Midwest to ground all MD80's by the fall [MERGED]

[cbjl]

oops, Leann32 - sorry to make a near duplicate post! Must have been typing at the same time

 

[leeann32]

oops, Leann32 - sorry to make a near duplicate post! Must have been typing at the same time

Great minds think alike

 

[Michelle_R]

Yikes, I assume an M81 (that is the name on my ressie) is the plane that they are going to take out of service? We have a flight for the end of October for the 7:55am(MKE) and 7:20pm(MCO) flights. We purchased insurance, however because we used cc reward points for three of them only one of them will be covered should we have to rebook. Oh, I sure hope and pray this works out ok.

 

[leeann32]

Yikes, I assume an M81 (that is the name on my ressie) is the plane that they are going to take out of service? We have a flight for the end of October for the 7:55am(MKE) and 7:20pm(MCO) flights. We purchased insurance, however because we used cc reward points for three of them only one of them will be covered should we have to rebook. Oh, I sure hope and pray this works out ok.

You have the same flights as I do except we are leaving in September
Fingers crossed

 

[SteveS]

I just got an email from MW about my trip in March. The time on my return flight 895 from MCO was chnaged from 7:05 to 7:20.

I am assumming that Orlando is not going to be dropped as I expected. We will see for sure on Friday.

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

Thu, Apr 23
Northwest Airlines 7852
operated by Midwest Airlines -- YX 0890

Depart: 7:55am Arrive: 11:30am
Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Non-stop Boeing Douglas MD-81
Return
Sun, May 3
Northwest Airlines 7849
operated by Midwest Airlines -- YX 0891

Depart: 12:15pm Arrive: 2:05pm
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
Non-stop Boeing Douglas MD-81
$176
+ $24 taxes & fees = $200
per person

Thu, Apr 23
Midwest Airlines 890

Depart: 7:55am Arrive: 11:30am
Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Non-stop Boeing Douglas MD-81
Return
Sun, May 3
Midwest Airlines 891

Depart: 12:15pm Arrive: 2:05pm
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
Non-stop Boeing Douglas MD-81
$240
+ $25 taxes & fees = $265
per person

Check this out from Cheaptickets. These are the same flights I purchased tickets for our trip in April/May '09 for $1022 (4 @ $236+tax/fees). Very interesting that they are now being sold for cheaper on NWA but its the same flight! Are they trying to acquire the Midwest Airlines's customer loyalty so that it will make it easier in the future when they disolve Midwest into NWA????

 

[mickey2000]

Private equity firm TPG Capital in January completed its roughly $450 million acquisition of Midwest Air Group Inc. and paid 53 percent of the purchase price. Northwest Airlines Corp. owns the rest.

 

[Inkmahm]

Thu, Apr 23
Northwest Airlines 7852
operated by Midwest Airlines -- YX 0890

Depart: 7:55am Arrive: 11:30am
Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Non-stop Boeing Douglas MD-81
Return
Sun, May 3
Northwest Airlines 7849
operated by Midwest Airlines -- YX 0891

Depart: 12:15pm Arrive: 2:05pm
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
Non-stop Boeing Douglas MD-81
$176
+ $24 taxes & fees = $200
per person

Thu, Apr 23
Midwest Airlines 890

Depart: 7:55am Arrive: 11:30am
Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Non-stop Boeing Douglas MD-81
Return
Sun, May 3
Midwest Airlines 891

Depart: 12:15pm Arrive: 2:05pm
Orlando, FL (MCO)
Milwaukee, WI (MKE)
Non-stop Boeing Douglas MD-81
$240
+ $25 taxes & fees = $265
per person

Check this out from Cheaptickets. These are the same flights I purchased tickets for our trip in April/May '09 for $1022 (4 @ $236+tax/fees). Very interesting that they are now being sold for cheaper on NWA but its the same flight! Are they trying to acquire the Midwest Airlines's customer loyalty so that it will make it easier in the future when they disolve Midwest into NWA????

I think your example above is nothing more than code sharing.

 

[Inkmahm]

Private equity firm TPG Capital in January completed its roughly $450 million acquisition of Midwest Air Group Inc. and paid 53 percent of the purchase price. Northwest Airlines Corp. owns the rest.

And?

It's certainly not news that Northwest is a partner in the group that purchased Midwest. That's been all over the news since last year.

 

[mickey2000]

And?

It's certainly not news that Northwest is a partner in the group that purchased Midwest. That's been all over the news since last year.

Not news just looks like they are going to help !

 

[DisOrBust]

FWITW I don't think its a code share:

First its a non stop from mke-mco.

Second, the planes are different.

Third, The price. My flight is $705 thru MDW or $331 with Nw plane which is more reasonable.

Here is info on their agreement from May 2008/

Midwest Airlines has expanded its codeshare agreement with Northwest Airlines (NYSE: NWA), adding eight nonstop routes from Indianapolis.

This more than doubles the existing codeshare destinations served from Indianapolis, adding Northwest routes to Austin and San Antonio, Texas; Boston; Denver; Fort Lauderdale and Fort Myers, Florida; Hartford, Connecticut; and Raleigh/Durham, North Carolina.

Passengers can earn mileage credit in either the Midwest Miles or Northwest WorldPerks frequent flyer programmes.

The existing codeshare agreement includes service between Indianapolis and Las Vegas; Los Angeles; Orlando and Tampa, Florida; San Francisco; and Seattle/Tacoma. It also includes Midwest service between Milwaukee and Kansas City to major West Coast cities of the US, where passengers can connect to Northwest flights to points in Hawaii, Midwest Airlines said

The expanded agreement will take effect on 5 June 2008


..and yes it's 2am and I am checking my flights.

 

[Inkmahm]

The Midwest flights are non stop to MCO, too. And they still say they are being flown on MD-80's. The same flight number can't be on two different types of planes.

The codeshare agreement with NW seems to be expanding faster than the announcements are keeping up. There have been flights to Indianapolis and then Milw from MCO listed for more than a few weeks now in the Midwest schedule. Those wouldn't exist if you just read the Midwest description of codeshares, yet they do exist.

 

[CarolA]

The Midwest flights are non stop to MCO, too. And they still say they are being flown on MD-80's. The same flight number can't be on two different types of planes.

Picky, picky, picky



Really I don't think any of us have a clue what they are up to. I have to admit that I find this It does not inspire great confidence in management and I can't see how it's helping cash flow since I wouldn't buy ANYTHING right now knowing that they have admitted the schedule they are selling is not based on reality!

 

[DisOrBust]

The flight numbers are differeent. On NW its 7851/7852 and I can't get it to show on NWA website

 

[Grace&Carolinesmom]

Can it be a codeshare if this flight never existed for NWA? It's not like Midwest is borrowing seats on a previously scheduled NWA flight. To my knowledge, albeit very limited , NWA didn't have any non-stop flights from MKE-MCO. I think this is more significant. In my mind, NWA is adding flights to cover the previous MD80 leisure destinations Midwest is eliminating. Midwest will now "share" that plane--selling tickets but at a premium. This accomplishes a few things. It keeps the dollars in house to block out competing airlines like Airtran. It keeps the current Midwest ticket holders happy by providing a very similar flight schedule/experience. It will eventually make the brand loyalty transfer more successful.

 

[leeann32]

I found this on Airline pilot .com
Interesting how it says they are looking to replce the MD80's

* Cutting work force by 40%
* MD80s to be removed from fleet by fall
* To furlough approx. 100 pilots
* Rated No. 1 in 2007 Zagat U.S. Airlines Survey for top economy class airline
* Eighth year in a row winner of award
* Reviewing proposals to replace MD80s
* Possible aircraft include 737-800, A320
* TPG Capital has purchased Midwest for $450m
* NWA is the passive investor in the buyout; includes 47% of the $450 million dollar deal from TPG Capital
* SkyWest to operate a minimum of 15 and up to 25 CRJs over a 5 year period
* Awarded a 5 year USPS contract in 2006 to transport Express, Priority Mail, and first class mail
* Voted best domestic single-class airline by Conde Naste Traveler
* Received top honors in three of the five categories
* Issued request for proposals to six regional airlines to operate up to 25 50-seat aircraft
* This page last updated: Jul 15, 2008 (quicktake)

 

[Inkmahm]

Can it be a codeshare if this flight never existed for NWA? It's not like Midwest is borrowing seats on a previously scheduled NWA flight. To my knowledge, albeit very limited , NWA didn't have any non-stop flights from MKE-MCO. I think this is more significant. In my mind, NWA is adding flights to cover the previous MD80 leisure destinations Midwest is eliminating. Midwest will now "share" that plane--selling tickets but at a premium. This accomplishes a few things. It keeps the dollars in house to block out competing airlines like Airtran. It keeps the current Midwest ticket holders happy by providing a very similar flight schedule/experience. It will eventually make the brand loyalty transfer more successful.

That's the very definition of a codeshare. NW doesn't fly the route itself but offers it on a Midwest plane as a codeshare with Midwest. Notice that the documentation is that Midwest is flying the route, not NWA. Unless I missed something, that's all I've read so far for the MKE/MCO routes we're talking about.

 

[cbjl]

The Midwest flights are non stop to MCO, too. And they still say they are being flown on MD-80's. (snip)

Except that at least two websites are listing the plane types (at least for Nov ticketing) as 757s, not MD-80s.

My optimistic side is wondering (wishing) that these particular websites updated their info on plane types early since they operate as travel agents. Historically, flight change information is at least rumored to be released to travel agents first.

NW also does fly 757s, so it is at least *possible* that this is an indication that somehow Midwest is going to get their hands on a 757 to fly as a future NW codeshare nonstop out of MKE.

And, if they are flying a 757, my guess is that the plane would be coming from NW, and have their seating config vs. the traditional Midwest style, or even the new Midwest class on the 717s. So, yes, I would guess that even if there is a plane change to a 757 to replace the fall MD-80 route to MCO, it would still be a codeshare.

I'm not saying that any of this is for sure, or even likely, just because Expedia and Orbitz are selling tickets on supposed 757s, but I do think it is a possibility, however slim.

 

[cbjl]

OK - replying to myself is poor form, but I thought I should update.

I just went back to Orbitz to see if it still shows a 757 for the NW codeshare in Nov, and it doesn't - now the flights are listed as M81s

Not that this really means anything - it could have been a misprint originally, or someone could have instructed them to wait to release a change in aircraft until Friday (yes, probably wishful thinking).

Who knows? 1 more day & hopefully things will be much clearer...

 

[Duet]

OK - replying to myself is poor form, but I thought I should update.

I just went back to Orbitz to see if it still shows a 757 for the NW codeshare in Nov, and it doesn't - now the flights are listed as M81s

Not that this really means anything - it could have been a misprint originally, or someone could have instructed them to wait to release a change in aircraft until Friday (yes, probably wishful thinking).

Who knows? 1 more day & hopefully things will be much clearer...

Expedia is still showing the NW codeshare on the 757 for our flights in November (14th - 19th). I am anxiously awaiting the official schedule that should come out tomorrow - I will be very happy if we are only looking at a change in aircraft!!!