New Piece of Express Jet Puzzle?

[Superpilot92]

I've never been on an xjet flight, so I don't know what the airplanes and service is like. From what I've seen Midwest and Skyway is far ahead of other companies (that I'm familiar with anyway) in cleanliness and service (Horizon is right there too, now that I think of it). Does experess jet vacuum the airplanes when they pass through the hub? Do the flight attendants cross the seat belts after every leg? Can an oven be installed in the ERJ so the flight attendants can serve fresh cookies (the thing I miss most about Skyway)? These are just a few things that they do to make your ride more enjoyable. I don't know if Midwest is looking to continue their tradition of excellent service (which admittidly is not what it used to be), I just hope that little Skyway Airlines isn't put out of business because they aren't cheap enough. Midwest also has a tradition of putting an entire work group out of jobs to save a money (there is no such thing as a Midwest ramp worker anymore), I hope this is not the case here.

Well in the Letter from the CEO it flat out says,

"To: All Midwest and Skyway Airlines Employees
Date: June 6, 2006
From: Tim Hoeksema
Subject: Regional Fleet Analysis

As you may know, Skyway has been actively seeking to purchase additional Fairchild 328 regional jets to move toward a one fleet type and improve operational efficiency. Recently, it has become clear that the cost of 32-seat 328s has been going up. At the same time, it appears that the cost of 50-seat regional jets has been going down.

We believe we may be able to add 50-seat regional jets to our network for close to the cost of additional 328s. These additional seats would growcapacity and improve business results by lowering our cost per available seat mile. In addition, 50-seat aircraft could open the door to new markets for our airline.

While our analysis to this point is incomplete and many details have yet to be explored, we have also decided to evaluate whether further cost savings could be achieved by using a third-party carrier to operate 50-seat regional jets. Plus, it may mean that we could add capacity and explore new markets much faster than by acquiring only additional 328s.

As I mentioned above, many questions remain unanswered. Potential vendors are being invited to submit proposals that will be evaluated to determine if we could obtain substantial savings with no reduction in quality. The evaluation process should be complete by the end of summer. Please be assured that you will be the first to know when we have more information."

So hopefully they will stick to that and not settle for low quality. Fact of the matter is none of us will no till it happens. Carry on

 

[captjim]

I've never been on an xjet flight, so I don't know what the airplanes and service is like. From what I've seen Midwest and Skyway is far ahead of other companies (that I'm familiar with anyway) in cleanliness and service (Horizon is right there too, now that I think of it). Does experess jet vacuum the airplanes when they pass through the hub? Do the flight attendants cross the seat belts after every leg? Can an oven be installed in the ERJ so the flight attendants can serve fresh cookies (the thing I miss most about Skyway)? These are just a few things that they do to make your ride more enjoyable. I don't know if Midwest is looking to continue their tradition of excellent service (which admittidly is not what it used to be), I just hope that little Skyway Airlines isn't put out of business because they aren't cheap enough. Midwest also has a tradition of putting an entire work group out of jobs to save a money (there is no such thing as a Midwest ramp worker anymore), I hope this is not the case here.

Midwest and Skyway arent the only carriers that provide great service, try taking a ride on some other carriers sometime.

 

[BankAccount=0$]

I've never been on an xjet flight, so I don't know what the airplanes and service is like. From what I've seen Midwest and Skyway is far ahead of other companies (that I'm familiar with anyway) in cleanliness and service (Horizon is right there too, now that I think of it). Does experess jet vacuum the airplanes when they pass through the hub? Do the flight attendants cross the seat belts after every leg? Can an oven be installed in the ERJ so the flight attendants can serve fresh cookies (the thing I miss most about Skyway)? These are just a few things that they do to make your ride more enjoyable. I don't know if Midwest is looking to continue their tradition of excellent service (which admittidly is not what it used to be), I just hope that little Skyway Airlines isn't put out of business because they aren't cheap enough. Midwest also has a tradition of putting an entire work group out of jobs to save a money (there is no such thing as a Midwest ramp worker anymore), I hope this is not the case here.

Simply put, ANY airline can provide service to match Midwest/SkyWay's level, the issue is cost, not ability. Of course you didn't specificly mention operational quality, but there are only a handful of airlines in the country who come close to matching the operational numbers that XJT achieves.

Again, I hope the flying is placed at SkyWay where it belongs. If this new flying means that the Beech Guys are let go, I would hope that whoever was awarded the new flying would extend the courtesy to offer them preferential interviews/hiring.

It would be great if we put ovens in our ERJ's though......cookies warming in the air, but burritos cooking on the long MKE sit on the ground.......

 

[TEXAN AVIATOR]

It would be great if we put ovens in our ERJ's though......cookies warming in the air, but burritos cooking on the long MKE sit on the ground.......

mmmmm....burritos....

 

[DrewBlows]

Of course you didn't specificly mention operational quality

I'm not trying to bash expressjet, by all accounts they do a great job at what they do. My point is that few airlines do what Midwest does. How many times have you held push so you could get a single passenger on? I'm guessing never (I haven't at my current company), because on-time performance is so important. When I was there (Skyway that is) I witnessed this happen all the time. Guess who that passenger is going to fly with next time? We once had a group of nurses on board to MKE who went to Toronto for the day to go shopping. We didn't have cookies on board, and they were mildly disappointed. When we called in range we requested cookies for them and when we got there the operations agent had two or three plates full of cookies for the nurses (and anyone else who happened to be on board). Guess who they will fly with next time? Again, my point is that Midwest does very well at what they do, and they have established themselves a decent little niche market up in MKE. There is no way that they can compete when they become like everyone else (my opinoin). Expressjet may very well be able to provide the sevice that a lot of loyal Milwaukeans have come to expect. Again, I hope this not just about saving money (in which case Expressjet probably would not get the contract), but Midwest has in the past made decisions to save money (again, the rampers).

However it plays out I wish everyone at Skyway the best, and for that matter I wish everyone at Expressjet the best as well. You guys seem to have a good management team that has built your company into what it has become today, and seems poised to carry it into the future.

 

[YMICFI]

There is no doubt that MidEx & Skyway are "the best care in the air."

 

[Superpilot92]

I'm not trying to bash expressjet, by all accounts they do a great job at what they do. My point is that few airlines do what Midwest does. How many times have you held push so you could get a single passenger on? I'm guessing never (I haven't at my current company), because on-time performance is so important. When I was there (Skyway that is) I witnessed this happen all the time. Guess who that passenger is going to fly with next time? We once had a group of nurses on board to MKE who went to Toronto for the day to go shopping. We didn't have cookies on board, and they were mildly disappointed. When we called in range we requested cookies for them and when we got there the operations agent had two or three plates full of cookies for the nurses (and anyone else who happened to be on board). Guess who they will fly with next time? Again, my point is that Midwest does very well at what they do, and they have established themselves a decent little niche market up in MKE. There is no way that they can compete when they become like everyone else (my opinoin). Expressjet may very well be able to provide the sevice that a lot of loyal Milwaukeans have come to expect. Again, I hope this not just about saving money (in which case Expressjet probably would not get the contract), but Midwest has in the past made decisions to save money (again, the rampers).

However it plays out I wish everyone at Skyway the best, and for that matter I wish everyone at Expressjet the best as well. You guys seem to have a good management team that has built your company into what it has become today, and seems poised to carry it into the future.

To answer your question about holding a push for a passenger, we do that all the time.

 

[jws717]

It would realy make alot of sense for Wisconsin to pick this up. It would sove alot of issues at the company.

 

[XJETDriver]

To answer your question about holding a push for a passenger, we do that all the time.

Pax and bags!

 

[Superpilot92]

Pax and bags!

correct, i forgot to mention that.