Originally Posted by
theHub
I get that's it's "save yourself" right now in this industry. This is why PDT/PSA needs to be worried. We need to get the 700/900's, not contract them out. Contract carriers should fly 50 seaters that the wholly owned carrier(s) are unable to fly. Contract regionals need to go away. Mainline carriers should have their own regional certificate and that is where you are placed when you get hired, then they pull from their wholly owned carrier when spots open up at mainline. I find it annoying when a mainline carrier rather hire from a contract regional over their own wholly owned carrier. JUST MY OPINION!
I agree. Not just because it would be great for us, the pilots of the wholly owneds, but also because it would be a smart business decision on the part of US Airways. The problem with contract carriers is found directly in their name, "contract". Those contracts are not flexible when they need to be, and the mainline airline pays the price whenever the operation becomes unprofitable (high fuel prices,and/or low yields). Capacity reduction is not an option. I think Airways has now realized this, but at an inconvenient time. They have no money to do anything about expanding the wholly-owneds, and will continue to rely on contract carriers to provide lift in the short term. Hopefully when and if Airways turns around, they will remember how much they hate AirWhisky and Mesa when times are tough, and look at PSA/PDT for future expansion.
BTW my last post was just saying from the perspective of AirWhisky's management, it would be smart to acquire Mesa's assets in order to ensure some sort of future providing contract feed, hopefully with UAL and not with Airways.