Comair may be getting the Dork Jets.

[DoJetMX]

I just parked next to 401 (aka spirit of LGA...or as we say "la-gaaa")

I was one of the guys that had to put those Spirit Of LaGargabge stickers on 401. Seems so long ago.

 

[Twotter76]

I remember when I was at ACA we had a cabin mock-up of the DoJet for the flight attendants at the employee center that I think disappeared. Perhaps it has reappeared in MKE - a sign of things to come no doubt. DoJetMX I too like your avatar. I always thought that it would have made more sense to keep the DoJets for Indy and use them on short haul routes - no furloughs, more service, more revenue - everyone wins. Especially if the maintainence issues with those planes are being resolved (ie short engine life). But what I do I know, I just drive...

 

[DoJetMX]

I always thought that it would have made more sense to keep the DoJets for Indy and use them on short haul routes - no furloughs, more service, more revenue - everyone wins. Especially if the maintainence issues with those planes are being resolved (ie short engine life). But what I do I know, I just drive...

All obvious business decisions aside pertaining to the DoJets in Indy, I am all for the NO FURLOUGHS (MX and Pilots alike), more service, and more revenue !! As for the MX, well there WERE a large group of us that knew the plane well, and could keep it moving. Oh well, in another life. Now I have to get to know the CRJ.

 

[jarhead]

Wednesday, August 4, 2004

New carrier may join Delta
Midwest Air Group would fly regional jets

By James Pilcher
Enquirer staff writer

Erlanger-based Comair could have a new Delta Connection sibling as soon as this month, with Milwaukee-based Midwest Air Group in final negotiations to start flying regional jets for Delta Air Lines.

Midwest, which operates a regional subsidiary called Skyway/Midwest Express, is hoping to take control of 30 Fairchild Dornier 328JET, 32-seat regional jets from Atlantic Coast Airlines. ACA now flies those planes for Atlanta-based Delta.

That could mean the creation of a new pilot base here, with eight to 10 new pilots possibly needed per plane.

"We feel we are very close to getting closure on the deal," Midwest spokeswoman Carol Skornicka said Tuesday. "We are looking forward to this, since it will be a major expansion for us and a pretty big variation from our current business model."

The planes are based out of the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport, Comair's home base and Delta's second-largest hub overall, and will continue to feed regional traffic into the hub, no matter who flies them.

Midwest came to the verge of bankruptcy last summer, but recovered. Its stock closed at $3.32 Tuesday, and the company lost just $2.9 million in the second quarter. The separately branded Skyway/Midwest Express once operated two daily flights from Cincinnati to Milwaukee, but shut down those routes this summer.

Comair officials said Tuesday that they had turned in a bid to fly the planes, and were still awaiting a decision.

Delta officials said they are hoping to have an announcement within two weeks.

Midwest would be the second addition to the Delta Connection lineup in the past two years, but would keep the total number of airlines in the network to five because Atlantic Coast is dropping out.

The other members are fellow Delta subsidiary Atlantic Southeast Airlines; Utah-based Skywest; and Indianapolis-based Chautauqua.

The shuffling began earlier this year, when Atlantic Coast started its own low-cost carrier called Independence Air.

The new carrier is based out of Dulles airport near Washington, thereby voiding Atlantic Coast's contracts with Delta and United.

Tuesday was its last day to fly regional flights on behalf of United. Atlantic Coast spokesman Rick DeLisi said the Dornier jets should be turned back over to Delta by November.

He added that there are no plans for Independence to fly to Cincinnati, but flights between Dulles and Indianapolis, Dayton and Columbus start Aug. 15.

Delta controls the Dornier planes, and has been looking for a new operator for them. In an interview last month, the executive who runs Delta's regional flying network said that the airline had discussed turning the planes over to wholly-owned subsidiaries such as Comair as well as to Midwest.

"But even though Comair is a first-class airline, it would be hard to take on an entire new airplane type, especially one with the maintenance issues that these planes have," said Fred Buttrell, president and chief executive officer of Delta Connection Inc. "Midwest already flies these and is ready to take over."

Atlantic Coast officials acknowledged that the Dornier jets had repeated engine problems that caused frequent engine replacements. They also said maintenance was expensive since the plane's manufacturer had gone bankrupt.

But Midwest spokeswoman Skornicka said officials at that airline "loved the plane. We think it is very user friendly."

She also said that her company is being careful to make sure any contracts include protections, in case Delta files for Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection, but declined to discuss specifics.

Delta officials also declined to talk about specifics of the negotiation. The airline has lost more than $5billion since the 9/11 attacks.

 

[moscowcfi]

Wednesday, August 4, 2004

New carrier may join Delta
Midwest Air Group would fly regional jets

By James Pilcher
Enquirer staff writer

So I guess it's a definite maybe.

 

[Kohflot]

So now what about the pilots?

 

[CL600Pilot]

Maint. issues??

As an aside (from a possible future Do Jet driver)just to satisfy my own curiosities - I've been seeing an awful lot of comments about 'maint. issues' - even in the Enquirer article it was mentioned - what have been the problems with the airplane? I know that engine life was mentioned earlier in the thread - are you just seeing shorter than expected engine life or have there been actual engine failures? Is it only the engines or are there airframe and avionics issues as well?

Just curious.


CL

 

[surplus1]

Good luck to the Skyway group. Personally, I would hope CMR can avoid having to take on this albatross.

 

[Guam360]

more pilots, more routes, why not.....?

 

[surplus1]

Different equipment, operational difficulties, more cost for no particular advantage. The overall welfare of the Company is what benefits Comair pilots over the long term, not short term growth for a few pilots.

Pilot groups that sell themselves for "growth" are a detriment to the whole. Comair needs more CR7's, not a bunch of Dornier's.