CS100? It is large and, with no scope restrictions, permissible. Horizon could fly the CS100s across the country or even from smaller West Coast airports to Hawaii. Bombardier needs orders:

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=X9yWF9cCVJY

The tree-huggers in the Pacific Northwest would love the lower environmental impact from the C-Series. Plus, I believe the C-Series was introduced to the Alaska/Horizon management on a recent aircraft tour that included a stop in Seattle.

Question - With Bombardier's willingness to cut deals on a proven airplane, and Horizon's deep familiarity with the manufacturer, why wouldn't Alaska's management seriously consider the C-Series while they still can (take advantage of no scope restrictions for now)? Perhaps Bombardier could swap used Q400s for a few newer CS100s as part of a bigger deal? Horizon has always been a solid Bombardier customer and now they have no scope restrictions.

If you are an Alaska/Horizon manager, this is a golden opportunity to take advantage of a no-scope opportunity (potentially gone in the next contract) with a very familiar partner. Just sayin...........

 

Unless Alaska plans to be absorbed by the Big 3, and at this time has no scope, why would they buy into the status quo ?

Screw the 76 seaters. The 50 seaters are now passe. Soon the 76 seaters.

Buy the new 100+seaters from CRJ, MRJ whatever and break the barrier. Change the formula and benefit everyone.

 

Sorry, QX, but a 100 seat jet should be flown by mainline pilots. The 737-200 in full passenger mode seated 111. Alaska flew it at the same rates as the 727/737NG/MD-80.

 

From a pilot's perspective, this only benefits regional pilots unable or unwilling to go to mainline. It screws all other regional and all mainline pilots. "Change the formula" give me a break.

 

I agree with you. However, didn't the Alaska pilots consider this in their last contract? Clearly it wasn't so critical to them since they left scope out of their agreement. "Should be" is legally protected in all other legacy contracts but Alaska's.

No scope protection sounded crazy to me when the Alaska TA passed, but now Alaska's management has a lot more flexibility when considering new aircraft types... That's the situation at Alaska/Horizon today and that's why I think aircraft like the C-Series might be considered. No scope = max flexibility.

From a management perspective, why order E175s that fit with current "legacy scope rules" at other airlines when you can order slightly bigger and better performing aircraft like the CS100 from one of your best partners before the scope window eventually closes in the next contract? With Delta adding older, discarded E190s from Air Canada in SEA, why add more similar and scope-appropriate Embraers to the mix when one of your most important partners (Bombardier) is likely ready to do a deal?

It could just be me, but when I read the announcement, I found the words "large RJs" to be a bit interesting. Nobody assumes they will be ordering E135s or CRJ-200s. Everyone already assumes something like an E175 or CR9. But the fact that no scope rules apply in this case, something like the CS100 is at least possible. Time will tell...

 

It's not possible. The 100 seat idea was brought up early last year and quickly shot down by AS, as it rightfully should have. Regionals have no business flying anything above 76 seats (which is bad enough already).

 

Regionals shouldn't exist. They are a C scale perpetuated by pilots at both the majors and the regionals. If the C series ends up at a major it is because Alaska pilots are too weak to stand up for scope and the Horizon pilots are willing to fly them.

 

Who knows, just dangle some more cash in front of the Alaska guys and I'm sure they will go for it. Just like how they B scaled the new hires with no more pensions.

 

Aside from a handful of senior regional pilots looking to close out their final working years before retirement in nicer equipment, anyone would be hard pressed to find regional pilots cheering about 100+ seat airplanes flown by regionals. The vast majority of us would be happy to see the regionals shrink and mainlines grow - why would we want to fly a 100 seater for less money and reduce our upward mobility by not seeing the mainline grow? However, if 100 seat airplanes come to Horizon, that will not be Horizons fault. Any regionals out there have scope saying they WON'T fly anything larger than 76 seats? The top priority of every mainline in contract negotiations should be job protection.

All that being said, AAG has stated very plainly that 100 seat airplanes will not come to Horizon. That potentially could have been a diversion so there is no consideration for that as we are now eliminating all jet rates at QX with this new TA (a CS100 would be Q400 + 15% under our current contract), as that could change the nature of negotiations. I doubt that to be the case though. Fact is, with no scope AAG can do what they want, so honest question: why wouldn't they send these to Horizon if they got them? Damage to codeshare relationships? Worried it would freak out Delta enough that they might try to destroy them?

I don't like it, but an 8 year contract + no more jet rates + no mainline scope. If AAG wanted to give the bird to everyone in the industry, they contractually can and seem to have the stage set. I still doubt that is what's going on, but an interesting idea. Alaska pilots need to tie this **** down.

 

Plus, I believe any aircraft over 76 seats would compromise Alaska's code share agreement with American due to American's scope language.