On Saturday March, 29, US Airways launched its first ever service to London's Heathrow Airport from its international gateway and hub in Philadelphia. US Airways is utilizing its flagship international aircraft on the new route, the Airbus A330, offering 29 Envoy and 259 economy seats.
The Philadelphia-Heathrow route is the airline's seventh new trans-Atlantic route since 2006. With the new service, US Airways' European destinations served from Philadelphia increase to 20.
US Airways President Scott Kirby said, "Given Heathrow's importance as a European gateway as well as its close proximity to London for business travelers, we are extremely excited to bring this valuable service to the Philadelphia community. Heathrow joins an already impressive list of European destinations we already serve, and in the coming years, with 39 new widebody, long-haul aircraft set to join our fleet, we look forward to continuing our international expansion."
"I'd like to express our gratitude to Philadelphia Mayor Michael Nutter and the staff at Philadelphia International Airport who all played vital roles in helping us prepare for this new service," said C.A. Howlett, senior vice president, corporate affairs. "The quick responsiveness of the city to expedite various facility modifications needed for a successful launch reflects the mayor's vision of establishing Philadelphia as a world class air transportation center."
US Airways will operate in Heathrow's Terminal 1 where customers will enjoy connections through a codeshare with fellow Star Alliance member carrier bmi.
As of April 2008, a total of 20 Star Alliance member carriers will be operating from Heathrow with 192 daily flights serving 88 destinations in 45 countries.
Vicky Karantzavelou - Tuesday, April 01, 2008