US Airways also has some new routes in stock

[Panama Jack]

Nice to see that the Star Alliance is starting to hit heavier in Latin America. No Star Alliance flights to Managua yet. :(

US AIRWAYS ANNOUNCES CARIBBEAN AND LATIN AMERICA EXPANSION

New Charlotte-Liberia, Costa Rica Service Begins in February

ARLINGTON, Va., August 2, 2004 -- US Airways will expand its Caribbean and Latin America network on Feb. 12, 2005, with new service to Liberia, Costa Rica from Charlotte, N.C., and new nonstop Charlotte-Barbados service. In addition, US Airways will increase nonstop Boston-Aruba service in November 2004, and add a second nonstop Saturday flight between Charlotte and St. Thomas in December 2004.

Subject to foreign government approval, new Charlotte-Liberia service will operate each Saturday using 120-seat Airbus A319 aircraft. Liberia is one of the fastest-growing destinations in Central America, offering customers convenient access to the north Pacific beach communities and many ecotourism attractions. Flights will depart Charlotte at 10:30 a.m., and will arrive in Liberia at 1:40 p.m. Return flights will depart Liberia at 1:15 p.m., and will arrive in Charlotte at 6:15 p.m.

"The addition of Liberia to our Caribbean and Latin America network and the expansion of service to existing destinations underline our growth strategy in this region over the past four years," said Andrew P. Nocella, US Airways vice president of network and revenue management. "We now offer nonstop service to three times the number of destinations in the region as we did in 2000, and we look forward to continued expansion in the future, as contemplated in our Transformation Plan."

New nonstop service between Charlotte and Barbados will begin on Feb. 12, 2005, and will operate each Saturday using Airbus A319 aircraft, subject to foreign government approval. US Airways currently operates nonstop service to Barbados from Philadelphia.

Additionally, on Nov. 7, 2004, US Airways will expand its Boston-Aruba service, adding nonstop roundtrip flights each Tuesday, Thursday and Sunday, using Airbus A319 aicraft. This service is also subject to foreign government approval. US Airways currently operates Boston-Aruba service on Saturday only. From Boston, US Airways operates service to Aruba, Bermuda, Cancun, Nassau, Montego Bay and San Juan.

Beginning Dec. 11, 2004, US Airways will add a second Saturday nonstop roundtrip flight between Charlotte and St. Thomas, using 193-seat Boeing 757 aircraft. US Airways operates nonstop service to 18 Caribbean and Latin American destinations from Charlotte.

US Airways, the US Airways Express carriers and US Airways Shuttle provide service to nearly 200 destinations worldwide, including 37 states in the U.S. and 10 destinations in Europe. In the Caribbean and Latin America, US Airways serves Antigua, Aruba, Barbados, Belize, Bermuda, Cancun, Cozumel, Grand Bahama Island, Grand Cayman, Grenada, La Romana, Mexico City, Montego Bay, Nassau, Providenciales, Punta Cana, San José, San Juan, Santo Domingo, St. Kitts, St. Lucia, St. Thomas, St. Maarten, and St. Croix. For more information on US Airways flight schedules and fares, visit US Airways online at usairways.com.

US Airways is a member of the Star Alliance network. Star Alliance was established in 1997 as the first truly global airline alliance to offer customers global reach and a smooth travel experience. The members are Air Canada, Air New Zealand, ANA, Asiana Airlines, Austrian, bmi, LOT Polish Airlines, Lufthansa, Scandinavian Airlines, Singapore Airlines, Spanair, Thai Airways International, United, US Airways and VARIG Brazilian Airlines. South African Airways and TAP Air Portugal will join the alliance in 2005.

Reporters needing additional information should contact US Airways Corporate Affairs at (703) 872-5100.

[Squawk7777]

I find it interesting that USAir is focusing more on CLT as their Latin America hub than PIT. USAir is a true wildcard: Already said to be dead, but they manage to post a profit for the second quarter :p

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[latinaviation]

Latin America & Caribbean remains one of the few areas that US still makes money on. I don't think they would consider expanding service at PIT, their forward-looking schedules have them downsizing the hub, not otherwise. Maybe PHL, not PIT.

But CLT makes a lot of sense, they've been very successful there.

Them making money through everyone for a turn, incl. Wall St. They absolutely destroyed and credibility they were building with bankers based on there guidance. To their credit, the only reason they turned a profit was due to higher revenues, not lower costs, and focused on RJ re-scheduling in certain prime markets. If you look at where US still maintains pricing control, many are in the small Northeastern and CLT markets, dominated by RJs.

[pilotusa]

PIT is about to be declassified as a hub city for USairways. With the November, 2004, schedule, PIT becomes a "focus" city as are LGA, BOS, and DCA. USAirways will then be maintaining only two hubs: CLT and PHL.

However, there is wild speculation that FLL may be in the running for large expansion by USAirways to offshore destinations. Just rumor, though.