America West Airlines
Encyclopedia
America West Airlines corporate offices were in Tempe, Arizona and the main hub was at Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
. The airline became part of the US Airways Group
after a merger in 2005.
Prior to the merger, America West operated two hubs; its base location at Sky Harbor Airport
in Phoenix, Arizona
and a secondary hub (now defunct) at McCarran International Airport
in Las Vegas, Nevada
. America West was the second largest low-cost
carrier in the US and it provided approximately 100 destinations in the US, Canada
, and Mexico
. Service to Europe
was provided through codeshare partners.
As of March, 2005, the airline operated a fleet of 140 aircraft with one maintenance base at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix
.
Beginning January 2006, all America West flights were branded as US Airways, along with most signage at airports and any other printed material, though many flights were described as "operated by America West." Apart from two heritage aircraft, the only America West branding present on aircraft are on some seat covers, bulkheads, and flight attendant uniforms. However, the merged airline retained America West's callsign, "CACTUS" and ICAO code "AWE". The company retained the US Airways name, because, according to a study, the US Airways name was more popular than the America West name.
aircraft flying out of its base in Phoenix, Arizona
with Ed Beauvais as CEO. At the start, passengers could buy tickets on board the aircraft.
The airline quickly expanded, with eleven 737's operating flights to 13 cities, and, by the end of 1983, developed a secondary hub in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1984 America West grew to 21 aircraft operating flights into 23 cities. http://timetableimages.com/ttimages/hp1.htm has timetable maps showing the routes in 1983, 1984 and 1991.
America West was one of the first airlines to use extensive "cross-utilization", in which employees were trained in a variety of airline jobs, such as pilots trained in dispatch, and both baggage handler
s and flight attendants being trained as gate agents. America West also started as a "full service" airline, in contrast with Southwest Airlines
, the discount air carrier competing in many of the same markets. America West also used an aggressive employee stock ownership program, in which new employees were required to invest 20% of their salary in company stock, providing a steady flow of cash as the company grew.
In 1985 America West had grown to the point that no more gate space was available at Sky Harbor International Airport. While the new Terminal 4 at Sky Harbor was approved in 1986, it became apparent that additional gates would be needed before Terminal 4 was completed, and a temporary concourse was added to the southwest corner of the Airport's Terminal 3, adding six gates (eventually a total of 11 gates by 1990) for America West.
The airline's rapid growth continued in 1986, with the airline greatly expanding its fleet, primarily with Boeing 757
s purchased from Northwest Airlines
after Northwest bought out Republic Airlines
, as well as the acquisition of a number of De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft for local service from Phoenix and Las Vegas. The airline started running red-eye flight
s from Las Vegas to increase aircraft utilization.
The rapid growth of America West resulted in large operating losses for the airline, and by 1986 the company was on the verge of bankruptcy
. Originally slated to occupy the vast majority of the gates in the under-construction Terminal 4, America West had to reduce its commitment to the city of Phoenix to just 28 gates, with the growing Southwest Airlines
agreeing to lease the remainder of Terminal 4.
In August 1987 a unit of Ansett Transport Industries Ltd., an Australian airline company and at the time 50% owned by News Corporation
, purchased a 21.6 percent stake in America West. Twenty one percent of the stock of AMERICA WEST AIRLINES was owned by ANSETT AIRLINES of Australia and 55% of ANSETT AIRLINES was held by Sir Peter Ables and Rupert Murdock.
1988, Patrick Thurston, Vice President of Operations, America West, Bob Russell, Chief of Pilots, and Carl Wobser, a captain, all pleaded guilty to multiple counts of narcotics trafficking. THE PHOENIX-BANGKOK HEROIN CONNECTION
1989, Ansett Transport LTD used their influence and investment money in America West Airlines, to try to break a pilots strike in Australia. 1989 Australian pilots' dispute. The following article is from an America West pilot that crossed the Australian pilots picket line. The Down UnderWare Chronicles America West Pilot article.
The airline explored destinations beyond the United States, America West filed with Department of Transportation for a Phoenix to Sydney
route, to connect with now defunct Ansett Airlines. However the proposal was rejected and the Reagan Administration
awarded the route to another airline. America West Airline leased four Boeing 747
aircraft (formerly operated by KLM), offering service to Hawaii
and Nagoya, Japan
, as well as an expansion of service to many Mexican
destinations.
In 1990, the airline moved into the new Terminal 4 and also took the delivery of several Airbus A320
aircraft that were destined for the now-defunct Braniff Airways
. The A320s were sold to America West at a steep discount. Braniff had assumed the Airbus A320 order after purchasing the original order rights from Pan Am
, another troubled carrier. The United States Department of Transportation
classified America West Airlines a major airline
.
Despite these developments, the airline continued to lose money. The operating expenses at the new Terminal 4 were much higher than previous expenses in Terminal 3's temporary concourse. The Nagoya route was essentially a bust (the planes were flying with almost no passengers), with extremely low ticket sales. Finally, concerns about stability in the Gulf States
in the lead-up to the Gulf War
lead to increasing fuel costs. The combined impact forced America West to file for bankruptcy in June 1991.
July, 1998 America West Airline Fined $2.5 Million for Violations.
August 2000 FAA May Ground America West.
, which began conducting operations as America West Express
.
The bankruptcy forced a number of changes on the management side as well. Founder and CEO Ed Beauvais was removed as CEO, but remained on the board of directors, while Mike Conway, who had been with the airline since its start, was appointed as the new CEO, although he in turn would leave the airline in 1994, replaced by A. Maurice Myers. America West's flight attendants also unionized in 1993, a move which ended the cross-utilization between customer service agents, flight attendants, and ground agents. Many maintenance and training functions that were previously operated by America West in-house were also outsourced during the bankruptcy.
Finally, in 1994 America West managed to secure a reorganization that allowed it to come out of bankruptcy, with a large portion of the airline owned by a partnership including Mesa Airlines
and Continental Airlines
, which resulted in code-sharing agreements with these airlines.
To help reinvigorate the airline as it emerged from bankruptcy, a number of consumer-visible changes occurred, including a new color scheme and logo (used until the merger with US Airways), new livery
, E-ticket, and online ticket purchasing (in 1996). The airline continued ordering Airbus A320
aircraft, and gradually started retiring its older Boeing 737-200
aircraft.
In the 1990s, America West Airlines opened an east coast hub at Port Columbus International Airport
in Columbus, Ohio
. Chautauqua Airlines
was used to provide commuter and regional flights. An America West Club was provided for the hub, in the space previously having served as a TWA Ambassadors Club.
At the end of 2001, America West Airlines was the first airline that applied and receive a loan from the Air Transportation Stabilization Board
. As of April 2005, the remaining balance on the loan was $300 million. The ATSB loan and its guarantees were paid back by US Airways, the loan was repaid when the debt was refinanced with other lenders involved with the US Airways merger.
In February 2003, America West Airlines announced plans to close the Port Columbus hub. The closure was completed later that year reducing the number of scheduled flights from near 50 a day to only 4.
With the merger of the holding companies, described above, major changes happened at America West as the brand conversion began. Changes that occurred include:
Aircraft counts accurate , according to FAA records.
called FlightFund. In 2006, FlightFund was merged into the US Airways Dividend Miles program.
Partner airlines or programs for Dividend Miles (formerly FlightFund) include:
is called the US Airways Club and includes 18 lounges in 13 major airports around the world. Club membership has several levels, including:
from the airline's start in 1983 to its merger with US Airways. The airline used a nine story, 225000 square foot building as its final headquarters before purchasing and merging with US Airways, which began using the building as its headquarters. Jahna Berry of the Arizona Business Gazette said in 2005 that the building "is one of the dominant buildings in downtown Tempe." The City of Tempe gave America West $11 million in incentives and tax breaks so it could occupy what is now the US Airways headquarters, which had a cost of $37 million to construct. The construction of the building began in January 1998; the groundbreaking ceremony was held on February 19 of that year. The previous headquarters that America West had occupied was demolished.
NBA
team, the 2001 World Series
champion Arizona Diamondbacks
baseball
team and the Arizona Cardinals
NFL
team.
In 1992, America West paid $26 million for the 30-year naming rights of the Phoenix Suns
home court, which it named America West Arena. As part of the merger with US Airways, the arena is now called US Airways Center
.
This is not to be confused with the USAir Arena in Prince George's County, Maryland
, which was home to the Washington Wizards
and Capitals from 1973-1997. The arena was formerly the Capital Centre
and was razed in 2002.
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States...
. The airline became part of the US Airways Group
US Airways Group
US Airways Group Inc. is an airline holding company based in Tempe, Arizona. US Airways Group operate US Airways, along with its subsidiaries PSA Airlines, Inc. and Piedmont Airlines, Inc., which are wholly owned but marketed under the branding of US Airways Express...
after a merger in 2005.
Prior to the merger, America West operated two hubs; its base location at Sky Harbor Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport
Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States...
in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
and a secondary hub (now defunct) at McCarran International Airport
McCarran International Airport
McCarran International Airport is the principal commercial airport serving Las Vegas and Clark County, Nevada, United States. The airport is located five miles south of the central business district of Las Vegas, in the unincorporated area of Paradise in Clark County. It covers an area of and...
in Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas, Nevada
Las Vegas is the most populous city in the U.S. state of Nevada and is also the county seat of Clark County, Nevada. Las Vegas is an internationally renowned major resort city for gambling, shopping, and fine dining. The city bills itself as The Entertainment Capital of the World, and is famous...
. America West was the second largest low-cost
Low-cost carrier
A low-cost carrier or low-cost airline is an airline that generally has lower fares and fewer comforts...
carrier in the US and it provided approximately 100 destinations in the US, Canada
Canada
Canada is a North American country consisting of ten provinces and three territories. Located in the northern part of the continent, it extends from the Atlantic Ocean in the east to the Pacific Ocean in the west, and northward into the Arctic Ocean...
, and Mexico
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
. Service to Europe
Europe
Europe is, by convention, one of the world's seven continents. Comprising the westernmost peninsula of Eurasia, Europe is generally 'divided' from Asia to its east by the watershed divides of the Ural and Caucasus Mountains, the Ural River, the Caspian and Black Seas, and the waterways connecting...
was provided through codeshare partners.
As of March, 2005, the airline operated a fleet of 140 aircraft with one maintenance base at Sky Harbor Airport in Phoenix
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
.
Beginning January 2006, all America West flights were branded as US Airways, along with most signage at airports and any other printed material, though many flights were described as "operated by America West." Apart from two heritage aircraft, the only America West branding present on aircraft are on some seat covers, bulkheads, and flight attendant uniforms. However, the merged airline retained America West's callsign, "CACTUS" and ICAO code "AWE". The company retained the US Airways name, because, according to a study, the US Airways name was more popular than the America West name.
The early years
The airline was established in February 1981 and started on August 1, 1983 using three leased Boeing 737Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
aircraft flying out of its base in Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix, Arizona
Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data...
with Ed Beauvais as CEO. At the start, passengers could buy tickets on board the aircraft.
The airline quickly expanded, with eleven 737's operating flights to 13 cities, and, by the end of 1983, developed a secondary hub in Las Vegas, Nevada. In 1984 America West grew to 21 aircraft operating flights into 23 cities. http://timetableimages.com/ttimages/hp1.htm has timetable maps showing the routes in 1983, 1984 and 1991.
America West was one of the first airlines to use extensive "cross-utilization", in which employees were trained in a variety of airline jobs, such as pilots trained in dispatch, and both baggage handler
Baggage handler
In the airline industry, a baggage handler is a person who loads and unloads baggage , and other cargo for transport via aircraft...
s and flight attendants being trained as gate agents. America West also started as a "full service" airline, in contrast with Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
, the discount air carrier competing in many of the same markets. America West also used an aggressive employee stock ownership program, in which new employees were required to invest 20% of their salary in company stock, providing a steady flow of cash as the company grew.
In 1985 America West had grown to the point that no more gate space was available at Sky Harbor International Airport. While the new Terminal 4 at Sky Harbor was approved in 1986, it became apparent that additional gates would be needed before Terminal 4 was completed, and a temporary concourse was added to the southwest corner of the Airport's Terminal 3, adding six gates (eventually a total of 11 gates by 1990) for America West.
The airline's rapid growth continued in 1986, with the airline greatly expanding its fleet, primarily with Boeing 757
Boeing 757
The Boeing 757 is a mid-size, narrow-body twin-engine jet airliner manufactured by Boeing Commercial Airplanes. Passenger versions of the twinjet have a capacity of 186 to 289 persons and a maximum range of , depending on variant and cabin configuration...
s purchased from Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines
Northwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
after Northwest bought out Republic Airlines
Republic Airlines (1979-1986)
Republic Airlines was an airline formed on July 1, 1979 by the merger of North Central Airlines, Southern Airways, and Hughes Airwest. Its headquarters were located on the grounds of Minneapolis-St...
, as well as the acquisition of a number of De Havilland Canada Dash 8 aircraft for local service from Phoenix and Las Vegas. The airline started running red-eye flight
Red-eye flight
A red-eye flight is any flight departing late at night and arriving early the next morning. The term red-eye derives from the fatigue symptom of having red eyes, which can be caused or aggravated by late-night travel....
s from Las Vegas to increase aircraft utilization.
The rapid growth of America West resulted in large operating losses for the airline, and by 1986 the company was on the verge of bankruptcy
Bankruptcy
Bankruptcy is a legal status of an insolvent person or an organisation, that is, one that cannot repay the debts owed to creditors. In most jurisdictions bankruptcy is imposed by a court order, often initiated by the debtor....
. Originally slated to occupy the vast majority of the gates in the under-construction Terminal 4, America West had to reduce its commitment to the city of Phoenix to just 28 gates, with the growing Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines
Southwest Airlines Co. is an American low-cost airline based in Dallas, Texas. Southwest is the largest airline in the United States, based upon domestic passengers carried,...
agreeing to lease the remainder of Terminal 4.
In August 1987 a unit of Ansett Transport Industries Ltd., an Australian airline company and at the time 50% owned by News Corporation
News Corporation
News Corporation or News Corp. is an American multinational media conglomerate. It is the world's second-largest media conglomerate as of 2011 in terms of revenue, and the world's third largest in entertainment as of 2009, although the BBC remains the world's largest broadcaster...
, purchased a 21.6 percent stake in America West. Twenty one percent of the stock of AMERICA WEST AIRLINES was owned by ANSETT AIRLINES of Australia and 55% of ANSETT AIRLINES was held by Sir Peter Ables and Rupert Murdock.
1988, Patrick Thurston, Vice President of Operations, America West, Bob Russell, Chief of Pilots, and Carl Wobser, a captain, all pleaded guilty to multiple counts of narcotics trafficking. THE PHOENIX-BANGKOK HEROIN CONNECTION
1989, Ansett Transport LTD used their influence and investment money in America West Airlines, to try to break a pilots strike in Australia. 1989 Australian pilots' dispute. The following article is from an America West pilot that crossed the Australian pilots picket line. The Down UnderWare Chronicles America West Pilot article.
The airline explored destinations beyond the United States, America West filed with Department of Transportation for a Phoenix to Sydney
Sydney
Sydney is the most populous city in Australia and the state capital of New South Wales. Sydney is located on Australia's south-east coast of the Tasman Sea. As of June 2010, the greater metropolitan area had an approximate population of 4.6 million people...
route, to connect with now defunct Ansett Airlines. However the proposal was rejected and the Reagan Administration
Reagan Administration
The United States presidency of Ronald Reagan, also known as the Reagan administration, was a Republican administration headed by Ronald Reagan from January 20, 1981, to January 20, 1989....
awarded the route to another airline. America West Airline leased four Boeing 747
Boeing 747
The Boeing 747 is a wide-body commercial airliner and cargo transport, often referred to by its original nickname, Jumbo Jet, or Queen of the Skies. It is among the world's most recognizable aircraft, and was the first wide-body ever produced...
aircraft (formerly operated by KLM), offering service to Hawaii
Hawaii
Hawaii is the newest of the 50 U.S. states , and is the only U.S. state made up entirely of islands. It is the northernmost island group in Polynesia, occupying most of an archipelago in the central Pacific Ocean, southwest of the continental United States, southeast of Japan, and northeast of...
and Nagoya, Japan
Japan
Japan is an island nation in East Asia. Located in the Pacific Ocean, it lies to the east of the Sea of Japan, China, North Korea, South Korea and Russia, stretching from the Sea of Okhotsk in the north to the East China Sea and Taiwan in the south...
, as well as an expansion of service to many Mexican
Mexico
The United Mexican States , commonly known as Mexico , is a federal constitutional republic in North America. It is bordered on the north by the United States; on the south and west by the Pacific Ocean; on the southeast by Guatemala, Belize, and the Caribbean Sea; and on the east by the Gulf of...
destinations.
In 1990, the airline moved into the new Terminal 4 and also took the delivery of several Airbus A320
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
aircraft that were destined for the now-defunct Braniff Airways
Braniff (1983-1990)
Braniff Inc. was an American airline, originally headquartered in Dallas, Texas and later headquartered in Orlando, Florida. It was partially formed from the assets of Braniff International Airways.-History:...
. The A320s were sold to America West at a steep discount. Braniff had assumed the Airbus A320 order after purchasing the original order rights from Pan Am
Pan American World Airways
Pan American World Airways, commonly known as Pan Am, was the principal and largest international air carrier in the United States from 1927 until its collapse on December 4, 1991...
, another troubled carrier. The United States Department of Transportation
United States Department of Transportation
The United States Department of Transportation is a federal Cabinet department of the United States government concerned with transportation. It was established by an act of Congress on October 15, 1966, and began operation on April 1, 1967...
classified America West Airlines a major airline
Major carrier
Major carrier or major airline carrier is a designation given by the United States Department of Transportation to U.S.-based airlines that post more than $1 billion in revenue during a fiscal year.As of 2010, there were 19 major carriers....
.
Despite these developments, the airline continued to lose money. The operating expenses at the new Terminal 4 were much higher than previous expenses in Terminal 3's temporary concourse. The Nagoya route was essentially a bust (the planes were flying with almost no passengers), with extremely low ticket sales. Finally, concerns about stability in the Gulf States
Arab states of the Persian Gulf
"Arab states of the Persian Gulf" or "Arab Persian Gulf states" or "Persian Gulf Arab states" or "Arabic Persian Gulf states" or "Arab States of The Gulf", are terms that refer to the six Arab states of Saudi Arabia, United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Kuwait, Bahrain and Oman, bordering the Persian Gulf....
in the lead-up to the Gulf War
Gulf War
The Persian Gulf War , commonly referred to as simply the Gulf War, was a war waged by a U.N.-authorized coalition force from 34 nations led by the United States, against Iraq in response to Iraq's invasion and annexation of Kuwait.The war is also known under other names, such as the First Gulf...
lead to increasing fuel costs. The combined impact forced America West to file for bankruptcy in June 1991.
July, 1998 America West Airline Fined $2.5 Million for Violations.
August 2000 FAA May Ground America West.
Bankruptcy
America West operated in bankruptcy from 1991 to 1994. As part of its restructuring, the employee stock became worthless, the Hawaii and Nagoya routes were scrapped (and the 747s sold), and the airline's fleet was heavily pared down to 87 aircraft. All of the Dash 8 aircraft were sold, and America West's service to local markets was contracted to Mesa AirlinesMesa Airlines
Mesa Airlines, Inc. is an American regional airline based in Phoenix, Arizona. It is a FAA Part 121 certificated air carrier operating under air carrier certificate number MASA036A issued on June 29, 1979. It is a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group. It was known briefly as Mountain West Airlines from...
, which began conducting operations as America West Express
America West Express
America West Express was the name for America West Airlines commuter and regional flights operated by Mesa Air Group's Mesa Airlines under a code share agreement...
.
The bankruptcy forced a number of changes on the management side as well. Founder and CEO Ed Beauvais was removed as CEO, but remained on the board of directors, while Mike Conway, who had been with the airline since its start, was appointed as the new CEO, although he in turn would leave the airline in 1994, replaced by A. Maurice Myers. America West's flight attendants also unionized in 1993, a move which ended the cross-utilization between customer service agents, flight attendants, and ground agents. Many maintenance and training functions that were previously operated by America West in-house were also outsourced during the bankruptcy.
Reorganization
Mesa Airlines
Mesa Airlines, Inc. is an American regional airline based in Phoenix, Arizona. It is a FAA Part 121 certificated air carrier operating under air carrier certificate number MASA036A issued on June 29, 1979. It is a subsidiary of Mesa Air Group. It was known briefly as Mountain West Airlines from...
and Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines
Continental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
, which resulted in code-sharing agreements with these airlines.
To help reinvigorate the airline as it emerged from bankruptcy, a number of consumer-visible changes occurred, including a new color scheme and logo (used until the merger with US Airways), new livery
Livery
A livery is a uniform, insignia or symbol adorning, in a non-military context, a person, an object or a vehicle that denotes a relationship between the wearer of the livery and an individual or corporate body. Often, elements of the heraldry relating to the individual or corporate body feature in...
, E-ticket, and online ticket purchasing (in 1996). The airline continued ordering Airbus A320
Airbus A320 family
The Airbus A320 family is a family of short- to medium-range, narrow-body, commercial passenger jet airliners manufactured by Airbus Industrie.Airbus was originally a consortium of European aerospace companies, and is now fully owned by EADS. Airbus's name has been Airbus SAS since 2001...
aircraft, and gradually started retiring its older Boeing 737-200
Boeing 737
The Boeing 737 is a short- to medium-range, twin-engine narrow-body jet airliner. Originally developed as a shorter, lower-cost twin-engine airliner derived from Boeing's 707 and 727, the 737 has developed into a family of nine passenger models with a capacity of 85 to 215 passengers...
aircraft.
In the 1990s, America West Airlines opened an east coast hub at Port Columbus International Airport
Port Columbus International Airport
Port Columbus International Airport , commonly shortened to Port Columbus, is a Class C international airport located east of downtown Columbus, Ohio, USA. It is managed by the Columbus Regional Airport Authority, which also oversees operations at Rickenbacker International Airport and Bolton Field...
in Columbus, Ohio
Columbus, Ohio
Columbus is the capital of and the largest city in the U.S. state of Ohio. The broader metropolitan area encompasses several counties and is the third largest in Ohio behind those of Cleveland and Cincinnati. Columbus is the third largest city in the American Midwest, and the fifteenth largest city...
. Chautauqua Airlines
Chautauqua Airlines
Chautauqua Airlines, Inc. is a regional airline and a subsidiary of Republic Airways Holdings based in Indianapolis, Indiana, United States. Based on 2009 published flight schedules, it operates scheduled passenger services on more than 700 flights daily to 98 airports in 31 states, Washington, D.C...
was used to provide commuter and regional flights. An America West Club was provided for the hub, in the space previously having served as a TWA Ambassadors Club.
At the end of 2001, America West Airlines was the first airline that applied and receive a loan from the Air Transportation Stabilization Board
Air Transportation Stabilization Board
The Air Transportation Stabilization Board is an office of United States Department of the Treasury created to assist US airlines in the wake of the September 11, 2001 attacks....
. As of April 2005, the remaining balance on the loan was $300 million. The ATSB loan and its guarantees were paid back by US Airways, the loan was repaid when the debt was refinanced with other lenders involved with the US Airways merger.
In February 2003, America West Airlines announced plans to close the Port Columbus hub. The closure was completed later that year reducing the number of scheduled flights from near 50 a day to only 4.
US Airways
- On October 5, 2005, the airport club changed names from the America West Club to the US Airways Club
- All new America West aircraft were delivered in the new US AirwaysUS AirwaysUS Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
livery and older aircraft were being repainted retaining the America West interior. - The gates and ticket counters for US Airways and America West were consolidated at airports where both airlines operated.
- America West used the QIKQIKQik - is an intelligent airline agent application first developed in the late 1980s as a front end to mainframe computer reservations systems....
computer reservation system which relies on SHARES, while US Airways used SabreSabre (computer system)Sabre Global Distribution System , owned by Sabre Holdings, is used by more than 55,000 travel agencies around the world with more than 400 airlines, 88,000 hotels, 24 car rental brands, and 13 cruise lines...
. The two systems were very different, which caused separate check-in areas for US Airways operated flights and America West operated flights. On March 4, 2007, all US Airways flights were transferred over to QIK. - All express flights were branded as US Airways ExpressUS Airways ExpressUS Airways Express is an airline brand name, rather than a fully certified airline, and as such, the US Airways Express name is used by several individually owned airlines or airline holding companies which provide regional airline and commuter service for US Airways.Operations are conducted from...
. - America West aircraft and US Airways aircraft were no longer confined to operating out of their pre-merger hubs (i.e. certain flights to and from Philadelphia are operated by America West aircraft to destinations other than Phoenix and Las Vegas).
- September 25, 2007 saw the merger of AWE and USA into one operating certificate. The callsigns were still separated with the west fleet continuing to use 'Cactus' while the east fleet continued to use 'USAir'.
- As of September 2008, USA and AWE begas flying under one callsign, 'Cactus', and ICAO code 'AWE'.
Fleet
All outstanding America West orders have been transferred to the merged entity, US Airways.| Aircraft | Total | Passengers (First/Economy) |
|---|---|---|
| Airbus A319-100 | 39 | 124 (12/112) |
| Airbus A320-200 | 55 | 150 (12/138) |
| Boeing 737-300 | 27 | 134 (8/126) |
| Boeing 757-200 | 12 | 190 (14/176) |
Aircraft counts accurate , according to FAA records.
Previous Aircraft
| Aircraft | Total | Passengers (First/Economy) |
|---|---|---|
| Boeing 737-100 | 8 | 124 (12/112) |
| Boeing 737-200 | 64 | 136 (12/124) |
| Bombardier Dash 8-100 | 12 | 37-39 (None/37-39) |
| Boeing 747-200 | 3 | 452 (21/431) |
Dividend Miles
The airline had a frequent flyer programFrequent flyer program
A frequent flyer program is a loyalty program offered by many airlines. Typically, airline customers enrolled in the program accumulate frequent flyer miles corresponding to the distance flown on that airline or its partners. There are other ways to accumulate miles...
called FlightFund. In 2006, FlightFund was merged into the US Airways Dividend Miles program.
Partner airlines or programs for Dividend Miles (formerly FlightFund) include:
- America West ExpressAmerica West ExpressAmerica West Express was the name for America West Airlines commuter and regional flights operated by Mesa Air Group's Mesa Airlines under a code share agreement...
- Hawaiian AirlinesHawaiian AirlinesHawaiian Airlines, Inc. is a major airline of the United States. It is the largest airline based in the State of Hawai'i, and is the 11th largest commercial airline in the country. Based in Honolulu CDP, City and County of Honolulu, the airline operates its main hub at Honolulu International...
- Limited - Royal Jordanian Airlines
- US AirwaysUS AirwaysUS Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
- Virgin Atlantic AirwaysVirgin Atlantic AirwaysVirgin Atlantic Airways Limited is a British airline owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Singapore Airlines...
- United AirlinesUnited AirlinesUnited Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees United Air Lines, Inc., is the world's largest airline with 86,852 employees (which includes the entire holding company United Continental...
US Airways Club
The airline's airport loungeAirport lounge
An airport lounge is a lounge owned by a particular airline . Many offer private meeting rooms, phone, fax, wireless and Internet access and other business services, along with provisions to enhance comfort such as free drinks and snacks...
is called the US Airways Club and includes 18 lounges in 13 major airports around the world. Club membership has several levels, including:
- Base - Includes access only to the US Airways Clubs.
- Red Carpet - Includes US Airways Clubs and adds access to United Airlines Red Carpet Clubs when traveling on a United Airlines ticket.
- Star Alliance - Includes US Airways Clubs, United Airlines Red Carpet Clubs, and all Star Alliance partner airline clubs.
Locations
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LaGuardia Airport LaGuardia Airport is an airport located in the northern part of Queens County on Long Island in the City of New York. The airport is located on the waterfront of Flushing Bay and Bowery Bay, and borders the neighborhoods of Astoria, Jackson Heights and East Elmhurst. The airport was originally... Philadelphia International Airport Philadelphia International Airport is a major airport in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, United States, and is the largest airport in the Delaware Valley region and in Pennsylvania... (3) Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport Phoenix Sky Harbor International Airport is a joint civil-military public airport located southeast of the central business district of the city of Phoenix, in Maricopa County, Arizona, United States... (3) Pittsburgh International Airport Pittsburgh International Airport , formerly Greater Pittsburgh Airport, Greater Pittsburgh International Airport and commonly referred to as Pittsburgh International, is a joint civil–military international airport located in the Pittsburgh suburb of Findlay Township, approximately west of... Raleigh-Durham International Airport Raleigh-Durham International Airport is a public international airport located 4.5 miles northeast of the town of Morrisville in suburban Wake County, North Carolina, United States. The airport covers and operates three runways, providing direct service to 40 domestic and international... Tampa International Airport Tampa International Airport is a major public airport located six nautical miles west of the central business district of Tampa, in Hillsborough County, Florida, United States. This airport is publicly owned by Hillsborough County Aviation Authority... Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport Ronald Reagan Washington National Airport is a public airport located south of downtown Washington, D.C., in Arlington County, Virginia. It is the commercial airport nearest to Washington, D.C. For many decades, it was called Washington National Airport, but this airport was renamed in 1998 to... |
Codeshare agreements
America West had codeshare agreements with the following airlines in January 2007:- America West ExpressAmerica West ExpressAmerica West Express was the name for America West Airlines commuter and regional flights operated by Mesa Air Group's Mesa Airlines under a code share agreement...
- Big Sky AirlinesBig Sky AirlinesBig Sky Airlines was an American regional airline that operated from 1978 to 2008. Headquartered in Billings, Montana, United States. Big Sky was wholly owned by Big Sky Transportation Company, a wholly owned subsidiary of MAIR Holdings....
- EVA Airlines
- Royal Jordanian Airlines
- US AirwaysUS AirwaysUS Airways, Inc. is a major airline based in the U.S. city of Tempe, Arizona. The airline is an operating unit of US Airways Group and is the sixth largest airline by traffic and eighth largest by market value in the country....
- Virgin Atlantic AirwaysVirgin Atlantic AirwaysVirgin Atlantic Airways Limited is a British airline owned by Sir Richard Branson's Virgin Group and Singapore Airlines...
Former codeshare agreements
- British AirwaysBritish AirwaysBritish Airways is the flag carrier airline of the United Kingdom, based in Waterside, near its main hub at London Heathrow Airport. British Airways is the largest airline in the UK based on fleet size, international flights and international destinations...
- Continental AirlinesContinental AirlinesContinental Airlines was a major American airline now merged with United Airlines. On May 3, 2010, Continental Airlines, Inc. and UAL, Inc. announced a merger via a stock swap, and on October 1, 2010, the merger closed and UAL changed its name to United Continental Holdings, Inc...
- Northwest AirlinesNorthwest AirlinesNorthwest Airlines, Inc. was a major United States airline founded in 1926 and absorbed into Delta Air Lines by a merger approved on October 29, 2008, making Delta the largest airline in the world...
- QantasQantasQantas Airways Limited is the flag carrier of Australia. The name was originally "QANTAS", an initialism for "Queensland and Northern Territory Aerial Services". Nicknamed "The Flying Kangaroo", the airline is based in Sydney, with its main hub at Sydney Airport...
(ended February 28, 2007) - TWATwaThe Twa are any of several hunting peoples of Africa who live interdependently with agricultural Bantu populations, and generally hold a socially subordinate position: They provide the farming population with game in exchange for agricultural products....
Headquarters
America West had its headquarters in Tempe, ArizonaTempe, Arizona
Tempe is a city in Maricopa County, Arizona, USA, with the Census Bureau reporting a 2010 population of 161,719. The city is named after the Vale of Tempe in Greece. Tempe is located in the East Valley section of metropolitan Phoenix; it is bordered by Phoenix and Guadalupe on the west, Scottsdale...
from the airline's start in 1983 to its merger with US Airways. The airline used a nine story, 225000 square foot building as its final headquarters before purchasing and merging with US Airways, which began using the building as its headquarters. Jahna Berry of the Arizona Business Gazette said in 2005 that the building "is one of the dominant buildings in downtown Tempe." The City of Tempe gave America West $11 million in incentives and tax breaks so it could occupy what is now the US Airways headquarters, which had a cost of $37 million to construct. The construction of the building began in January 1998; the groundbreaking ceremony was held on February 19 of that year. The previous headquarters that America West had occupied was demolished.
Other commercial interests
America West has promotional partnerships with the Phoenix SunsPhoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
NBA
National Basketball Association
The National Basketball Association is the pre-eminent men's professional basketball league in North America. It consists of thirty franchised member clubs, of which twenty-nine are located in the United States and one in Canada...
team, the 2001 World Series
World Series
The World Series is the annual championship series of Major League Baseball, played between the American League and National League champions since 1903. The winner of the World Series championship is determined through a best-of-seven playoff and awarded the Commissioner's Trophy...
champion Arizona Diamondbacks
Arizona Diamondbacks
The Arizona Diamondbacks are a professional baseball team based in Phoenix. They play in the West Division of Major League Baseball's National League. From 1998 to the present, they have played in Chase Field...
baseball
Baseball
Baseball is a bat-and-ball sport played between two teams of nine players each. The aim is to score runs by hitting a thrown ball with a bat and touching a series of four bases arranged at the corners of a ninety-foot diamond...
team and the Arizona Cardinals
Arizona Cardinals
The Arizona Cardinals are a professional American football team based in Glendale, Arizona, a suburb of Phoenix. They are currently members of the Western Division of the National Football Conference in the National Football League...
NFL
National Football League
The National Football League is the highest level of professional American football in the United States, and is considered the top professional American football league in the world. It was formed by eleven teams in 1920 as the American Professional Football Association, with the league changing...
team.
In 1992, America West paid $26 million for the 30-year naming rights of the Phoenix Suns
Phoenix Suns
The Phoenix Suns are a professional basketball team based in Phoenix, Arizona. They are members of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference in the National Basketball Association and the only team in their division not to be based in California. Their home arena since 1992 has been the US...
home court, which it named America West Arena. As part of the merger with US Airways, the arena is now called US Airways Center
US Airways Center
US Airways Center is a sports and entertainment arena located in downtown Phoenix, Arizona. It opened in 1992, and is the home of the Phoenix Suns of the National Basketball Association, the Phoenix Mercury of the Women's National Basketball Association, and the Arizona Rattlers of the Arena...
.
This is not to be confused with the USAir Arena in Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County, Maryland
Prince George's County is a county located in the U.S. state of Maryland, immediately north, east, and south of Washington, DC. As of 2010, it has a population of 863,420 and is the wealthiest African-American majority county in the nation....
, which was home to the Washington Wizards
Washington Wizards
The Washington Wizards are a professional basketball team based in Washington, D.C., previously known as Washington Bullets. They play in the National Basketball Association .-Early years:...
and Capitals from 1973-1997. The arena was formerly the Capital Centre
Capital Centre
The Capital Centre was an indoor arena located in Landover, Maryland, unincorporated Prince George's County, Maryland; a suburb of Washington, D.C. Completed in 1973, the arena sat 18,756 for basketball and 18,130 for hockey....
and was razed in 2002.
Incidents and accidents
America West had four in-flight incidents on its aircraft, but never had an accident resulting in a fatality. Two accidents resulted in hull losses (aircraft written off).| Flight | Date | Aircraft | Location | Descriptions | Injuries |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| America West Flight 450 | December 30, 1989 | 737-200 | Tucson, Arizona Tucson, Arizona Tucson is a city in and the county seat of Pima County, Arizona, United States. The city is located 118 miles southeast of Phoenix and 60 miles north of the U.S.-Mexico border. The 2010 United States Census puts the city's population at 520,116 with a metropolitan area population at 1,020,200... |
A fire in the wheel well burned through hydraulic cabling. During landing braking was ineffective and the aircraft overran the end of the runway. After colliding with a concrete structure the plane came to a stop. Aircraft was written off. NTSB brief | 10 minor |
| America West Flight 727 | January 16, 1990 | 737-300 | Houston, Texas Houston, Texas Houston is the fourth-largest city in the United States, and the largest city in the state of Texas. According to the 2010 U.S. Census, the city had a population of 2.1 million people within an area of . Houston is the seat of Harris County and the economic center of , which is the ... |
On January 16, 1990, America West flight 727 was hijacked en route to Las Vegas from Houston. The hijacker forced the pilot to land the aircraft in Austin, Texas, so that it could be refueled and flown to Cuba. At the Austin airport, police overpowered the hijacker and placed him under arrest. | none |
| America West Flight 556 America West Flight 556 America West Flight 556 was a regularly scheduled flight from Miami, Florida, to Phoenix, Arizona, operated by America West Airlines. On July 1, 2002, the plane was ordered back to the terminal after the pilots were suspected of being legally drunk... |
July 1, 2002 | A319-100 | Miami, Florida Miami, Florida Miami is a city located on the Atlantic coast in southeastern Florida and the county seat of Miami-Dade County, the most populous county in Florida and the eighth-most populous county in the United States with a population of 2,500,625... |
Flight halted by Transportation Security Administration Transportation Security Administration The Transportation Security Administration is an agency of the U.S. Department of Homeland Security that exercises authority over the safety and security of the traveling public in the United States.... and local police after a tip that the pilots appeared to be drunk. Sobriety tests showed pilots were legally intoxicated. Pilots were eventually sentenced to prison for operating an aircraft while intoxicated. |
none |
| America West Flight 794 | August 28, 2002 | A320-231 | Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix, Arizona Phoenix is the capital, and largest city, of the U.S. state of Arizona, as well as the sixth most populated city in the United States. Phoenix is home to 1,445,632 people according to the official 2010 U.S. Census Bureau data... |
Pilot failed to maintain directional control during landing, causing the aircraft to veer off the side of the runway onto the dirt infield, and the nose gear strut to collapse. Aircraft was written off. NTSB brief | 1 serious, 9 minor |
External links
- America West Airlines (Archive)