Quote:
Originally Posted by rdneckpilot
I agree there will be downsizing in the AA large RJ fleet. I also think most, if not all of those reductions will happen at the AA owned carriers.
Though times for everyone ahead regardless of carrier.
The 76 seaters at the wholly owns are newer and won't get retired. If they leave the wholly owns, they will go to other AA subcontractors and not the desert. Some of the 44-65 seaters at the wholly owns could get retired. Although those planes are paid for with almost no resale value or have dirt cheap leases. Mesa and Republic have the oldest 76 seaters primed for the desert. Mesa is the cheapest subcontractor though and AAG owns a 25% equity stake in Republic.
The best situation for AA wholly owned pilots is AAG merging them into one regional airline that exclusively does all the AA regional flying. Skywest, Republic and Mesa flying all get transferred in house. All new AA pilots come from that one regional. Back in the day, Eagle was going to join APA and this was going to happen but the AA pilots squashed it because they wanted to get their Air Force buddies hired at AA off the street instead of 100% eagle pilots making up all the AA new hires.