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Chautauqua Could Split from Republic
May 2, 2012 1500 MT

Republic Airways could put its Chautauqua Airlines subsidiary into court protection without affecting the rest of the company, although CEO Bryan Bedford suggests this is just one possibility as he attempts to revive the division.

“We’re focused on working with our stakeholders at Chautauqua to get a win-win opportunity, just as we were working with Frontier [Airlines], which also continues to be a completely separate corporate entity and business enterprise,” Bedford told analysts during the company’s first-quarter results conference call.



“I would hope at the end of the day that what we’re putting forward to our key stakeholders is something that they understand and can wrap their arms around.”

Republic says it needs to cut $40-60 million of Chautauqua’s costs to make the 50-seat regional jet operation profitable. Under previously disclosed plans, the company expects some of those savings will come from maintenance providers and other vendors, as well as from restructuring aircraft leases and debt. Bedford, however, has not discussed that happens if this plan fails, but under questioning from analysts during the earnings conference call he acknowledged that its operating division, which include Republic Airlines, Shuttle America and Chautauqua as well as Frontier, are all independent corporate entities and that each could become independent from the holding company.