XJT goes to Europe

[Truckdriver]

http://expressjeteurope.com

Looks like JetX aviation has a new name and will become a reality in Europe. XJT may actually want to loose 69 aircraft from CAL so they can take them over to Europe where they won't have to compete with MESA, CHQ, and SKYW. Looks like 700 XJT guys may be able to be based Europe come next year. Kind of interesting how the timing is working out on all this stuff isn't it.

We may actually continue to fly them for CAL in Europe once the open skies stuff gets all worked out!

 

[Dave Benjamin]

From their website - ExpressJet Airlines is a U.S. based regional jet operator which has a minority ownership in ExpressJet Europe

I guess XJet found enough cash on hand to invest in another airline.

 

[Truckdriver]

From their website - ExpressJet Airlines is a U.S. based regional jet operator which has a minority ownership in ExpressJet Europe

I guess XJet found enough cash on hand to invest in another airline.

It's all holding company shenanigans. XJT holdings which owns ExpressJet Airlines also owns JetX aviation which was the name of the company before they re-named it ExpressJet Europe. So ExpressJet Holdings owns both ExpressJet Airlines and ExpressJet Europe. ExpressJet Airlines may also own a small share of the company for certificate reasons. This has been going on now for over a year, I just wasn't aware it had progressed into a company that could actually start flying within a year. Thanks to ALPA, XJT scope requires all flying within the holdings company to be done by XJT pilots. It looks like XJT will take the 69 airplanes and move them to Europe.

 

[champ2kt]

How low will CDG 135 Capt. go? will there be international override? .....are we out of beer???

 

[mobie]

ExpressJet Europe

May be a problem for any US pilot to obtain a JAA ATPL,right to work and abode.

Same thing happen to NJEurope.

Mobie

 

[Meiguy]

It would be sweet if we could do that flying. I asked that same question a while back. If I remember correctly since we don't own a majority share then our pilots wouldn't be required to fly those planes. I was told straight up it wouldn't be us. We are strictly in a consultant role right now. Who knows, maybe something will change.

 

[Truckdriver]

May be a problem for any US pilot to obtain a JAA ATPL,right to work and abode.

Same thing happen to NJEurope.

Mobie

If they are N numbered airplanes they can be flown by FAA licensed pilots. As far as the right to work and abode goes, I have no clue how that works.

 

[LJDRVR]

Fedex had a CDG based 727 operation for years. Staffed by plain old line pilots.

I think its pretty funny to listen to all the gloom and doom prophecies regarding our sad demise to the likes of Mesa, CHQ or TSA. Express Jet is run by clever folks. I can assure you that at least 44 of those 69 airframes will be remaining with XJT. We have an excellent product, the best in the business by just about any metric. Better on-time, fewer gate/air returns, lower MEL percentage, better dispatch reliability, you name it. We've also got the balance sheet to buy just about any airline out there. (Over 100 million dollars in operating profit this year.)

Here's my prediction: We have options on 44 airframes in 2007 that are capable of doing something nobody else can do, specifically, haul 50 bodies for four hours at M.78 Hot/high-altitude not a problem. We own our own sims, our own maintenace and our own paint shop in Saltillo. Who here thinks we might just maybe find somebody interested in such a product?

Change is great! Embrace it!

PS- Those of you who opinioned that CAL might be interested in your 170's, we would have been flying them already if not for CAL's 50-seat or less scope. After the recent ATM withdrawl the company made from their pockets, you can bet CAL's pilot's aren't giving that up anytime soon. By the way, CAL is a whole lot more profitable than their profit and earnings statements suggest. (Thanks to us.)

 

[BRA]

I wonder how many current express jet pilots also at one time had there resumes in at mesa, chautauqua and skywest. Everyone knows the percentage is probably pretty high. 40%? do i hear 60%?

 

[Superpilot92]

I can promise you mine was never in over at Mesa! Everyone i have ever known that has gone there either got out of flying all together or quit after the first year contract. Honestly CHQ and Skywest i wouldnt have minded working at.

 

[RSRVWINDSURFR]

deleted.

 

[SkyBoy1981]

I wonder how many current express jet pilots also at one time had there resumes in at mesa, chautauqua and skywest. Everyone knows the percentage is probably pretty high. 40%? do i hear 60%?

I applied to two...ASA and XJT. Hired at both. Came to the one that I thought was best to work for. Only time will tell if it was a good decision or not, however Mesa or any of those others did not see a copy of my resume.

 

[Long Time Gone]

Fedex had a CDG based 727 operation for years. Staffed by plain old line pilots........

Pan Am had a FRA crew base for a while in the early 90's until they shut down. Pan Am is the sole reason (at the time) why Terminal 2 was even built. I believe Delta kept the base open for a while after the buy out.

Any corrections on this are greatly appreciated.

 

[BRA]

I think at one time i applied to all them. Around the 2001-2002 time frame. Of course they were probably different companies back then, and those were different times. I just find it funny how some pilots think they are so far above pilots at other companies. Most of us just send resumes to the places we think are hiring, especially when hiring is tough. (2002-2003) Then you see the common advise on these boards of always taking the first place that offers the class date. Then you see people just slam other pilot groups. I saw a lot of hypocrisy from pilots at colgan when it went to PFT for short time. Some of the negative comments came from people with gulfstream academy on their resume.

 

[LJDRVR]

Pan Am had a FRA crew base for a while in the early 90's until they shut down. Pan Am is the sole reason (at the time) why Terminal 2 was even built.

I'm pretty sure there was a Pan Am Express operation feeding PA into Berlin using ATR's. I'm also pretty sure their DO is now the VP of Flight Ops at Express Jet Airlines. Interesting.

 

[Flyingdutchman]

Good luck finding a place to stay, eat and drink in London, Paris, Amsterdam, Frankfurt on 1700 bucks...

 

[jettypeguy]

Doesn't CAL own the airplanes that XJET flies? Didn't the press release say CAL was going to find someone else to fly these planes in the USA? So any operation in Europe by Xjet would result in them purchasing their own planes. Right?

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Doesn't CAL own the airplanes that XJET flies? Didn't the press release say CAL was going to find someone else to fly these planes in the USA? So any operation in Europe by Xjet would result in them purchasing their own planes. Right?

XJT has the option of keeping the airplanes for other use outside of CAL with a slightly higher lease rate.

 

[jettypeguy]

XJT has the option of keeping the airplanes for other use outside of CAL with a slightly higher lease rate.

Yeah I just re-read the press release and I see that, although it's more than "slightly" higher. It sounds like they may be well above market rates...

From Press Release "ExpressJet can continue to sublease from Continental any of the 69 withdrawn aircraft, although at significantly increased lease rates."

 

[SkyBoy1981]

Yeah I just re-read the press release and I see that, although it's more than "slightly" higher. It sounds like they may be well above market rates...

From Press Release "ExpressJet can continue to sublease from Continental any of the 69 withdrawn aircraft, although at significantly increased lease rates."

It actually isn't as high as that article makes it sound...or at least so I have been told. Since the aircraft were purchased at a very low rate to begin with, even the increased rate is still quite good.

 

[TNPILOT]

It actually isn't as high as that article makes it sound...or at least so I have been told. Since the aircraft were purchased at a very low rate to begin with, even the increased rate is still quite good.

True, XJT was the launch customer and therefore got very favorable leasing. As for XJT Europe and whether or not we will be doing the flying, it really depends on whether or not that sort of flying would be covered by the RLA which covers American companies doing business at home or abroad. My guess is that we will not be doing the flying but that is pure speculation and that is IF XJT Europe finds airlines over there willing to negotiate a CPA.