Usair Relationship With Shuttle America

[3green]

Hey all I was hoping someone here on Us Site may have any idea what is happening to Shuttle America. Iunderstand thay maybe closing soon, so I need all the info from you folks, Our only mainline airline. I did post on the regional site as well.

Thanks for your help

 

[usairways85]

I would not be surprised to see Shuttle America shut down. It's the probably the smallest regional partner of US and was originally taken over so US would have one less competitor in the Northeast/New England area. They are flying saab 340's from PIT so I would think they would want to just get rid of the saabs and maybe replace some of the routes with RJ's.

In fact Colgan Air is taking delivery of 2 US express saab 340's, so i would assume they are 2 that were operating for Shuttle america.

This is all apart of US trying to consolidate their regional partners so they don't have a million of them.

 

[a320av8r]

Looks like Midway is going to shut down too.
I suspect we will end up with a three carrier alliance domestically, USA, UAL, and Mesa. FWIW

 

[USA320Pilot]

The US Airways business plan states the company will eliminate all turboprop flying.

On September 30 the company had 94 RJs flying in the network. PSA and MDA will come on line in the next few months. US Airways Group will take delivery of 60 CRJ-200s, 85 EMB-170/175s, and possibly 25 CRJ-700s in in the next 35 months, which is about 5 RJs per month.

In addition, affiliate carriers are expected to add about 50 RJS to the US Airways Express network during the same period.

This US Airways Express growth will be to replace turboprops and to provide new service.

Regards,

Chip

 

[USFlyer]

Chip,

My understanding was that US itself wanted to get out of the turboprop business, meaning mainline, Allegheny, Piedmont and PSA would no longer fly turboprops. I've been somewhat assuming at least one affiliate carrier would remain to serve some of the smaller cities where RJs simply don't make sense or can't be handled (due to runway lengths, etc.). Also, no turboprop flying would mean many of the smaller cities US mentions in its PIT impact study would lose service no matter whether the hub stays or not. For example, I seriously doubt Altoona or Latrobe really can support RJs. Also, many of the MCI turboprop cities also come to mind.

The way I see things unfolding going forward is U will consist of mainline, PSA and MDA, with Allegheny and Piedmont ultimately merged into PSA in some fashion. Then, Air Midwest, in light of its ownership by Mesa, will remain as the turboprop carrier to serve the smaller markets where RJs are not necessary. Colgan might remain as well -- many of their routes I wouldn't classify as "RJ routes".

 

[robbedagain]

Chip: What is a possible of the wholly-owned keeping a few Dash 8s say for routes like AVP-PHL and ABE-PHL where it is only 18 minutes flying time?

 

[ClueByFour]

The US Airways business plan states the company will eliminate all turboprop flying.

Serious question: how many current US destinations cannot handle RJs?

HHH comes to mind, but where else?

 

[ringmaruf]

DL flies them into EYW, but only with trouble. And I think that DL uses the CRJ-700 and not the CRJ-200 which PSA is getting. (The CRJ-700 has better short field performance.) And I'm not sure if RJs are trouble on MIA-EYW and the like or just the longer ATL-EYW that DL flies. Then again, US could always just pull out, since it obviously doesn't care about Florida.

Regardless, I think that the props should stay, probably not with the wholly owneds but with Colgan, Air Midwest, and the like. They definitely have their place. CO made CLE and IAH all RJ, and it was a mistake. They now have B1900's in CLE feeding smaller markets, and EMB-120's in IAH for the airports that can't handle RJs. Then again, CO is a well-run airline that knows what it's doing, so I wouldn't put it past Dave and Ben to get rid of all the props and just abandon markets to other carriers.

 

[a320av8r]

Old Piedmont used to fly F-28's in and out of EYW.

 

[USA320Pilot]

USFlyer & Robbedagain:

Your points are well taken and well thought out. I agree that there is a place for some turboprop flying and the most likely candidate to conduct this operation will be the lowest cost operator.

Could it be Air Midwest?

Regards,

Chip

 

[OldpropGuy]

Management's mantra, which by the way doesn't appear to be working out too well:
Cheap is good................Cheap is good.

Now all together, repeat after me: Cheap is good.............Cheap is good!

 

[3green]

Thanks for the feedbacks. I am interested in any hard information on Shuttle America's future with U. The Saab leases are scheduled to stat expiring in december, but i have seen any information on what is replacing them??? Yet the company IS interviewing for various positions.

My question is why would they continue to hire if they are about to under?

:unsure:

 

[robbedagain]

Cluebyfour: the rj I dont believe would fill all 50 seats plus on an 18 minute flight from phl-abe and vice versa. that is why I believe the dash is probably the best suited aircraft and we do fill almost all of them. some are full to capacity while others have a heavy load. I dont know about any other stations, but may be Chip or some others may be able to elaborate more.

 

[a320av8r]

I commute to CLT on Dash 8's. It is a fine airplane. The -300 seems to be a better ride though. The Prop-Jet definitely has a future in the shorter markets. Didn't Dave say he planned on keeping about 30 of them at one time?

 

[ClueByFour]

Cluebyfour: the rj I dont believe would fill all 50 seats plus on an 18 minute flight from phl-abe and vice versa. that is why I believe the dash is probably the best suited aircraft and we do fill almost all of them. some are full to capacity while others have a heavy load. I dont know about any other stations, but may be Chip or some others may be able to elaborate more.

From a "won't handle" perspective, I meant in terms of short field performance, not the load factor for given equipment.