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

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Oh My Gosh, just heard on the news that Midwest airlines is grounding all of their MD80's BY FALL. Of course we have a trip in October...

This means there will be no direct flight to Orlando from Milwaukee, they will fly smaller planes and will have a layover in Kansas City for refueling. Now the return flights at that time are almost all booked, and the outbound are at least 1/2 full to 3/4 full. ANd they said they are not increasing the number of the smaller airplanes.

WHERE ARE THEY GOING TO FIT EVERYONE WHO ALREADY HAS FLIGHTS SCHEDULED?????


And to top it off, DD takes at least 3+ hours to clear her ears after a flight, she can't "pop" her ears, we have tried everything. This is going to really be painful for her.

 

[wisbucky]

I saw the article in the Milwaukee Journal. Called Midwest Airlines and inquired about the issue. I was told that there no definite decision made yet. I had to disagree with that comment but anyways; I was informed that there could be substitute flights such as a Boeing 717. The possibility also exists of cancelling folk’s flights outright. I commented that if there was any possibility that our flights could be cancelled I would to know now so I could make other arrangements. All I kept being told was there was no definite decision.

 

[macraven]

i almost booked the midwest flights out of mitchell field

then i found flights out of ohare that were ns and cheaper.

united does not have the md 80's for florida in october.

that is what i linked up with for my trip.


i'm sorry to hear the possibility of midwest pulling the 80's out of service.
i know this puts a damper on your plans.


i never book with a company that is using the 80's for my trip.
when i was in hawaii in march, i heard about the grounding american did with their md 80's fleet.

those planes are old, use a lot of fuel and costly in repairs.
i would not be surprised if all companies grounded them this year.

i hope things change for you and you find a flight you need.

you can always use o'hare.
spend the night at the hotels there, get free parking while you are on your trip and use the hotel shuttle to the airport for your flight in the morning.
(or whenever it takes off)

 

[CarolA]

I would give Midwest a few days (or even weeks) to get this organized. And when you call and the rep doesn't know anything please remember he/she is NOT lying to you, they have not been told anything. Being rude or getting upset with them won't help... they can't "invent" a response. LOL! They can't give you a refund, make a change etc until your flight is OFFICALLY cancelled. It might never be cancelled or changed. You could just get moved to a different piece of equipment!

 

[bavaria]

http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/20607659.html

Sadly more airline employees jobs are on the line

 

[bavaria]

There is no solid timeline either, just that it will happen by this fall.

While the airline tries to figure out when to ground the planes, the question becomes, what do you do with all the people who already have tickets on them?

These are mainly leisure travelers.

“It’s something we'll have to put up with. I don't think getting mad or frustrated is going to help,” Brophy said.

.

 

[wisbucky]

Straight from the Milwaukee Journal:



Midwest To Ground All MD-80 Jets
Aaron Diamant
Katie DeLong

MILWAUKEE - Midwest Airlines is grounding all 12 of their MD-80 planes, saying they use too much gas.

When those planes stop flying, hundreds of pilots and flight attendants will also stop flying.

This is a very big deal: the most significant shakeup since TPG Capital and Northwest Airlines took over Midwest back in February.

To use one airline official’s words, "it's not going to be pretty."

Those who give the best care in the air just got punched in the gut, though not exactly a sucker punch.

"They've known that there's writing on the wall, so to speak,” Greg Uselmann with the pilot’s union said.

Friday morning, the airline told its employees about plans to ground all 12 MD-80's, about 20 percent of its fleet. The older planes use too much gas, and with soaring fuel prices, Midwest says it can't make money flying them.

"The industry is in a terrible position and we're doing everything we can to preserve as many jobs on our property as we can,” Uselmann said.

Still, the announcement puts more than 100 MD-80 pilots and nearly 200 flight attendants’ jobs on the line.

"I think it's too early to talk numbers in terms of the affect on employees, any employee group,” Midwest Airlines spokesperson Mike Brophy said.

TODAY’S TMJ4’s Aaron Diamant: “But you can't re-absorb all those people."

“There will be reductions, there's no question,” Brophy said.

There is no solid timeline either, just that it will happen by this fall.

While the airline tries to figure out when to ground the planes, the question becomes, what do you do with all the people who already have tickets on them?

These are mainly leisure travelers.

“It’s something we'll have to put up with. I don't think getting mad or frustrated is going to help,” Brophy said.

No more MD-80's means no more non-stop flights from Milwaukee to places like Phoenix, L.A. and Las Vegas. The planes Midwest has left don't have the range.

Midwest airlines Chairman Tim Hoeksema had this message for Midwest employees and customers: “It's going to be very painful. It’s going to change a lot of things in terms of size, but it’s not going to change who we are.”

 

[bavaria]

Midwest CEO message to employees

http://www.todaystmj4.com/news/local/20607439.html

Our airline stands at a crossroads, once again.

The heavy burden of today's record-high fuel prices has put us in a position where it will soon be difficult for us to operate without substantial, significant and game-changing actions.

All of this must happen quickly. The pieces of this plan must come together in the next 30 days

 

[PRINCESS VIJA]

Straight from the Milwaukee Journal:




“There will be reductions, there's no question,” Brophy said.

There is no solid timeline either, just that it will happen by this fall.

While the airline tries to figure out when to ground the planes, the question becomes, what do you do with all the people who already have tickets on them?

I wish I had a crystal ball on this. We want to bump up our departure day as well, and now I have to wait and wait and wait...

 

[disneyleslie]

so all flights to florida and the west coast are on md80's - it seems odd that one of their hubs would eliminate most of their nonstops - how does airtran fly mke to lax?

Leslie

 

[3BoysRDisneyFreaks]

I am right there with you all.

I have already rebooked my 2 cancelled fights for October...for 10 people.

I am praying that when they say FALL they will change fights, that means November 1st.

My kids also have issues with ears and landing, so if they no longer carry non-stop, I will have to find someone else to fly who does.

It is a very sad time for the employees and customers of airlines. Between layoffs and changed flights. It is a rough time.


Sarah

 

[tubtruck]

They stopped being manufactured in 1989 so the youngest of these planes is 19 years old. They are also considerably more inneficient compared to more modern planes. From an environmental point of view they are much greater pollouters than modern aircraft.

 

[CarolA]

This really doesn't sound good. I feel for those employees! I know what it feels like to lose your job and at least in my case I had options. Airline employees don't have that many options to stay in the industry!

 

[bavaria]

I stumbled across a forum for people applying for jobs with Spirit. It was really sad to read the thread as they interviewed, were hired, and then waited for training.

Reading that with the knowledge that they wouldn't be working was depressing - as if I knew how the story would end, but they didn't when they posted back in April and May....

 

[CarolA]

I have to say it takes bravery to accept a job with an airline right now... I probably wouldn't and I am not ever going to be a Flight Attendant or a pilot. (And I am truly grateful that I didn't ever get that childhood goal of being a FA realized LOL!)

 

[mathew-westfall]

so all flights to florida and the west coast are on md80's - it seems odd that one of their hubs would eliminate most of their nonstops - how does airtran fly mke to lax?

Leslie

AirTran flies 717's for short haul and 737's for long haul and higher capacity routes. All are less than 5 years old.

 

[DebbieB]

MKE/MCO is 1070 miles. The range of a 717 is 1,430 miles, so it could fly that route.

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/717/pf/pf_product.html

 

[dudspizza]

MKE/MCO is 1070 miles. The range of a 717 is 1,430 miles, so it could fly that route.

http://www.boeing.com/commercial/717/pf/pf_product.html

Yep... Airtran routinely flies their 717's non-stop MSP to MCO, so it is basically the same flight as Midwest's MKE to MCO.....

Duds

 

[Inkmahm]

Yep... Airtran routinely flies their 717's non-stop MSP to MCO, so it is basically the same flight as Midwest's MKE to MCO.....

Duds

The only problem is that the seating capacity of the 717 is much less than the MD-80!

I already had to rebook my October and December trips to Orlando because my Midwest flights were canceled. http://www.disboards.com/showthread.php?t=1852688

Now the October and December trips are at risk again as well as my March, 2009 trip for which the original flights (in theory) haven't been canceled yet. I have 3 trips up in the air at the moment!

I was one of the loyal "save the cookie" customers of Midwest when AirTran was trying to buy them last year. This is almost making me wish I had supported the takeover instead.

 

[Inkmahm]

I heard the news that Midwest Airlines may be taking its MD-80 series out of service? How does that affect my ticket I already booked with you?

Answer
We are developing a restructuring plan that addresses the impact that record fuel prices are having on all airlines, including ours. All airlines are either developing a plan like this or will need to in light of high fuel prices, which have now become half of the cost of running an airline.

Midwest is reshaping its network to meet the challenges presented by the high fuel cost environment. No final decisions have been made on future routes or schedules. We will notify customers holding tickets on affected flights and will work to reaccommodate them.

We appreciate your patience while the restructuring plan is finalized. If there is a change that affects your ticket, you will be notified of the change and we will make every effort to reaccommodate you.

Rest assured that we at Midwest Airlines will stay true to our mission of providing superior customer service to key markets through our great people. Travelers can travel with us and book future travel with confidence.