Not directly related, but interesting information none the less:
THE REAL REASON UNITED AIRLINES IS BUYING EXPRESSJET
and also this little tid-bit from a Bloomberg article:
The CRJ-550 project began in mid-2018 when Richard Leach, chief executive of United regional carrier Trans States Airlines Inc., suggested that with a gut renovation the CRJ-700s in his GoJet subsidiary’s fleet could command higher revenues. That would also help close the product gap with American Airlines Group Inc. and Delta Air Lines Inc.
The proposal led to a detailed financial analysis, Gupta said. Losing 20 seats would increase the jets’ unit costs by almost 10%, but adding 10 premium berths, luggage closets and other amenities would garner a revenue premium. “The aspect of customer experience is tightly linked to financial performance,” Gupta said.
United Targets Big Spenders With First Class in Small Cities