Press Release
Source: Pinnacle Airlines
Pinnacle Airlines Corp. Announces Cancellation of 15% Block Hours of New Partnership With Delta Air Lines, Cites Lack of Crew
Monday April 30, 0930 am ET
MEMPHIS, TN--(MARKET WIRE)--Apr 30, 2007 -- Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (NasdaqGM:PNCL - News) ("Pinnacle") announced today that it has already cancelled 15% of the total block hours from the newest Delta Connection agreement. Earlier today, Pinnacle announced they had entered into a new capacity purchase agreement with Delta Air Lines to operate 16 CRJ-900 aircraft as a Delta Connection carrier. Pinnacle currently expects that the aircraft will be operated by its wholly owned regional jet subsidiary, Pinnacle Airlines, Inc.
"We are pleased to welcome Pinnacle to the Delta Connection Program," said Wayne Aaron, vice president of Delta Connection. "Their strong performance, combined with the CRJ-900 aircraft in two-class configuration that they will be flying, will provide our customers with a first-rate experience."
"However," added Aaron, "We at Delta are quite surprised, and somewhat shocked, that Pinnacle Holdings would already cancel 15% of total block hours for flying that does not even start until December."
"Come on," responded Phil Trenary, Pinnacle's President and Chief Executive Officer, "This is Pinnacle Airlines. Since when have we ever been properly staffed?"
Philip Reed, Pinnacle's Vice-President of Marketing, added, "Our motto has always been to be "Simply the Best," and we're merely living up to our long standing tradition of continuously being understaffed."
Phil Trenary added, "Part of the reason we had to obtain flying for 16 new jets with Delta is because Northwest recently announced that they were removing 15 of Pinnacle's CRJs and placing them with Mesaba."
Philip Reed, "Had the Pinnacle pilots seen what was best for this company, then they would have signed the contract we offered them and kept the 15 CRJs. Then, we could have been scoped out their flying to a more 'cost effective carrier' and then..."
Realizing the danger of the direction Philip Reed was headed, Phil Trenary quickly interrupted and concluded by saying, "Um, anyway, we look forward to a long-term partnership with Delta, and we appreciate the confidence that they have placed with us. We will continue our tradition of industry leading regional jet operational performance as we transition into the CRJ-900 aircraft for Delta."
Source: Pinnacle Airlines
Pinnacle Airlines Corp. Announces Cancellation of 15% Block Hours of New Partnership With Delta Air Lines, Cites Lack of Crew
Monday April 30, 0930 am ET
MEMPHIS, TN--(MARKET WIRE)--Apr 30, 2007 -- Pinnacle Airlines Corp. (NasdaqGM:PNCL - News) ("Pinnacle") announced today that it has already cancelled 15% of the total block hours from the newest Delta Connection agreement. Earlier today, Pinnacle announced they had entered into a new capacity purchase agreement with Delta Air Lines to operate 16 CRJ-900 aircraft as a Delta Connection carrier. Pinnacle currently expects that the aircraft will be operated by its wholly owned regional jet subsidiary, Pinnacle Airlines, Inc.
"We are pleased to welcome Pinnacle to the Delta Connection Program," said Wayne Aaron, vice president of Delta Connection. "Their strong performance, combined with the CRJ-900 aircraft in two-class configuration that they will be flying, will provide our customers with a first-rate experience."
"However," added Aaron, "We at Delta are quite surprised, and somewhat shocked, that Pinnacle Holdings would already cancel 15% of total block hours for flying that does not even start until December."
"Come on," responded Phil Trenary, Pinnacle's President and Chief Executive Officer, "This is Pinnacle Airlines. Since when have we ever been properly staffed?"
Philip Reed, Pinnacle's Vice-President of Marketing, added, "Our motto has always been to be "Simply the Best," and we're merely living up to our long standing tradition of continuously being understaffed."
Phil Trenary added, "Part of the reason we had to obtain flying for 16 new jets with Delta is because Northwest recently announced that they were removing 15 of Pinnacle's CRJs and placing them with Mesaba."
Philip Reed, "Had the Pinnacle pilots seen what was best for this company, then they would have signed the contract we offered them and kept the 15 CRJs. Then, we could have been scoped out their flying to a more 'cost effective carrier' and then..."
Realizing the danger of the direction Philip Reed was headed, Phil Trenary quickly interrupted and concluded by saying, "Um, anyway, we look forward to a long-term partnership with Delta, and we appreciate the confidence that they have placed with us. We will continue our tradition of industry leading regional jet operational performance as we transition into the CRJ-900 aircraft for Delta."
