"I think it's too bad," said Silvia Sabino '04, who said she has flown MetroJet from Florida to Hartford several times. "Aside from the fact that it causes a transportation problem, it's sad for all the people who lost their jobs."
In a recorded message left for MetroJet employees, workers were told that "as a result of the government's and public's reaction to last week's terrorist attacks, and the closing of Washington's Reagan National Airport, a new security system and a drastic decrease of airline traffic, we have to reduce our costs dramatically."
Yesterday, the Federal Aviation Administration announced its intentions to open Reagan National Airport on Thurdsay.
U.S. Airways will eliminate the MetroJet fleet of 737-200s, which are older, fuel-guzzling aircraft.
The Air Line Pilots Association said that it plans on fighting U.S. Airways' decision, citing that the move would violate pilots' contracts.
MetroJet, a low-cost carrier with only economy seating, has 182 daily flights in 19 U.S. cities, including both Hartford and Boston. It typically has several flights daily from southern locations such as Orlando, Fla. to Bradley and Boston International Airports.
On Sept. 17, U.S. Airways announced that it would be reducing operating capacity by 23 percent and cutting its workforce by 11,000 employees, in response to the Sept. 11 terrorist attacks.
On Sept. 14, U.S. Airways' largest independent shareholder, Tiger Management Corp., announced that it was giving up its ownership of the airline's stock, which amounted to 25 percent of the company.
According to the U.S. Airways website, "reservations affected by a future schedule change will be reaccommodated on other U.S. Airways, U.S. Airways Express, or U.S. Airways Shuttle flights at no additional charge."
Other major airlines have also been affected by decrease in air traffic, resulting from the terrorist attacks, and have implemented both changes in routes and job cuts as well.
Last Friday, American Airlines announced that it would be cutting 15,000 jobs, along with 3,000 workers at Trans World Airlines.