Bedford said it will "moderate" its growth plan by reducing scheduled ASMs and block hours by 3%-4% between May and September. He also said the company has faced challenges integrating CRJ200s for its new service agreement with Continental Airlines into its previously all-Embraer fleet. Additionally, "there are some mechanical challenges for CRJs that had been sitting in storage for 18 months," he said of aircraft formerly operated by Independence Air. "We could have dealt with either one but when faced with both we had to moderate the growth for the balance of the year."

What's interesting about this, obviously is that 1) ExpressJet is using the 60+ jets for their own namesake airline that RAH thought they were going to get, 2) RAH couldn't afford ERJ's to add to their fleet for the CAL contract (none available at a low price. So they had to develop a completely NEW training program (CRJ). And more surprising #3) is that SKYW didn't receive any CAL Express routes when their RFP was discarded by CAL. It would have been logical for SKYW to fly some of CAL's routes since they already had the planes and training program in place.