Originally Posted by
TransWorld
Would the contract allow new E175s with limited seating to the E170 level of 70 seats or so (similar to the GoJet CRJ550 limited to 50 seat)?
Yes, PDT has (according to my sources) 57 E145s. Interesting 40 of them are already over 20 years old, older than the average E145 Envoy flies. The rest are 16-18 years old.
Not sure all the EXACT ins and outs of the AA scope limitations, but the CRJ-550s required a recertification to lower the number of seats, as well as MGTOW. Not sure if the AA scope “small” RJ definition includes a weight limitation, or a “certificate” limitation on seats, but just taking out seats doesn’t lower the operating cost, although I have heard that it costs as much to operate a 145 as it does a 175, but I guess it depends how you define “operating cost”. A 145 certainly burns a little less gas and one less flight attendant, but as soon as you put that 51st seat on you have to add back in a second FA.