Comair cuts may benefit Pinnacle
Memphis-based Pinnacle Airlines Corp. could benefit from a move by fellow Delta Connection carrier Comair to trim fleet and staff over the next two years.
Pinnacle, which provides Delta Connection service through two regional airlines, Pinnacle and Mesaba, already is the biggest single regional carrier serving Memphis International Airport, and it could get bigger.
Erlanger, Ky.-based Comair, Delta Air Lines' only wholly-owned regional, said Wednesday it's cutting its fleet by about 55 percent and reducing staff to save money.
Comair provides 23 Delta Connection flights out of Memphis daily. Pinnacle and Mesaba combine for 107 daily flights.
Airport Authority president and CEO Larry Cox didn't think Comair's reduction would affect the airport, because other Delta Connection partners stand ready to pick up the flights.
"I expect that Pinnacle would be the likely replacement for those flights in Memphis," Cox added.
Pinnacle spokesman Joe Williams said, "It's too early for us to know what Delta might consider doing."
Pinnacle bought Mesaba from Delta this summer in a sale fully financed by Delta. Pinnacle, which also owns a turboprop carrier named Colgan Air, plans to eventually combine regional jets under the Pinnacle brand and turboprops under Mesaba.
Comair will phase out most of its 50-seat jets by the end of 2012 while keeping 65- and 76-seat jets in service, president John Bendoraitis told employees in a memo Wednesday. That will reduce the fleet from 97 to 44 planes.
Pinnacle also is moving to larger, more fuel-efficient regional jets that can meet Delta's desire to offer two-class flights with both business and coach seating.
The Mesaba acquisition more than doubled Pinnacle's inventory of 76-seat Bombardier CRJ-900s, to 57 planes.
Delta spokeswoman Kristin Baur said, "While Delta has stated previously that we do not need to own our flying partners in order to derive value from them, these changes (at Comair) reflect our continued goal of streamlining our Connection carrier portfolio, to ensure they are positioned for success.
"Delta continues to upgauge domestic flying with greater reliance on our two-class regional and mainline aircraft preferred by our customers," Baur said.
--Wayne Risher: 529-2874
Comair cuts may benefit Pinnacle The Commercial Appeal