Last night, I did something I wouldn't recommend. And I may not be coming home.
I flew on US Airways from New York to Las Vegas. I'm supposed to fly back on Sunday.
Tomorrow, Jan. 6, US Airways will hear from labor unions and a judge about whether they can slash salaries and pensions enough to keep running.
Then, on Friday, US Airways' machinists' union might go on strike if they don't like what the judge has to say. That's what might keep me grounded on Sunday.
On the 13th, the government gets to decide whether to extend the emergency money that's keeping US Airways in the air right now.
If nobody saves the airline, they may have to stop flying on the 14th. Then expect two weeks of total chaos as other airlines mop up US Airways' routes and gates at fire-sale prices.
US Airways, of course, doesn't want this to happen. They want to keep flying, restructuring themselves into a low-cost carrier.
Spokeswoman Amy Kudwa says "Customers should continue to book on US Airways with confidence," because "the airline has reached collaborative cost-savings agreements with all of its unions except one, and we continue to have productive negotiations with the [machinists]. Furthermore, US Airways reached agreements with lenders to restructure leases and debt, saving the airline additional millions each year."
Needless to say, US Airways' employees don't want to drive the company out of business with a strike, which very well might happen if unions head out onto the picket line. And US Airways' creditors (including you, the taxpayer) don't want to lose more money when assets are liquidated. Although the airline is teetering on a knife's edge, all the parties involved are interested in keeping US Airways in the air.
Time To Panic? Not Quite
If you haven't booked your tickets yet, avoid US Airways at least until they can guarantee they'll be flying past the 14th.
If you absolutely have to fly US Airways, try buying the ticket under a United flight number. United and US Airways "codeshare" many flights, so you can buy tickets on US Airways flights with the United name on the ticket. (On flight-booking websites, look for flights "operated by US Airways.") That way, if US Airways goes under, United is responsible for getting you home. But if you can, avoid those flights, too.
If you're holding US Airways tickets, don't run screaming to your travel agency yet. It won't be able to do anything until the airline folds. But keep an eye on the news: USA Today's Travel section at www.usatoday.com/travel is a good place to turn.
If you're a major US Airways frequent flier, spend your Dividend Miles now for flights on other Star Alliance (www.staralliance.com) carriers, for hotel stays, or even for magazine subscriptions. Even bankrupt United is financially safer than US Airways. While frequent fliers have been covered in past liquidations, the shaky financial footing most airlines find themselves on today means that they're unlikely to take on a multimillion-dollar obligation if they don't have to.
If US Airways goes under before you start your trip, and you bought your ticket with a credit card, call your credit card company immediately, and they'll give you your money back; you can then rebook a ticket on a different airline. That's your best option.
If US Airways dies while you're mid-trip, or you didn't use a credit card, I'm right there with you. Literally. Here's what you can do to best protect yourself:
- Make sure to bring a printout of your e-ticket receipt everywhere you go. Nowadays, most major airlines will accept that printout just as they would a paper ticket. When I asked United, they said they'll be able to get at US Airways' e-ticket records even if US Airways' computers go down.
- Remember the Aviation and Transportation Security Act (ATSA), which lets you fly standby on another carrier if your airline goes under, for a fee of no more than $25.
- Call the major airline that runs the most flights out of your airport and ask for a standby space on the next flight to your hometown.
Most likely, the result won't be fun. Thousands of US Airways travelers will be desperately trying to get home, and flights will be filled to the gills. Those poor standby folks will be stuck rushing from gate to gate
If the airline goes on strike rather than going under, all bets are off. If you're lucky, other carriers will offer to fly US Airways' passengers for something less than an exorbitant fee.
Want to have a leg up on other travelers? Before you leave, use a travel agency site to find out who else flies your route, and then take down the toll-free numbers of all those airlines (for a list of those numbers, see www.geocities.com/Thavery2000). Call the carriers and ask them what they can do for you.
If your options include Continental, Delta, Northwest, or United, go to those four carriers first. Their computer systems are linked to US Airways' so they can process US Airways e-tickets directly.
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