It is a threat to mainline jobs, that is probably why he gets all worked up. If they take delivery of all of the planes then stagnation at the Majors will continue for the next 20 years. A few of the majors will be left with nothing more than a few international routes (most of which will be flown by pilots not from US carriers) and coast to coast routes. Airline companies are positioning themselves to become nothing more than a ticketing agent.

Skywest is probably the best regional these planes could go to but can anyone imagine what the aviation landscape would look like if Skywest took delivery of hundreds of planes that hold over 100 people? Would you still want to be employed in this industry if that happens?

 

Agree on the issue of stagnation. Sucks for all. Hopefully there is no major that will allow any more than the 76 seaters they have already agreed to. Even that sucks too, but I doubt those will ever go back to mainline. At least in our lifetimes.

 

I'm sure the possibility is being left open that these airplanes could be very large (100 seats) but that all depends on scope. The smallest variants of these airplanes that are configured for first class and economy plus would still be 76 seats and under current scope clause requirements unless I'm missing something. I believe the lesson here is to the major pilots. Look at all of these possibly 100+ seat airplanes on order. If scope is caved on again, this is what you're going to get at the regionals. Then say goodbye to small airbus and boeing aircraft.

 

40 have homes with UA, 260 are still firm orders without them, and there is still 300 options out there. I doubt we really see 600 aircraft delivered. Most of these don't come out of the factory for quite some time anyway, probably coincidentally with CRJ/ERJ's coming off leases. Actually by the time most of these new 175-E2s come out in the early 2020's most of their CRJ7/9s will be pushing over 15 years old. I have heard from management that a specific partner wanted the MRJ, but not sure who. I really think SkyWest isn't going to grow much if at all, just either shrink and replace 50's with larger RJ's or just keep its current size of operation.

 

Positions can be sold. It may just be an investment with the idea to sell positions to other carriers anywhere in the world (Asia). Pretty easy way to hold something worth billions that may potentially be worth millions in profit with minimal capitol investment.

I know a bizjet guy who bought a position with Cessna at the NBAA on a new CJ3 and sold it to somebody 6 months later who wanted a better position at a profit of $300,000. Not bad for paying $100,000 for something that was only on paper.

 

Just another Howard Hughes wanna be egomaniac that's ridden the FFD gravy train to guaranteed piles of cash. The real world is vastly different, as he will find out. And he has it in for many tounsands of good jobs in this industry remaining after what its seen the last decade plus. Where exactly, even if he is successfuly, do you think all that capacity is going to come from? He's banking on leaching it from existing airlines to his. I hope he fails miserably. History is not on his side either.

 

Don't talk about my Uncle Jerry that way!!

 

Does that make you one of Jerry's kids?

 

I don't think it will be a capacity increase. I think the aircraft will be spread about 2 (formerly 3) airlines sometimes 2/1 50-seaters and 1/1 CRJ900/700. I also think that some of the positions will be sold to foreign markets.

 

I'm just wondering if there isn't some back story here. It really does seem that every time SkyWest is in the news you're right here with this same line about Jerry's ego and that our company is doomed to the same fate as ACA. What leads you to believe that SkyWest wants to sell its own tickets again?

Meanwhile, there is another regional airline called Republic that is helmed by somebody who probably is a Howard Hughes wanna be (not that there's anything wrong with that), and they don't seem to garner the same level of hatred. Republic, after all, actually did buy two "mainline" carriers and even, in a way, operates Airbuses today.

Did SkyWest not give you a job back in the day or something? Or did Jerry steal your high school girlfriend? I think we all want major airlines to do as much of their own flying as possible, but I just don't understand why you so badly want SkyWest, specifically, to fail.