If it is an ERJ-135/140/145 type A/C, it would be on CHQ cert. 170's are S5 or RW only. A "Shuttle generic spare" would not be used on a CHQ route, as it is the wrong type of A/C.

 

Ok, so it is CHQ using CHQ spares for CHQ contracts.... not the parent company having generic spares to cover at all of their subsidiary regionals. That makes a bit more sense.... so each carrier has it's own generic spares..... to use covering multiple contracts.

It still looks cruddy though.

 

That's because they are always being used as there are always aircraft going down for their annual checks. One day it might be a CAL bird, the next DAL, couple days later to could be AMR, then United, then US air. Much more efficient to use one bird to replace mx birds than five of them.

CHQ

There's a difference between a 170 and E145. If a 145 needs to be replaced they use it there. If a 170 needs to be replaced then they use the spare 170.

RAH owns its aircraft save the CRJs. That's like asking why it's cheaper to own a car rather than go to enterprise and rent one for the year. As you said the aircraft are constantly in use. After a certain point it's much cheaper to own. Secondly 145 aren't the easiest to find these days.

You wear the same uniform for all flying. I print my pairing and go to that flight. If it's AMR I go to C concourse if it's CAL I go to A concourse.

 

RAH is a holdings company. Republic, Shuttle, and Chautuaqua are three different certificates.

CAL has scope so you can't exactly show up with a 70+ seat Ejet just because one of yours went down. They aircraft stay within their own certificate. However as mentioned CHQ flies for 5 different codeshares so either use one aircraft(two actually) to cover all five or get five different aicraft and pay an arm and a leg to have each one painted. Why waste millions of dollars?

 

Obtaining the cheapest operating cost as you say, is what's going to drive Mesa into bankruptcy! It's also what turned them into the biggest liability in the industry, under-cutting the better contracts....is that what you want out of your company? Legacy's are not just looking for cheapest, they're looking for the quality of the product...once again look at what Delta is doing!

You ever seen the face of a passenger in IAH when they're boarding into one of those color-less monstrosities? I've deadheaded in them a couple of times, and it's pretty comical! At that point they're not even sure who they're flying on, and you hear them in the back "I thought I bought a ticket on Continental?". Pretty humorous! I blame your ceo, not you or your pilot group.

 

RAH is not the only regional that does this.

I've non-rev'd several times on Skywest in their "Pepsi Can" paint scheme on a United Express flight. The pax couldn't figure out what was going on.

 

So you're equating saving a few million by not using 5 different aircraft in 5 different paint schemes to Mesa and their contract violations/employment issues?

Are you sure it wasn't you who went to the CAL terminal, spoke to the CAL gate agent, looked at your CAL ticket, climbed abored an aircraft and heard the CAL flight announcement and yet still wondered where you were?

You may find it commical but it's common practice for those that fly for multiple codeshares. It's not what makes someone "the biggest liability in the industry".

Agreed Not trying to sink to your level or speak against any company by any means I just wanted to show the irony/koolaid in your posting.

PS have you seen those "Aquafresh" paintjobs rolling around?

 

Aesthetically speaking, they look awful and it speaks volumes of the management teams that don’t even have the vision to pick a livery to represent the company. Quality of the product accounts for the whole package including the presentation of the product, and based on the DNU at CAL it seems to be a reflection of the performance factor as well. Funny thing, I tend to believe the stats, and the comments by the passengers, more than that of 1st year f/o’s at the company in question.

 

At this juncture I feel compelled to point out that regardless of how ugly the airplane looks, the paint is there to protect the airplane's skin, not make you feel all happy inside.

 

Wow, what is the brand/company pride/loyalty like when you do that all day, every day...

No wonder people hate flying so much nowadays...