Quote:
Originally Posted by snippercr
AA has 90 options of 175s that are possibly going to be operated by Envoy - however, as current scope is written, even if AAG wanted to exercise all the options they would be unable to due to the number of large RJs currently being operated. Save for scope language adjustments (not likely), one idea that was thrown around was to reduce the number of 175s currently being flown by RAH - especially given Parker's feelings to BB (the AA 175 deal was done by Horton, prior to the merge). That could free up some airframes to do this deal.
I could believe what you are saying if we were wholly owned, but we are not. The number of 175s is a contract between AA and a 3rd party. They can not change the number of aircraft without amending the CPA. Besides, almost all the AA 175s have been delivered at this point. It is not a trivial thing to remove aircraft from a non-wholly owned.
As for the 170s, I believe expiration of the CPA for some of the oldest Mid Atlantic birds will coincide with this Delta agreement. Either BB thinks he can renew them with AA by then, as he did already with DL and UA E170s, or they will simply go into service with DL under this latest agreement with DL. Heck, many of the current DL E170s are ex-Mid Atlantic with "MD" tail numbers too!
I don't quite know what to make of your comment about Parker and Bedford. I've only heard they are long-time buddies. We bought Mid-Atlantic from them, bought DCA/LGA slots/gates from them and leased them back to US Airways, and also assumed E190 leases from them when they were trying to reduce the number of that type in the fleet. I just don't anything to characterize their relationship other than good.