US Airways considers cutting its E-190 fleet

[FlyinPiker]

Scope Violation with Express Carriers?

I think swapping the 190's for Frontier's Airbuses would also mean these aircraft would actually count toward the amount of regional aircraft that are allowed to operate for Airways.

I believe they were or are in violation of that due to the fact that the 190 was exempt from being counted in the transition agreement.

 

[MD80DRVR]

Somebody on another board brought up a good point.

I could see cash + some buses (or maybe All buses) for all 25 190's.

Frontier has 10 A-318's. I'm sure Bedford would love to get rid of those and run the E-190 instead. It would be a small fleet for Airways, but if engines/parts/etc are all the same it wouldn't really matter.

It would also follow his statements about simplifying the fleet.

All of this could be just be waiting on the acquisition of Frontier to go through in August.

I believe I've read elsewhere that the A318 has very little commonality with the larger airbus 319's/320's as far as parts go.

 

[BeCareful!]

Doug Parker
No, seriously, I know you’re kidding but we’re not announcing on the 190’s other than the fact that we have let people know that that’s an aircraft that we could reduce and we’re looking at doing so. But the last thing I want to do is get employees anxious about further job reductions and that’s not what we’re announcing by any means. All we’re announcing is that these are, and given that the environment is still where it is, this is the kind of things that we need to look at. And we will look at it over time as we’re doing right now.
.

Right! That's the last thing you want to do, Doug. God, what a bad liar he is!!!!!!!!!!!

 

[BeCareful!]

Actually, reading it again at face value, he's not lying: He admits he wants to get the employees anxious, but it's the last thing he wants to do. Before that, he'll probably do a bunch of other stuff, like drink, perhaps, but then when he gets to it, the last thing on his list is to scare the crap out of all of us. What a guy!

 

[BlackPilot628]

Doesn't Us Airways (East?) have a minimum fleet agreement per their CBA? I thought they were like 2-3 planes just on the positive of that number. How can Parker get rid on 25 aircraft.... Would be not have to replace them with some 737's or A319/20?

 

[TWA Dude]

The 190s don't count towards the minimum aircraft requirement. They were acquired post-merger.

 

[FlyinPiker]

Doesn't Us Airways (East?) have a minimum fleet agreement per their CBA? I thought they were like 2-3 planes just on the positive of that number. How can Parker get rid on 25 aircraft.... Would be not have to replace them with some 737's or A319/20?

The 190s don't count towards the minimum aircraft requirement. They were acquired post-merger.

Exactly.

"On June 6, 2008, US Airways announced that it cannot shed aging 737 aircraft (as United and Continental have announced) due to minimum fleet size requirements imposed on it by labor unions".



By swapping 190's for for Airbuses (from what a previous poster said maybe it would more be in the way of A-319's for parts commonality), they would actually increase the number of the aircraft operating that qualify as aircraft eligible to be counted toward the min fleet requirement.

25 190's counted as zero mainline aircraft putting them at or below the limit, 10 A-319's (or whatever number they worked out with Republic) would be counted as 10 ( or whatever number) mainline aircraft putting them above the limit.

This would then allow them to shed the older 737's as planned if they wanted to which support everyone else's theory that in the end they are trying to reduce capacity as well with this trade.

I'm sure old Dougy would just spin it as "smart business" though:

In one transaction he could:

1.) Rid himself of a fleet type: E-190 (cost savings).

2.) Rid himself of older aircraft: older 737's (cost savings).

3.) Ensure the minimum fleet size is being complied with (one less union mess).

4.) Might even be a little cash tied to the deal (increase cash)

Clear as mud?

 

[FlyinPiker]

As much as i want to believe Republic's plans are to leave Frontier as is, it just doesn't follow ol' Bedford's M.O.

He loves his E-jets. I'm sure he also loves the cheap labor that comes with his E-jets.

He's already announced that he's transitioning towards re-tooling an entire airline with them (current 170's and additional 190's), but not alluded to where these aircraft are going to come from.

25 190's would be way too many to add to the current Midwest operation as is ( I suppose they wouldn't have to take all of them, but these are leaving in one package is more probable that them being pieced out). Even if some of the current 170's operating for Midwest were replaced with 190's that would still leave excess aircraft.

That's where replacing some of the Buses would come in and it would work just as the Q-400 operation is set up. Separate pilots, separate airplanes...much cheaper than sticking with mainline product as is.

He would also already have a nice little batch of E-pilots ready to go because another rumor is that DAL might be taking the -175's currently being operated by Shuttle America and bringing them over to Compass (cutting the DCI agreement and taking the aircraft might have been what DAL got to help sell Midwest to Republic)

There appears to be some big things brewing between DAL, Republic, and USAirways.

Lots of rumors and lot's of very conveniently timed filings.

Last week Republic filed paperwork indicating they estimate having more than 75 "large aircraft" (=50+ seats) operating under the Republic certificate around Oct 1st and that the plans were to add additional 190's (they also asked that the number of aircraft they are allowed to operate be unrestricted). That same paperwork currently shows them operating 70 aircraft (not sure if that includes the 1 190 they have already and the other that has been announced) .

The next day Dougwieser came out with his "uhhhh I think we might be looking at ridding ourselves of these pesky E-jets"

It smells.

 

[pilotss]

Dont forget the Options US Airways has on the future jets too.

 

[ACL65PILOT]

Super I do not know if they own those jets. It would not be to raise Capital unless RAH leases them from LCC for a higher cost. I think it is simply a way to clean up their deplorable balance sheet.

There is a lot in play with LCC, and it is going to get a lot uglier than this.