service from Dulles to Boston with Airbus A319 jets. It will also augment its Florida service with more Airbus flights.

The Dulles-based carrier says that beginning in September it will operate five daily flights to Boston using A319s and two daily A319 flights to Jacksonville. It will offer a third daily Jacksonville flight on a CRJ regional jet.

Independence Air has a total of 12 leased Airbus jets in its fleet. It is adding the new Boston and Jacksonville service by reallocating planes as part of a reduction in service to other markets, including the elimination of its nonstop flights to San Jose, Calif.

Independence Air (NASDAQ: FLYI) renegotiated jet deliveries with Airbus late last year after defaulting on its original agreement. It still intends to take delivery on 16 additional jets but will receive some next year and others in 2007.

Independence Air, which marked its one-year anniversary last month, began flying Airbus jets in December and has been adding them to routes serving Florida and West Coast cities.

[wk4bush2004]

It's amazing how they just started service to San Jose back in May and now they're getting rid of it. United must have really hit them hard.

I am 100% supportive of low-cost, low-fare carriers but I believe that Independence Air's major mistake was trying to be a low-fare carrier using regional jets. RJs are high-cost, inefficient aircraft, and are not suitable for low-fare operations.

Secondly, Independence should have ordered Boeing 737s instead of Airbus A319s, which are less efficient. It seems like airlines are paying more attention to who gives them the better price rather than efficiency and operating costs.

[atlanta67]

this airline is proof that entry is easier than exit in this industry

[konaice]

Independence should have ordered Boeing 737s instead of Airbus A319s, which are less efficient.

And some of us won't fly on Airbus if there is any alternative that is close in price.

[wk4bush2004]

I'm a little nervous because I'm flying to Hong Kong in a few weeks and one of my trips is on an A319. Fortunately it's only a 2 hour flight to O'Hare. Thankfully, the long flight to Hong Kong is on a Boeing 747-400. I really wish I wasn't on that A319. I'm definately going to say an extra prayer.

[Zetman]

I have not been a big fan of Independence Air, especially since I worked for UAL up until last year, and more so because when I looked at their web site, I saw that many of the "charities" they support are homosexual advocacy organizations (if memory serves). I also did not like the fact that one news article reported that when a Ted aircraft taxied past an Independence Air gate at Dulles, all the Independence Air employees in the gate area started booing. That struck me as snotty and uncalled for. Not only that, but didn't they hire James Carvelle (spelling??), the rabid democRAT attack idiot, to serve some sort of function with their company?? Either way, I would prefer not to support a snotty, left-wing dominated airline (no pun intended). I hope they go belly up soon. Other than that, I don't have an opinion about them!!