Emb Update

[Light Years]

Saw on another website if anyone is interested that there are four complete EMB170s in our colours in Brazil, regs are

N801MA
N802MD
N803MD
N804MD

... unfortunatly it seems that they do in fact say US Airways Express on them (I know, its an Express carrier for all intensive purposes, but dont blow the passenger perception of an excellent aircraft!). No word for sure about the configuration and whether they are single class or dual class. I dont think the company has confirmed either way...

 

[Light Years]

EDIT

 

[4lowed]

All,
I will confirm 100% that they are single class. Mgmt. did not want the express product to differ from other carriers.
4lowed

 

[Light Years]

Thanks 4...

I still think the original idea of offering a premium cabin to differentiate ourselves and offer a perk to our FFs, and fly it under the US Airways name (customers prefer "mainline" to "express" any day, no matter what it is) was a better idea...

 

[ClueByFour]

All,
I will confirm 100% that they are single class. Mgmt. did not want the express product to differ from other carriers.
4lowed

And here they were touting the thing as a "mini mainline" plane with FC.

So, in essence, it's like an F-100 with 2x2 and no FC cabin.

*sigh*

 

[Twicebaked]

Light Years,

I will also confirm 100% that it is single class with 72 seat capacity. The are 18 rows of 4 (2 on each side) no middle seat. There are 2 full galleys and one forward lav. Yes, they do have complete running water. Honestly, it does not look like an express plane. The over head compartments can fit a "normal" size roller board. I say "normal" because pax think that if it has wheels and a retractible handle it is suitable for a carry on. That is a whole other thread we could start...
The seats are darker gray than we have now. The half adjustable head rest like that of the A330. It honestly is a beautiful craft. Too bad we have to work it for peanuts.

 

[700UW]

According to the ALPA contract arent the RJs limited to 70 seats?

 

[BoeingBoy]

Just checked the contract and the EMB170/175 can be certified with up to 78 seats but configured to no more than 76 seats.

Jim

 

[700UW]

Jim, what was the deal with the CRJ-705 then?

 

[Light Years]

The CRJ-705 was just a made up name by US mgmt for a CRJ900 (able to have 90 seats) with only 70 seats on it, trying to be sneaky. That would be like getting an A320, only putting 50 seats on it and having Mesa operate it and call it an RJ.

 

[BoeingBoy]

700UW,

All I know about the CRJ-705 is what the union said - that it was basically a CRJ-900. Bob may be right in reporting what Chip said - there are GTOW weight limits in the RJ language. I believe that I saw somewhere that the -705 was certificated for over 70 seats. The EMB170/175 are the only equip with over 70 seats allowed by the much amended scope clause.

And Bob, it was Wolfe who said that he wasn't interested in RJ's - this was the summer before we signed a concessionary contract he wanted (don't remember the year but it was the first year he was here). We gave him authority for additional RJ's anyway. Now we're going to have "more RJ's than God can count" by some folks estimation. I'd be the first to admit that there is a place for them in the greater scheme of things, but they do have a significantly higher CASM than mainline planes - another management decision that increases "costs" that employees have no control over.

Jim

 

[flyin2low]

Air Canada just ordered some 705's.

I thought that the first class offering was what MidAtlantic was all about. Having mainlines folks work an aircraft with first class accomodations for peanuts. Now their just going after ASM's with a single class?

 

[repeet]

BoeingBoy
Posted on Dec 22 2003, 12:42 AM

I'd be the first to admit that there is a place for them in the greater scheme of things, but they do have a significantly higher CASM than mainline planes - another management decision that increases "costs" that employees have no control over.

Of course we have control over cost!

Just open your contract and allow the company to lay you off, and replace you with a lesser paid employee. See, we do have the power to sacrifice and further cut costs.

It's our duty to save the airline and support management!

Oh no.... wait.

That's what Mid Atlantic,and RJ's are all about, aren't they? Well, then you're just going to have to give more!!!


But, then agian....

 

[Art at ISP]

If I am not mistaken, the decision to make the 170's single class had more to do with competing with the LCC's. I believe that the one class arrangement in these new aircraft will have more seat pitch for all passengers. The original configuration with 2 rows of 1st would have meant 31 inches of pitch for the rest of the cabin. I think this new configuration is more like the old shuttle design.

Now if only they'd bring these new birds to ISP .........


My best to you all...

 

[USFlyer]

If I am not mistaken, the decision to make the 170's single class had more to do with competing with the LCC's. I believe that the one class arrangement in these new aircraft will have more seat pitch for all passengers. The original configuration with 2 rows of 1st would have meant 31 inches of pitch for the rest of the cabin. I think this new configuration is more like the old shuttle design.

If this is the case, then I'm all for the all Coach configuration.