SkyWest Continues Push Toward CRJ-550
The regional airline will convert extra CRJ-700s into the 50-seat cabin format.
By Ryan Ewing
SkyWest is increasing its CRJ-550 fleet with plans so as to add as much as 40 extra by 2026. At present, the regional airline big operates a handful of the premium-heavy 50-seat jets for Delta Connection and shortly United Specific.
In early October, United disclosed that it had inked an agreement with SkyWest for 11 CRJ-550s. The regional plane isn’t new to United’s community as GoJet operates 40.
GoJet and United rolled out the CRJ-550 in 2019, which is a modified CRJ-700 with simply 50 seats together with a snack bar and extra baggage storage.
Additional baggage storage on the CRJ-550 (Photograph: Dylan Oakes)
On Thursday, SkyWest introduced that its “multi-year” settlement with United consists of 40 CRJ-550s, 11 of which will probably be purchased used. The opposite 29 will probably be transformed from present CRJ-700s inside SkyWest’s fleet.
“This plane is a perfect substitute for single-class CRJ-200s,” mentioned Wade Metal, SkyWest’s chief business officer, throughout a third-quarter earnings call.
The extra CRJ-550s will embrace plane which are in storage and actively flying, Metal shared.
The corporate has already acquired one CRJ-550 within the third quarter with plans so as to add extra plane between 2024 and 2026. 4 jets are anticipated to enter service by the top of 2024.
In response to Cirium Fleet Analyzer, SkyWest has 104 CRJ-700s at the moment in service together with 33 in storage. The provider additionally plans to function 19 CRJ-550s beneath the Delta Connection banner; a handful are already flying from Delta’s Detroit, Minneapolis, and Salt Lake City hubs.
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Ryan based AirlineGeeks.com again in February 2013 and has amassed appreciable expertise within the aviation sector. His work has been featured in a number of publications and information shops, together with CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Enterprise Insider. Throughout his time within the business, he is labored in roles pertaining to airport/airline operations whereas holding a B.S. in Air Transportation Administration from Arizona State College together with an MBA. Ryan has expertise in a number of sides of the business from behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 to interviewing airline business executives. Ryan works for AirlineGeeks’ proprietor FLYING Media, spearheading protection within the business aviation house.
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