Can't say I've seen that. They did however mention they would be accelerating the retirement of 30 more CRJ200's. This drove the decision to keep 17 DC9's through 2012, rather then park the remaining 24 by the end of 2012.

The small RJ's are burning lots of cash with current fuel prices. Richard is a smart guy. Yes airline managements in the USA fought to get as much of the C scale in place as they could along with scope erosion by using the BK process but at some point the businessman side of Richard has gotta say the numbers are so outta whack this is just dumb running so many RJ's just because managements have always wanted to. So what...they are money losers now and there is a business to run.

Turn the RJ's (presumably large RJ's) back over to mainline, control your product, make your pilots happy and succeed together. We can always dream right?

I'll name three.. Compass. Shuttle America. Skywest. Skywest on the USAir side.

Skywest's "8 figure contribution" does not support your thesis of regionals shrinking.

The talk of the 50 going away is just talk. Until it goes away, its all smoke and mirrors. Would you treat talk of orders any differently? A lot of the rhetoric is just posturing, people in management say its going away so they can keep leverage on the people flying it to stop asking for more money. Until the plane is no longer flying 40% of your domestic routes, I'd considder it "not dead".

I agree. Today. AMR Bk, DAL/UCAL/LCC contracts within the next 1-5 years will determine the future.

I disagree. Companies that are struggling to run it are simply asking for concessions from labor and more revenue from majors. The total number at DCI or any Express brand has not decreased significantly or at all in the last decade.

I believe it is and will continue to expand. Unless history does not repeat and pilots don't sell out scope for pay again.

Well said!

What has to change is no one should be left at the gate with empty seats. If the flight takes a few minute delay, so be it. I am guilty of checking in at the airport before my last turn with only a 20 minutes scheduled connection, then showing up right before door close. I've never missed the flight, but it is always a real possibility.

This is really an agent problem not a non rev issue.......

You are correct sir.

The T-way birds will be going to Asia to bring Business Elite product to the Intra Asia markets starting early May.

If we are serious about competing in those markets, that is a step in the right direction.

Cheers
George

Why can't they just put the BE interiors in the airplanes that are already there?

Really? Go tell a Comair pilot the 50 seater going away is just talk. Over 100 50 seaters have already been removed from the DCI system, & more are on the way out. And while Skywest may have gained some flying on the UsAir side, ASA is losing flying on the DCI side.

Add to that Frontier is parking 50 seaters. Pinnacle's future isn't bright, as Saabs are being parked and their 100+ CRJ200 contract expires in 2017.