Pinnacle Airlines will be relying primarily on 50-seat regional jets to carry it out of bankruptcy and until at least July 2022, when its newly revised contract to operate them for Delta Air Lines expires, even though the 50-seater market is shrinking and has a long-term future that is suspect at best. (www.aviationweek.com) More...
With Pinnacle removing the turboprops from their operations, what does this mean for communities served solely by SAAB's or Q400's (non-EAS cities)? For example, the Colgan Routes out of IAD- while several to the smallest communities (EAS) will be removed, what about routes such as IAD-BGM, IAD-ABE, etc. Both ABE and BGM have CRJ2 service to DTW on Pinnacle, but only turboprop to IAD via Colgan.
Silver Airways (formerly Gulfstream) has already bid on all the former Colgan EAS routes out of IAD (BKW, MGW, and SHD I believe). The at-risk markets like ABE, BGM, SCE and HPN will probably be dropped unless Silver also wants to fly them at-risk (which they might).
I agree- I know they're dumping the EAS routes. I'm more curious of the non-EAS routes. Are they considering dropping them as well or switching equipment types?
Let's hope they'll just be changing equipment. Kinda looks like that if they are paring down to the 200's, gain some efficiency, if in nothing else but time/speed/utilization. Same thing Eagle is doing with the ATR's.
Many frequent flyers will do anything to avoid flying CRJ 200's. This can't be a good busienss strategy. I will find other airlines rather than make our people fly on these uncomfortable aircraft.
This is what airlines get for all the Code Share crap...It was unethical in the beginning and to this day code shares no matter how many disclaimers they come up with, is still unethical today.... If regional airlines were required to fly under their own banners and use their own resources it would be a whole different ball game. Its too bad the DOT allowed this at all way back when....
Guess I won't be flying on any SF3s anymore. I never flew on a DH4 either. Pinnacle was getting more Qs but with this bankruptcy thing that will not happen. This kind of sucks considering my partner works for Colgan.
Silver Airways will as they will be picking up a lot of the former Colgan flying. Republic may as well as the rumor is that they will be taking over the Q400 flying.
Best I remember, Phil, you are retired ATP. Sounds like a lot more than a pax problem there. Their mgt has gotten some better over the years but none are perfect.
