Originally Posted by
NVUS
CRJ2 is making money (lots of it). You don't park planes that make money unless someone wants you to fly planes that make even more money (and the E-175 is not it...yet). Why else did SkyWest just grow by 12 CRJ2s for Delta? I know, I know, every industry pundit and pilot and CEO wants to tell you the 50-seaters are gas hogs and money losers and they can't get rid of them fast enough. And yet, they are still going. If the CRJ2 is a money loser, then Air Wisconsin is going to be feeling the heat long before SkyWest will.
Only if they are subsidized by mainline do they make money, remember Independence Air?
Besides, whether or not they make money, you still need the pilots to fly them. My guess is 5 years from now regionals will be nothing but 70-76 seat feed for mainline. In 10 years the regional industry may not even exist.
Regardless of who feels the heat first, every regional with 50 seaters will eventually feel it.