America West seeks efficiency in Las Vegas through pilot base

Friday, Feb. 11, 2005 | 10:42 a.m.

TEMPE, Ariz. -- America West Airlines has established a pilot base in Las Vegas.

Executives of the second-largest airline serving McCarran International Airport also said at the airline's annual media day event that Las Vegas wouldn't be a part of the advertising push in a new marketing campaign.

Jeff McClelland, executive vice president and chief operating officer of the airline, said between 150 and 160 of the airline's 1,700 pilots would be domiciled in Las Vegas, increasing the employee base for the airline in Las Vegas to about 1,100 people.

"Our growth in Las Vegas has resulted in us needing to build more efficient flight patterns," McClelland said.

The base officially opened Feb. 1, and McClelland said early indications are that the move will lead to better productivity by pilots, who will check in at the base and prepare for their daily trips there.

It's the second pilot base for America West, which previously domiciled all its pilots in Phoenix's Sky Harbor International Airport, the airline's largest station.

Most America West passengers fly to the airline's Phoenix or Las Vegas hubs and change planes or continue on to their final destinations.

America West has enjoyed much of its success providing night flights that arrive and leave after 8 p.m.

Because Las Vegas serves as a hub, the airline flies to more nonstop destinations -- 56 -- than any other airline serving McCarran.

McClelland said pilots based in Las Vegas would operate twin-engine Airbus jets, the A319 and A320, the workhorses of the America West fleet. By the end of 2005, 98 of the airline's 148 mainline jets will be Airbus aircraft.

The pilot base will be housed in existing America West facilities at McCarran. Because there are no infrastructure additions and only minimal administrative costs, the base isn't costing the airline much to set up.

Also at the airline's media day event, America West unveiled details of its new "Get on board" branding campaign.

The campaign, the airline's ninth since its inception in 1983, is designed to position the airline as a leader among low-fare carriers offering amenities generally offered only by the big six full-service legacy carriers.

"We're trying to position ourselves as a value-driven company that offers upgraded quality at a reasonable cost," said Scott Kirby, executive vice president of sales and marketing.

Kirby said the airline is trying to carve out a space between the full-service, high-cost niche that includes American Airlines, and the lesser-quality, low-cost niche dominated by Southwest Airlines.

Las Vegas consumers will see and hear the "Get on board" message on the airline's Web site, when on hold for reservations, during gate announcements and in-flight announcements, on airport banners and jetway posters and on employees shirts, hats and buttons.

America West also plans a radio and television advertising campaign, but that will focus primarily on the Phoenix market.

The television commercials feature five successful chief executives of Arizona-based companies endorsing America West and encouraging viewers to "get on board."

The commercials feature two companies that have a Las Vegas presence -- the University of Phoenix and Coldstone Creamery, with top executives Dr. Laura Palmer Noone and Doug Ducey, respectively.

Although Las Vegas is a hub for the airline and is a major revenue generator for the company, there are no plans to develop commercials featuring Nevada CEOs.

Kirby said the airline's sponsorship connections with the Arizona Diamondbacks professional baseball team and the Phoenix Coyotes National Hockey League team give America West an outlet for airing the company's commercials at a low rate.

Other highlights from the airline's media day presentations: