have you seen some of the current plans for those big RJ orders that US airways has?
this was taken from an article from last week..
Observers speculated all the focus on regional jets could suggest a rethinking of MidAtlantic even before it has a chance to begin. The company is worried that GE Capital Corp., which financed a large order last year for the RJS from Brazilian aircraft maker Embraer and Canadian aircraft maker Bombardier Aerospace, would pull its commitments if the airline's junk credit rating falls any further.
To prevent that from happening, US Airways is contemplating a strategy that would involve selling or transferring some of the RJs on order to other US Airways Express commuter operators not owned by US Airways. That way, the planes would still operate under the US Airways banner, but the company could relieve itself from the costs of operating and staffing them.
Such a change would require the approval of the pilots union. "The company needs to extricate itself from direct operation of regional jets," said local airline analyst Bill Lauer, and is likely conducting a "massive rethink" of MidAtlantic because of the capital expenditures it would require.
US Airways has already contacted Phoenix-based Mesa Air about buying some of the 170 RJs on order from Embraer and Bombardier, and has raised the idea in a meeting with GE, its regional jet financier. If another carrier is willing to buy the planes, operate them more cheaply and provide regional jet service for US Airways on a contract basis, "Why not let them do it?" Lauer said.
