fatmike69

Can anyone from Midwest confirm this one?

Midwest's Final Boarding Call?

I-Team: Midwest's Final Boarding Call?
Exclusive
Aaron Diamant

MILWAUKEE - Could "The Best Care in the Air" soon be grounded for good?

Midwest's shrinking fleet has just nine big jets left. Now, the foreign airline that wants those planes confirms it's going to get them.

At one time, Midwest Airlines had 25 Boeing 717's in its fleet -- all leased from Boeing.

To cut costs, Midwest gave most of the big jets back to Boeing, which started shipping them off to Mexico's Mexicana Airlines -- three so far. Thing is, Mexicana wants, and now confirms, it will get all 25 of Midwest's 717's.

In an email to the I-Team, a Mexicana spokesperson wrote, "Starting June 2009, and it will take until December 2010, to conclude. All come from Midwest."

"It's our plan to continue to operate the 717's," said Midwest Airlines spokesman, Michael Brophy. "We've got nothing to announce on that front right now."

However, Brophy admits the airline is looking at options for what he calls "fleet replacement," which, lately, has meant outsourcing service.

Indianapolis-based Republic Airlines now operates smaller regional jets under the Midwest Airlines flag on many routes once serviced by Midwest's 717's.

"Without Midwest crews flying the airplane, I don't know how you can honestly hold out a position that Midwest Airlines still exists," said Anthony Freitas, president of Midwest's pilot's union.

And potentially no planes of its own could mean the final boarding call for Milwaukee's hometown airline.

Boeing wouldn't comment on Mexicana's statements about the future Midwest's 717's. Officially, Boeing says it hasn't decided where the rest of Mexicana's planes will come from.

G-Dog

This is where the mud flinging at RAH will begin. 1....2.....3....GO!

rickair7777

This could be a significant milestone in the decline of the industry. Midwest is set to become the first "virtual" airline.

If they have some success at this, other airlines will pull out all the stops to eliminate scope.

I can imagine the next legacy trip through the BK drive-through..."But your honor, so-called "scope language" is the single largest detriment to restoring this airline to a viable, competitive entity. We must insist that you completely vacate all reference to scope in the CBA".

320ToBearz

No mud slinging. It's not there fault, poor them is being forced to fly the airplanes by the devil Bedford.

eaglefly

Yes, the cowardly managers at Midwest already know and so do others. The only ones that haven't been informed of the insertion of the final nail are the remaIning employees.

The "former" Midwest Airlines will be through by fall. The "new" Midwest Ailrines (name sold to RAH) will be the first regional with the E-190....soon they will not be alone.

My condolences to the fine people of the old Midwest Express (Airlines) who did indeed provide the "finest care in the air". The permanent destruction of your careers there will be seen in retrospect as the first shot in the creation of the new domestic model and a stunning job by another band of management scumbags.

Fishfreighter

Agreed. However, they had lots of willing accomplices.

jtf560

This is just such a bad thing for the pilot profession and the pilots who are and were Midwest. While I don't wish RAH ill will for anything outside the Midwest operations, I truly hope Southwest and Airtran can stomp out the regional 190s and this virtual airline before they can get any more traction and spread elsewhere. The first real virtual airline is truly a bad, bad thing for all of us who fly for a living. SCARY!

skid

DO you think the midwest name will survive in the long run even with the 190's. I mean it is obvious that it wont be the real Midwest just a crappy left over knock off. Even with Republic flying all of it will they just be forced out by the others...Airtran, Delta, or someone else?

CaptCoolHand

It will go something like Delta colors with um not delta connection... no not delta express but Delta Code share and tiny tini little operated by Midwest Airlines and tinier letters operated by Republic.

This is like watching a toilet flush only the water that comes out isn't clean, some one left a turd in the tank.

eaglefly

If ticket prices are cheap, the public will be lined up to ride a regional 190. They don't care about it not being "real" Midwest. It's all about the almighty buck and economics is in the drivers seat.