Originally Posted by
SureJetz
As has been stated time and again. The 550 is just a stop gap. It’s just a big 50 seater with bad CASM and good passenger comfort. Not a threat to scope. It buys United 3-4 yrs if they can’t get traction with the United Union.
The 550 is about showing the UAL pilots that management has another option besides a 100 seater at mainline. Its a ploy, nothing more. If they get scope relief the 550s will be gone. However if UAL is stuck with present scope you will see a whole lot of them, and some of the present 50 seaters will be replaced by 550s. You could easily get 200 550s as 700s are replaced by 170s similiar to what Northwest/Delta did with the DC-9-30s as other airlines park them for newer aircraft.