One answer, I suppose, to the increasing difficulty in hiring.

ST. GEORGE, Utah, May 9, 2018 /PRNewswire/ -- SkyWest, Inc., (NASDAQ: SKYW) ("SkyWest") today reported 144,600 block hours in April 2018, compared to 152,100 block hours in April 2017, a decrease of 7,600 or five percent. The net decrease was consistent with SkyWest's fleet transition plan to improve the mix of aircraft in its fleet by adding new E175 aircraft while reducing its 50-seat jets.

The year-over-year net change was primarily driven by approximately 6,800 additional block hours from SkyWest's E175 aircraft (includes the E175 aircraft and the E175 SC aircraft) and a decrease of approximately 14,400 block hours from its other aircraft types.

In April 2018, SkyWest's dual class aircraft represented approximately 52 percent of SkyWest's total block hour production for the month compared to approximately 50 percent in April 2017.

SkyWest reported 580,900 block hours for year-to-date April 2018, compared to 604,800 block hours year-to-date April 2017, a decrease of 23,900, or four percent. This net change was primarily driven by approximately 26,500 additional block hours from its E175 aircraft and a decrease of approximately 50,400 block hours from its other aircraft types.

SkyWest had 83,500 departures in April 2018 compared to 90,600 in April 2017, a decrease of 7,100, or 7.8 percent.

These are the numbers published in the fiscal report and they include all of Inc. which means it includes Expressjet.

SkyWest Airlines block hr stats:
April 2018: 116113
April 2017: 101369

Hmm. Don't know what to say. Here is the URL for where I got my info:

https://www.prnewswire.com/news-rele...300645286.html

And an identical posting in the New York Times business section:

SkyWest, Inc. Reports Combined April 2018 Traffic for SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines - New York Times

Both allegedly also include express jet numbers...

Up until you hit scope limits anyway...

For those regionals that actually HAVE scope limits anyway. Some, like Horizon, do not.

I'm pretty sure that's getting fixed soon.

One would think so. Yet the parent company has been around since 1932 - what's that - 86 years? And they don't have scope yet.

Yeah but have they tried to push scope limits yet? I would argue that if they tried, it would be stopped.

By whom? The pilots at AS who haven't seen fit to put the scope limits in the contract - ever? The newbie pilots inherited from the Virgin acquisition many of whom simply want to leave,since AS is getting rid of the aircraft they are rated in and the bases they live at? Certainly not the Horizon pilots?

With Airbus now rebranding the bigger CRJs and Boeing buying a controlling interest in the Embraer civilian side, clearly both major aircraft companies believe that SOMEBODY will soon be flying 100 seat jets.

Scope limits arw pretty much always in the mainline CBA, not in the regional CBAs. DL scope limits the DCI fleet count. UALs scope limits United Express. AS would have to negotiate scope into their contract.

Right now DL is maxed out on regional aircraft, for one regional to grow another has to shrink. UAL I think is maxed out as well, but I don’t know their scope as well as I do DL. I have no clue about AA.