Depends on the operating cost versus revenue on each leg. There are two methods, cost per available seat mile (CASM)/RASM, and cost/leg. If the former were always best you would have 777's operating on every leg, but it's not. A 777 with 40 seats filled will lose money while an ERJ with 40 seats filled will probably make money. Same with smaller airplanes. At a certain point, it does make sense to go with the bigger airplane- that's why DAL regularly flys 777s between ATL-ORF (or used to). But sometimes it makes sense to go with a smaller airplane. Of course, oil costs will play a factor. Only 5 years ago the 50 seats were dead, now they are coming out of the desert as fast as they can be manned. End of the year? Who knows.

Probably a neutral thing. Definitely not bad. It is less likely 145’s are going away since United owns them. United will have to sit a paid off asset and that is hard to do if you can staff them. (Just look at American’s history with its paid off MD80’s).

I believe good things are coming for XJT pilots flying for United Express. United has heated up hiring and United is running new hire classes this summer for the first time in years. Summer is a time when they would prefer the instructors fly the line. Anyway, more new United hires means more pilots through CPP.

With 23 going in June, it's probably 60+ pilots moving on to United from now through October based on the current class dates. It'll be nice to see some movement, but placing those CRJs will be essential or we will be right back where we are now with stagnation.

It’s a bad thing to have no assets, just as it would be for individuals that desire a future !!!
A company with no assets or profits is not a company I would consider to have a stable future !
It’s simple Econ 101 folks.
:rolleyes:

They’ll place those aircraft alright, . . .
With the non union, cost efficient side :D
Exjet will always be too expensive and never be profitable.
Wishing for a positive outcome is foolish.
Vote with your feet girls and boys !!!

I tend to agree. I think the CRJ’s are already placed with SKW on the American side. No need to paint them.

I think the next few weeks will be key. If there’s no announcement about CRJs being placed with UAL then we know we are being strung along.

DL ASA aircraft are already on OO opspecs and at ROW to get painted in AA colors....

I brought them 2 last month. I just thought they were getting painted. Until the SKW rep came up and said "We'll take it from here boys". Didn't say a single word after that. Definitely a sign of things to come. Wouldn't hold my breath on anything at XJT.

There are too many false hopes on this board. Let’s get back to reality. The lifers are feeding into eachother. As long as skyw and CommutAir keep growing, there’s no reason to keep XJT alive. Nothing like a good old longevity reset.

Owning the E145s means if oil prices rise, they can be parked and you don’t have to keep paying leases. If United is really taking them back this is a good sign and actually supports the theory of a buyout.

Aside from Skywest and Republic, United Express is in dire straits. They absolutely have to do something to stabilize their regional feed. Skywest can’t be trusted to stabilize XJT and it’s intended replacement, Commutair, has been an abject failure.

I would say pessimistic hope tinged with cynicism. Most of us "lifers" are scrambling for the remaining lifeboats and maybe weighing the timing with the October bonus and the timing of commuting again. Heck, if I'm going to commute to DFW I might as well look at the ULCC's. Personally, I've had apps with the 3 legacies for a number of years. Last year I cast my net a little wider. Starting this month I will expand it a little more.

Every piece of negative news has been spun as a great boon for our company. I thought, okay, worst case we’ll have a few years on the ERJ and the CPP.

That hasn’t happened either. Suddenly the CRJs are still on the table; presumably why we’re not ‘allowed’ to bid the ERJ. Only months left, folks. Which leads me to the proverb: [Do something] or get off the pot.

Yeah, I think this month will make or break it for many of us. I start commuting to DFW next month with the prospect of being a reserve captain there by the end of the summer. Ummm... no thanks. Buh Bye.

This right here is the correct line of thinking.
Very senior pilot group, decent contract with good benefits.
All this = expensive.
When they can get you all off property and somewhere else @ first year pay, be it regional or legacy, it’s a win for management.
Also, to rid the industry of your contract and bennies, no longer will they have that comparison for other groups to, “me too” all of your hard work.
I left 7 years ago but what I see happening to some of my peers is total garbage and it pi$$es me off to no end.
Stop bull$hitting these people or don’t accept the bs.
Get those resumes out there and go to the fairs.
If I see your face a few times and you don’t work for inc. I’ll do my best to make sure you’re hired.

How many people are showing up to class each month?

How does this support the theory of a buyout? What would a buyout do to stem attrition? Any buyout would be akin to a minority investment like Commute-air. United has no desire to own a regional, nor would doing so “secure” regional feed. As XJT pilots leave, the aircraft will be transferred to the remaining regionals that can staff them. This has been the SOP for the last 5 years.

The problem is the other regionals you mention can't staff them right now!

I heard there was a UAL BOD meeting scheduled for today which would also announce an XJT purchase from Skywest?

Any word out there?

Yeah. “Crickets”

This is the problem. UAL tried it already with CommutAir and it didn't work out so well. It's getting harder and harder to find out of work pilots sleeping under overpasses by airports willing to raise the gear for peanuts and a 1/5th of Mad Dog 20/20.

I heard the 24th. My odds- 50% no news, 35% bad news wrapped as good news, 10% new UAL flying for the CRJ's, 5% UAL purchased us. It is interesting that as the CRJ flying has wound down they have not had any ERJ position notices.

ExpressJet is not the only airline involved. There will be a notification shortly (prior to 31st).

I heard that is tomorrow, May 24. Can anyone confirm that?

Today, 9am was the start of meeting.

The announcement supposedly coming by the end of this month is for a CPA involving CRJ flying, not the rumored purchase. Rumored purchase isn’t suppose to be announced until the fall.

All parties will be (or should be pleased).

Unless it entails an Atlanta base with at least 30 aircraft, then no-all parties will not be pleased.

During the DFW meet a couple weeks ago, the idea of a small Atlanta base was floated. Apparently UAX has 13 CRJ flights into ATL most/everyday and XJT was going to go after those flights. But nobody hold their breath, it’s up to UAL though.

Sooo, UA is scoped out on large RJ. Are you talking 200 flying or is someone else losing flying? And who would that be?

Have there even been any classes this month? This is a very quiet regional forum.

I’m sorry. I’m not familiar with union speak. I’m coming from corporate work at will. What I see, is all parties involved should be pleased, as jobs are secured.

Rumored to be GoJet

13 flights will not sustain a stand alone fleet.

Have faith and understanding your answer will be soon. Might not be what you want, however it will be good for all involved.

I smell a management troll trying to keep pilots on property until the bitter end.

This is getting good

Either someone at United, XJT or SKW fed the story to Bloomberg. Bloomberg’s article was not a rumor piece or editorial. If journalism standards were followed, and I have no doubt they were at Bloomberg, an senior insider gave them the story.

Continental management for the most part runs United now. They sold Continental Express because Continental needed cash. They may be looking at what Delta and American has done with reacquiring regionals and thinking about the same thing.

Very close

None of this matters if these rumors don't turn into a nice chunk of cash getting infused into the XJT pilot group now. The smallest mention of Brad Rich and all of you wash women are creaming yourselves. By the way it sounds, I'm pretty confident there was a line of XJT people waiting to give him a handy in the men's room. Who cares if they buy us. If it doesn't result in competitive compensation immediately then it's time to go.

Reference the C5 experiment. Buying a stake in that company didn't turn things around.