Final US Airways Flight Taking Off From Philadelphia

Friday, U.S. Airways flight 1939 is scheduled to depart Philadelphia for San Francisco for the last time.

The overnight red-eye flight from San Francisco to Philadelphia marks the last ever departure under the US Airways name as the carrier’s merger with American nears completion. The US Airways’ call sign was retired in April.

The airline is being phased out as part of its merger with American Airlines.

A few past airline merger “switchover” days have not gone well, most notably when United Airlines adopted the reservation platform of Continental Airlines in 2012.

American Airlines said it expects a smooth transition, but asked passengers traveling Saturday and Sunday to arrive early at airports, with itineraries and boarding passes in hand in case of any hiccups.

US Airways’ most famous moment came in 2009 when Sullenberger made a daring landing of his Flight 1549, disabled after hitting a flock of geese, in the middle of New York’s Hudson River. “According to CNN, “[the airline ends] its tenure with almost 6,700 daily flights, more than 100,000 employees and about 8% of USA domestic passengers”.

No problems are expected, said Freed, but just to be sure, the airline has reduced the weekend flight schedule by 200 flights and increased staffing levels at airports on Saturday by 20 percent.