United Issues RFP for Regional Flying

Aviation Daily

United has issued a request for proposal that could see new operators fulfilling Express regional flying contracts scheduled to expire next year.

Although United will not disclose details of the RFP, Mesa in its second-quarter filing noted that both its Bombardier CRJ200 and Dash 8 revenue-guarantee code-share agreements with United could be terminated in October.

Under current contractual terms, the CRJ200 deal ends in April 2010 unless United gives 180 days notice to extend, while the Dash 8 agreement, although valid until July 2013, can be terminated if United gives six months notice.

United told The Daily the RFP "is simply an option available to us and not a guarantee that any contract will be replaced."

 

Please do a search. If anyone knew anything about this it would mean they're management. It's all rumors and speculation. When it comes to UA, it's about who can do it the cheapest.

 

Who exactly will take over the Dash-8 flying? I find it hard to believe SKW is going to bring the Bro's back to DEN.

 

For the Dash 8 flying, I see four options, starting with the most unlikely, and ending with what I see as the most probable outcome:

1. United contracts with Commutair. Commutair takes over the dash 8's that Mesa was using.

2. United begins a codeshare agreement with RAH to operate Q400's via Lynx. Either RAH paints the new delivery Q400's in UAL colors, or United just flat out code shares with Lynx/Frontier and sells seats on the Q400 flights out of Denver.

3. United contracts with Horizon, who can also provide Q 400's. This would likely lead to a reduction in Dash 8 flying compared to the Mesa schedule, as I don't see Horizon being able to come up with an equal sized fleet of Dashes in that time, plus the Horizon dashes would have twice the capacity meaning less frequency would be required.

4. (most likely) Mesa gets a continuation of their Dash flying at lower reimbursement rates. United saves money, gives double the savings out as bonuses to United managers.

 

5. SKW buys Q-400s...

 

Comair is finally going to get United flying, and they're going to recall all their furloughs and then buy skywest.

 

A proposal has been submitted, from what I was told UAL wanted 10 Q400's in DEN and SKW told UAL they need 21+ frames to be interested. That's when SKW submitted the E120 proposal which was more than likely a total BS counter.

 

Makes sense to me.................

I was told that since SKW is non-union we are getting stapled to the bottom of Comair’s list.

 

Didn't X-jet pick up some new flying recently with UAL. They could use some more diversification.

 

I heard Colgan is getting the dash 8 flying for UAL.