Should American Eagle EMB-175s to go Piedmont

[Phoenix]

Sure Piedmont can have them, if they agree to the same POS contract Eagle told Doug to put where the sun doesn't shine,twice. Although PSA stood right up with a smile and shanked Eagle for some nebulous flow through promises and the promise of maybe some new jets.
 
The company can threaten to "Comair" Eagle, but the fact is it took two years to wind Comair down.Can any of the current WO or contract lift providers step in and cover all of the flying currently done by Eagle in a short time frame? No, of course not.
 
Maybe PSA will agree to cap F/O pay at two years when Doug comes a calling offering even shinier jets...

PSA vs. Piedmont... This is not a concern because both pilot groups are ALPA. <sarcasm>

 

[1AA]

Here is why I see A319's in some markets replacing smaller RJ's.
 
One A319= 2 pilots
3 RJ's= 6 pilots
 
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/pilots-near-minimum-wage-012500215.html;_ylt=AhDCYI49fmti_IUsirUeLngJVux_;_ylu=X3oDMTFyMWg3MzR0BG1pdANBVFQgSG9tZSBUb2RheSBNb2R1bGUgMTEyMTEzBHBvcwMyNARzZWMDTWVkaWFDZHRUb2RheVYy;_ylg=X3oDMTFkcW51ZGliBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3BtaA--;_ylv=3

 

[PullUp]

Here is why I see A319's in some markets replacing smaller RJ's.
 
One A319= 2 pilots
3 RJ's= 6 pilots
 
http://finance.yahoo.com/news/pilots-near-minimum-wage-012500215.html;_ylt=AhDCYI49fmti_IUsirUeLngJVux_;_ylu=X3oDMTFyMWg3MzR0BG1pdANBVFQgSG9tZSBUb2RheSBNb2R1bGUgMTEyMTEzBHBvcwMyNARzZWMDTWVkaWFDZHRUb2RheVYy;_ylg=X3oDMTFkcW51ZGliBGludGwDdXMEbGFuZwNlbi11cwRwc3RhaWQDBHBzdGNhdANob21lBHB0A3BtaA--;_ylv=3

You are fundamentally correct. Smaller stations that have small RJ's serving them with multiple frequencies will be replaced with larger aircraft with fewer frequencies. However, replacing 3 trips with one 319 would reduce some stations to one R/T daily. Competition would drive customers where scheduled times were more convenient. 
The more logical path is to replace 35-50 seat multiple frequencies with E-170/175/190 aircraft with fewer frequencies but more than one.
Oh, BTW - the number of pilots has very little to do with the cost of the operation.
Cheers.

 

[1AA]

I recall years back when I made a trip to Europe visiting several countries.
Spain, France, Italy, Austria and finally Germany. The mass transit system was so reliable and abundant from many smaller cities that they do not need so many small airports and regionals to connect to major airports like we do here in the states. Not sure if that has changed much today but there lies part of our problem here in the USA. If we had better ground transportation system there would be less demand for local flights connecting to major airports or even other smaller airports.

 

[PullUp]

I recall years back when I made a trip to Europe visiting several countries.
Spain, France, Italy, Austria and finally Germany. The mass transit system was so reliable and abundant from many smaller cities that they do not need so many small airports and regionals to connect to major airports like we do here in the states. Not sure if that has changed much today but there lies part of our problem here in the USA. If we had better ground transportation system there would be less demand for local flights connecting to major airports or even other smaller airports.

Air transport is a luxury item, not a right. If smaller communities can't generate enough pax at the right price, then they'll have no service.
All you republicans out there should applaud the machinations of the free marketplace, n'est pas?
Cheers.

 

[nycbusdriver]

I recall years back when I made a trip to Europe visiting several countries.
Spain, France, Italy, Austria and finally Germany. The mass transit system was so reliable and abundant from many smaller cities that they do not need so many small airports and regionals to connect to major airports like we do here in the states. Not sure if that has changed much today but there lies part of our problem here in the USA. If we had better ground transportation system there would be less demand for local flights connecting to major airports or even other smaller airports.

 
Distances between population centers in Europe are, for the most part, very much smaller than in the U.S., and that's why trains are more effective there than they could ever be in the U.S.  
 
It would be cost prohibitive to build up high speed rail over the vast expanses of the U.S., and even that would not begin to match the time it would take to travel by air.