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First Look: Inside Delta Connection’s CRJ-550

Delta Connection’s CRJ-550s also appear to feature the snack bar and closet and are branded with the carrier’s typical seat design colors.

Ryan Ewing
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

A Delta Connection CRJ-700 aircraft (Photo: Shutterstock)

Earlier this year, regional carrier SkyWest announced plans to operate 19 CRJ-550 aircraft under the Delta Connection brand. The move to add these aircraft follows a mandate by the Atlanta-based carrier requiring all regional routes to be flown with two-class aircraft.

Delta is the second carrier to include the CRJ-550 in its regional portfolio; United debuted the type in 2019. The aircraft are operated by GoJet, though SkyWest also plans to fly CRJ-550s for United Express beginning later this year.

SkyWest began operating the CRJ-550 for Delta Connection in July. Since then, the carrier has converted five aircraft into the 50-seat configuration with more on the way, per planespotters.net.

The Delta Connection CRJ-550 fleet operates from the airline’s hubs in Salt Lake City, Detroit, and Minneapolis/St Paul, mostly to smaller Essential Air Service (EAS) markets.

Onboard Amenities

While United proudly showcased the CRJ-550 during its introduction five years ago, Delta and SkyWest have been far quieter. The United Express aircraft features various amenities, including an onboard snack bar and additional baggage storage closets.

The same appears true for the SkyWest aircraft, at least according to recent social media posts. Like United, the Delta Connection/SkyWest jets feature 50 seats, including 10 in first class and 40 in economy.

CRJ 550
byu/_Kloudz__ indelta

Typical CRJ-700s can accommodate around 70 passengers, depending on the airline. The CRJ-550 uses the CRJ-700 airframe, making for a roomier onboard experience.

Delta Connection’s CRJ-550s also appear to feature the snack bar and closet and are branded with the carrier’s typical seat designs.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Runaway Cargo Container Damages American 787

According to reports on Twitter/X, the aircraft — registered as N834AA — was struck by a cargo container while taxiing to its gate.

Ryan Ewing
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Ryan Ewing

An American 787-9 at LAX (Photo: AirlineGeeks

An American Airlines Boeing 787-9 Dreamliner was damaged on Thursday after landing at Chicago O’Hare. According to reports on Twitter/X, the aircraft — registered as N834AA — was struck by a cargo container while taxiing to its gate.

One of the jet’s GEnx engines was damaged after reportedly ingesting the container. The aircraft remains out of service.

No injuries were reported following the incident, but the container was “destroyed,” according to reports.

“After safely landing at Chicago O’Hare International Airport (ORD), American Airlines flight 47, with service from London-Heathrow (LHR), reported damage to its engine while taxiing to the gate at ORD. The aircraft has been taken out of service to be inspected by our maintenance team. Safety is our top priority, and we thank our team members for their professionalism and our customers for their understanding,” an airline spokesperson told WGN9.

According to LiveATC recordings, the 787’s crew reported that a nearby tug lost its containers, and “we think we took one in the right engine.”

Emergency services were requested before all 283 passengers and 12 crew members safely deplaned.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Emirates Unveils Newest A380 Special Livery

The bold new livery adorns an Airbus A380, becoming the fourth superjumbo in Emirates' fleet to feature a full special paint scheme.

Ryan Ewing
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Ryan Ewing

Emirates debuts a new A380 special livery. (Photo: Emirates)

Editor’s Note: AirlineGeeks is proud to present our ‘Livery of the Week’ series. Every Friday, a team member will share an airline livery, which can be from the past, present, or even a special scheme. Some airline liveries are works of art. The complexity associated with painting around critical flight components and the added weight requires outside-the-box thinking from designers. The average airliner can cost upwards of $200,000 to repaint, creating a separate aircraft repainting industry as a result. 

Have an idea for a livery that we should highlight? Drop us a line. 

Emirates, the official airline partner of the National Basketball Association (NBA) and the inaugural title partner of the Emirates NBA Cup, has unveiled a striking new livery on one of its A380 aircraft to celebrate the start of the 2024-25 NBA season.

The new livery features a blue gradient across the superjumbo’s fuselage, along with the NBA logo, and a red Emirates logo with a basketball bouncing between it and the NBA logo. The aircraft’s engine cowls are also adorned with red and white calligraphy.

Emirates’ newest Airbus A380 special livery (Photo: Emirates)

According to the airline, the livery was created by Emirates’ in-house design and engineering teams, taking 24 days to complete. Emirates emphasized that the new paint scheme is not just a decal, but a “full repaint.”

To coincide with the upcoming NBA Cup, passengers will experience onboard NBA-inspired products and services on flights to 14 points in the U.S. and Canada between Nov. 1 and Dec. 17.

Painted engine cowlings on the NBA-themed Emirates A380 (Photo: Emirates)

The carrier shared that passengers can expect NBA-themed menus, drinks, and amenities throughout their flight and at select lounge locations in Dubai, New York JFK, San Francisco, Los Angeles, and Boston.

“We are proud to be the Official Global Airline Partner of the NBA and the inaugural title partner of the Emirates NBA Cup,” said Boutros Boutros, Emirates’ executive vice president of corporate communications, marketing and brand, in a news release. “The new livery is a celebration of the marketing partnership and the game which brings people together from around the world, and we hope to spread the passion and connect with fans across basketball-loving nations across our network. We also look forward to showcasing unique onboard experiences starting next month, with a host of NBA-themed products and services to inspire and delight our customers.”

Registered as A6-EOD, the newly-repainted Airbus A380 will fly between Dubai and New York-JFK for a “limited time” as Emirates flight 201. The carrier has a total of four A380s painted in full special liveries.

Looking for a new airplane model? Head over to our friends at the Midwest Model Store for a wide selection of airlines and liveries.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

United: Regional Fleet to Become Smaller Part of Airline

United’s regional strategy will involve larger aircraft and fewer frequencies with subsequently lower unit costs, the carrier said this week.

Ryan Ewing
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Ryan Ewing

United Express E175
A United Express Embraer E175 (Photo: Shutterstock | Austin Deppe)

As its U.S. peers continue restoring pre-pandemic regional capacity levels, United says it is already there. But with unit cost pressures for smaller regional jets increasing, the Chicago-based airline doesn’t expect much growth in smaller markets.

During a third-quarter earnings call on Wednesday, United’s commercial chief, Andrew Nocella, said regional capacity has returned “a little bit quicker than we anticipated at the beginning of the year.” Still, though, Nocella adds that these smaller jets “do pressure CASM [cost per available seat mile].”

Just this week, United detailed plans to shake up its regional portfolio. In December, SkyWest will begin operating a handful of premium-heavy CRJ-550s under the United Express brand.

With 40 CRJ-550s already in service operated by regional carrier GoJet, Nocella shares that the airline continues to be pleased with the modified CRJ-700 variant that has just 50 seats. “That aircraft has been actually much better than expected for United. So we’re glad to be able to expand that, which allows us to better serve these smaller communities,” he said.

First class on United’s CRJ-550 (Photo: Dylan Oakes)

In addition, Mesa Airlines — which operates solely on behalf of United — is making the switch to an all-Embraer E175 operation “at United’s request.” The Phoenix-based regional carrier is slated to phase out its remaining 15 CRJ-900s by March 2025.

The active United Express fleet currently includes 57 Embraer E145s, 233 E170/E175s, 68 CRJ-200s, 58 CRJ-700s, and 15 CRJ-900s per Cirium Fleet Analyzer data.

A Different Regional Footprint

While both American and Delta touted their near returns to full regional jet utilization, United seems less concerned. “We are back to full utilization on the RJs [regional jets] at our new run rate fleet,” added Nocella.

The airline’s current fleet plan shows a slight bump of three additional 50-seat aircraft to be added by year-end. As pilot supply constraints improve, many regional airlines are still returning jets to service.

Nocella said he doesn’t expect “a large-scale change coming at United in how we serve these smaller communities.”

“So expect the RJ fleet to still be around and do [its] thing, but it will become a smaller and smaller percentage of the business,” he continued. “And we will serve the smaller communities with a mixture of RJs and mainline jets and have the lowest cost possible in those communities.”

Moving forward, he said, United’s regional strategy will involve larger aircraft and fewer frequencies with subsequently lower unit costs.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

European Carriers Call for Action Against Chinese Counterparts

European airlines are calling for action against Chinese carriers to achieve a so-called level playing field amid the Russian airspace closure.

Anthony Bang An
Verified

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Ryan Ewing

A China Eastern 777 turns onto the runway in Los Angeles. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

European airlines are calling for a so-called “level playing field” with their Chinese counterparts, specifically referring to the Russian airspace access that Chinese carriers use and the absence of environmental costs. 

According to Reuters, Lufthansa CEO Carsten Spohr said all flights to Europe, regardless of the airline, should avoid Russian airspace. ‘If you want a level playing field, we need to ensure any airline landing in Europe avoids Russian airspace. Until that happens there will be enormous advantages to Chinese carriers,” Sophr shared.

A Lufthansa Boeing 747-400 (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Spohr also pointed to the European trading system as another “financial advantage” Chinese carriers have. Spohr’s Lufthansa has recently cancelled its decades-long route from Frankfurt to Beijing, citing costs incurred by longer flying time. 

Other European airline executives, including Air France-KLM CEO Ben Smith, have voiced similar concerns over the unfair competition, and the European Commission is said to be “examining the matter,” according to De Telegraaf. 

Chinese Routes No Longer Profitable 

Many European airlines are either reducing their presence or pulling out of China completely due to the unprofitability of operations. Polish carrier LOT, SAS, and Virgin Atlantic will all leave the country entirely next month, while Lufthansa and British Airways have both reduced their presence. 

SAS will terminate its flights between Copenhagen and Shanghai, its last Chinese destination. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Ben Suskind)

The market is traditionally profitable for carriers but has not fully recovered after the COVID-19 pandemic due to the slowed international traffic recovery out of China. The Russian airspace problems further discouraged European carriers from adding capacity. On the Chinese side, excess capacity has been dumped on the European routes with low fares. 

Limited and Varied Response

Despite repeated calls from industry leaders, little has been done on the European level. So far, the only recorded action taken against Chinese carriers was by the Austrian government, who denied landing rights for a proposed Shanghai-Vienna connection by China Eastern on the grounds of ‘unfair competition’ earlier this year. 

There has also been conversation around imposing an additional fee or tax for overflying Russia, as well as diplomatic efforts. The CEO of KLM, Marjan Rintel, has called for such a policy from the Dutch government and the European level. The Dutch cabinet, however, sees no possibility for its imposition, citing legal reasons, according to the Luchtvaartnieuws. 

It is important to note that a ban or tax on overflying Russia will not only implicate Chinese airlines. Many other Asian airlines still routinely use Russian airspace on their way to Europe, such as Air India, MIAT Mongolia, and Uzbekistan Airways, among others. 

Anthony Bang An

Anthony is an aviation enthusiast who grew up around the world from St. Louis to Singapore, and now lives in Amsterdam. He loves long-haul flying and finds peace in the sound of engine cruising. He aspires to share his passion for the sky though writing and providing another angle on the stories.

CEO of Nigeria’s Largest Private Airline Charged With Obstructing Justice in U.S.

Despite the legal challenges surrounding its leadership, Air Peace has continued to expand its operations, including plans for additional aircraft acquisitions.

Victor Shalton
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An Air Peace 737 (Photo: Anna Zvereva, CC BY-SA 2.0 , via Wikimedia Commons)

Allen Ifechukwu Athan Onyema, the founder and Chief Executive Officer of Air Peace, Nigeria’s largest private airline, and the airline’s Chief of Administration and Finance, Ejiroghene Eghagha, face fresh legal challenges in the United States. Both have been charged with obstruction of justice, according to an announcement by the U.S. Department of Justice (DOJ) on October 11, 2024.

The charges allege that Onyema and Eghagha submitted fraudulent documents to U.S. authorities in a bid to thwart an ongoing investigation. This investigation, initially related to previous accusations of bank fraud and money laundering, has now expanded to include additional charges of obstruction.

The prosecution is a collaborative effort involving multiple U.S. agencies, such as the Drug Enforcement Administration (DEA), Internal Revenue Service (IRS), Homeland Security Investigations (HSI), the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA), the Department of Commerce, and the U.S. Treasury. Assistant U.S. Attorneys Garrett L. Bradford and Christopher J. Huber are leading the case.

U.S. Attorney Ryan K. Buchanan emphasized the gravity of the new charges, stating, “Onyema, alongside his co-defendant, is accused of taking steps to mislead investigators and obstruct the government’s ongoing case. The work of our federal law enforcement agencies has been crucial in exposing this scheme, ensuring those responsible are held accountable.”

DEA and IRS Comments on the Case

Robert J. Murphy, Special Agent in Charge of the DEA Atlanta Division, also commented on the case, saying, “This is yet another example of the DEA’s commitment to rooting out individuals involved in financial crimes and money laundering.”

Similarly, Lisa Fontanette, Assistant Special Agent in Charge at the IRS Criminal Investigation division in Atlanta, said, “The latest indictment reflects the dedication of IRS-CI agents and our law enforcement partners in dismantling fraudulent operations.”

Air Peace Responds to Indictments

In response to these charges, Air Peace released a statement on October 13, 2024, acknowledging the situation surrounding its CEO and Eghagha. The airline’s statement, shared on its social media platform X, read: “Air Peace is aware of the latest legal developments involving our Chairman and CEO, Dr. Allen Ifechukwu Onyema, and our Chief of Administration and Finance, Mrs. Ejiro Eghagha. These allegations relate to legal proceedings from several years ago.”

The statement continued, “While new charges have been added, we reiterate that both Dr. Onyema and Mrs. Eghagha are innocent until proven otherwise. Their legal teams are actively addressing the situation, and we are confident that justice will prevail. Throughout this process, Air Peace remains operational and committed to providing high-quality service to our customers.”

Initial 2019 Indictment

Allen Onyema’s legal battles with the U.S. first made headlines in November 2019, when he was charged with bank fraud and money laundering. U.S. prosecutors alleged that Onyema had used Air Peace as a front for fraudulent activities, channeling around $20 million through the U.S. banking system. Ejiro Eghagha was also implicated, facing charges of bank fraud and identity theft.

According to the DOJ’s earlier statement, Onyema opened several personal and business bank accounts in the U.S. between 2010 and 2018, receiving substantial sums from international sources. Between 2016 and 2018, it was alleged that Onyema and Eghagha manipulated export letters of credit to transfer over $20 million to U.S. accounts, purportedly for the purchase of Boeing 737 aircraft for Air Peace. The transactions were said to be based on falsified documents.

One key element in the case was the role of Springfield Aviation Company LLC, an entity allegedly linked to Onyema. The company was supposedly used to funnel funds through the banking system, despite not owning any of the aircraft involved in the transaction.

The latest charges against Onyema and Eghagha focus on actions allegedly taken to obstruct the DOJ’s investigation. According to the indictment, Onyema instructed a Springfield Aviation manager in 2019 to sign a business contract and later present the contract as evidence, backdated to 2016. The backdated document was purportedly aimed at deceiving U.S. authorities and preventing the freezing of Onyema’s accounts.

Founded in 2013 by Onyema, Air Peace has grown into Nigeria’s largest private airline. It operates a range of services, including domestic and international flights, with a current fleet that includes 11 Boeing 737 aircraft, as well as five Embraer 195-E2s. The rest of the fleet comprises of a 777-200ER, two 777-300s, and six ERJ145s operated by its domestic subsidiary Air Peace Hopper.

Despite the legal challenges surrounding its leadership, Air Peace has continued to expand its operations, including plans for additional aircraft acquisitions in the near future that include five E175s and ten Boeing 737 MAX 8s.

Victor Shalton

Victor Shalton's love for aviation can be traced to when he was 11-years-old. As a seasoned aviation writer, he takes pride in providing the best aviation coverage around the globe and is passionate about advancing his skills in the aviation space. In addition, he loves travelling, writing, arts and while his speaking engagements have taken him around the world, he is proud to call Nairobi home.

Routes Europe 2026 Expected to Propel Rimini Airport Forward

Federico Fellini International Airport of Rimini and San Marino bets on hosting Routes Europe 2026 to increase its route network.

Vanni Gibertini
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Federico Fellini International Airport of Rimini and San Marino's main terminal (Photo: TeddyDTE - Own work, CC BY-SA 4.0)

One of the mantras of the airline industry is “sell airlines, buy airports.” Evidence shows that profitability can be much easier to reach among airports than among airlines, where even the most successful enterprises struggle to reach double-digit profit margins. But that is not necessarily true for small regional airports serving less densely populated regions or that, for whatever reason, are not able to attract healthy traffic streams.

One example of this harsh reality is Federico Fellini International Airport in Rimini, Italy. This airport, located in the middle of one of the most touristically-developed areas on the Italian Adriatic coast and named after the famous film director Federico Fellini, had good traffic flows in the recent past with a record 916,239 passengers in 2011, but poor management, bankruptcies, and external events led to a period of temporary closure in the middle of the 2010s.

Airiminum 2014 S.p.A. took over control in 2015 and committed to its relaunch.

Host of Routes Europe 2026

As part of this plan to develop new traffic, during the 2024 edition of Routes World in Bahrain, Airiminum 2014 announced it will host Routes Europe 2026, the regional event managed by the aviation consulting company ASM that promotes networking between European airports and airlines interested in serving the region.

“We are very proud to host Routes Europe in 2026 in our city for promoting our airport, its conference center and the city of Rimini in order to attract new flight services. Our objective to increase direct air connections is a top priority for Rimini Airport and for the future of the city,” said Leonardo Corbucci, CEO of Airiminum 2014 after the announcement. “Rimini Airport is the gateway for the territory to Europe and its promotion and development are a key element in maintaining Rimini as a cutting-edge city on an international level. We truly believe that Rimini will leave an indelible mark on the participants of the European development forum of 2026 and will help Airiminum Airport to grow even more in all markets.”

During Routes World 2024 in Bahrain, AirlineGeeks had the opportunity to meet with Enzo Salvatore Arena, post holder for aviation movements of Rimini Airport, to discuss the next development steps of this airport serving an area with three million visitors a year but currently only capturing a small percentage of the air traffic potential of its area.

“We are very proud to be the operator for Rimini Airport, completely privatized, and with a concession that will last until 2050, with a possible extension of one further year to account for the traffic we lost due to the COVID pandemic,” Arena said.

During 2020 the airport only registered 38,758 passengers, a 90% drop compared to 2019. But Rimini Airport’s toughest challenge was still to come, with the war between Russia and Ukraine and the economic sanctions towards Russia: “Until 2022 approximately 65% of our traffic was originating from those two countries, and although the passenger numbers were not exceptional, it allowed us to build a good profitability basis.”

New Year-Round Services to be Announced

At the moment, three scheduled airlines are operating from Fellini Airport: Ryanair is the biggest operator, with nine routes (eight of which are seasonal), then Luxair flies some services during the summer and Wizz Air has just started a year-round service to Tirana, Albania. Then there are also some charters operated by Neos to sunshine destinations in the Mediterranean. “Rimini is not only an incoming market,” explains Arena. “There are many people living here who work all summer and then want to go on vacation themselves when the season is over.”

The tourist season has been getting longer and longer in recent years, as the local authorities have been pushing on the fairs and exhibition market: “Between Rimini and the nearby Riccione there are approximately 340-350 events a year, and we have a circuit in Misano, right at the end of Runway 31, hosting top-tier motorbike competitions.” The season is now extending from April to almost November, providing a good business case for year-round services.

“There will soon be announcements for four new routes, which will start in summer 2025 and two of those routes will continue also in the winter,” said Arena. Rimini Airport is still working hard to re-establish a link to a major European hub in order to provide passengers in their catchment area a local option to connect to long-haul flights.

Until 2019 there was a Lufthansa service to Frankfurt, but the flight was not reinstated after a suspension caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Now Lufthansa is in the process of purchasing a controlling stake in ITA Airways, the new Italian flag carrier: “We can’t say ITA Airways will be coming to Rimini soon, the decisional process is now more complicated and involves the parent company in Germany, but it is not totally out of question,” added Arena. “I am confident we will have another network carrier in Rimini within a few years.”

Stop the Leakage

Rimini Airport’s 30 km (19 miles) catchment area includes also the small landlocked country of San Marino, attracting 2.4 million visitors per year despite a population of only 34,000 people. According to an analysis by ASM, that catchment area generates approximately 2.8 million air journeys, 80% of which are leaked to other airports, some of them even as far as Milan, a 4.5-hour drive away.

Hopefully, when delegates of Routes Europe 2026 will descend on Rimini in less than two years’ time, they will be able to fly directly to Rimini instead of having to use Bologna or other airports in the region.

Vanni Gibertini

Vanni fell in love with commercial aviation during his undergraduate studies in Statistics at the University of Bologna, when he prepared his thesis on the effects of deregulation on the U.S. and European aviation markets. Then he pursued his passion further by obtaining a Master’s Degree in Air Transport Management at Cranfield University in the U.K. followed by holding several management positions at various start-up carriers in Europe (Jet2, SkyEurope, Silverjet). After moving to Canada, he was Business Development Manager for IATA for nine years before turning to his other passion: sports writing.

Mesa Reports $20 Million Loss, Drops CRJ Fleet

Mesa Air Group — the parent company of Mesa Airlines — reported a net loss of $19.9 million for the fiscal third quarter of 2024.

Ryan Ewing
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

Mesa CRJ-900
A Mesa Airlines CRJ-900 in Phoenix. (Photo: Shutterstock | Robin Guess)

Mesa Air Group — the parent company of Mesa Airlines — reported a net loss of $19.9 million for the fiscal third quarter of 2024. The regional carrier exclusively operates Embraer E175 and CRJ-900 jets on behalf of United.

On Wednesday, the Phoenix-based company said its United Express contract revenues were up 8% year over year, reporting a total operating revenue of $110.8 million.

According to Cirium Fleet Analyzer data, Mesa currently operates 56 E175s and 15 CRJ-900s within the United Express network. The carrier has been selling off some of its CRJs, removing six more from its fleet in June.

During the same month, Mesa announced it would furlough 12 pilots and defer training for 41 more due to a “significant and unexpected reduction in pilot attrition levels.” The carrier shared on Wednesday that it has begun recalling these pilots “in anticipation of improved aircraft utilization,” CEO Jonathan Ornstein said.

Transition to All-Embraer

In its earnings release, Mesa said it will transition to an all-Embraer fleet, removing the CRJ-900s from United’s network. This move, the airline said, was “at United’s request” and is slated to take effect by March 1, 2025.

United will reimburse Mesa for costs up to $14 million associated with the transition. In addition, United agreed to purchase two leased CRJ-700s for $11 million.

“While we are not yet providing a forecast for fiscal year 2025, our focus continues to be on increasing utilization and maintaining overall operational performance,” added Ornstein in the release. “As we transition into flying all E-175s, we will look to drive additional efficiencies from operating a single fleet type. We will also continue to consider longer-term financial and strategic opportunities to enhance the business.”

Mesa’s CRJ-900s previously flew under the American Eagle banner, but the two airlines terminated their agreement in April 2023 following a 30-year partnership. The carrier also ended a capacity agreement with DHL in May 2024.

A Mesa CRJ 900 in the American Eagle livery. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

During an early 2024 earnings call, fellow regional operator SkyWest shared that it would receive 20 more United-owned E175s. The carrier’s commercial chief, Wade Steel, said these jets would come from another United Express carrier but did not provide any details.

Cirium fleet data shows that these aircraft are likely coming from Mesa. At the time of writing, all 20 aircraft have transitioned into the SkyWest fleet.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.

Elliott, Southwest Leadership Trade Blows in ‘Fight for the Future’ of Airline

Elliott launched a new podcast featuring one-on-one conversations with Elliott’s director nominees for Southwest’s Board of Directors.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff
Verified

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Ryan Ewing

Southwest 737-800
A Southwest 737-800 takes off from Los Angeles. (Photo: AirlineGeeks | William Derrickson)

Elliott Investment Management L.P. launched a new podcast featuring one-on-one conversations with Elliott’s director nominees for Southwest’s Board of Directors on Tuesday, one day after the investment firm called for a Dec. 10 special meeting seeking the election of eight total board nominees.

“Today’s launch of an innovative new podcast series will offer shareholders an opportunity to learn more about these uniquely qualified nominees,” Elliott said in a news release on Tuesday.

Described as an activist investor group, Elliott has previously called for Southwest CEO Bob Jordan to step down, though the carrier’s board has stood behind him after announcing several other leadership changes in September. Elliott currently owns approximately 11% of economic interest in Southwest.

Elliott’s podcast announcement comes the week of Southwest’s 2024 “Rise Above” leadership conference in Dallas. Some Southwest employees have pushed back publicly against Elliott’s messaging on social media with the motto: “It’s Our Southwest.”

One post quoted Jordan in an internal memo as saying: “This is not a fight ‘against Elliott.’ This is a fight for the future of Southwest Airlines.”

“It can all be gone in the blink of an eye if we aren’t vigilant, and if we don’t fight to preserve it,” he added.

AirlineGeeks.com Staff

AirlineGeeks.com was founded in February 2013 as a one-person blog in Washington D.C. Since then, we’ve grown to have 25+ active team members scattered across the globe. We are all here for the same reason: we love deep-diving into the fascinating realm of the airline industry.

DOT Tentatively Awards Coveted Washington National Slots

The Department of Transportation tentatively awarded new slots for routes outside of Washington Reagan National Airport's 1,250-mile perimeter.

Ryan Ewing
Verified

Edited By:

Ryan Ewing

An American 737 MAX at Washington's Reagan National Airport (Photo: Shutterstock | BUI LE MANH HUNG)

The Department of Transportation tentatively awarded new slots for routes outside of Washington Reagan National Airport’s 1,250-mile perimeter rule on Wednesday. Earlier this year, Congress allocated the additional slots as part of the FAA Reauthorization Act of 2024.

Five round-trip flights are set to be awarded with eight airlines applying. The outlined criteria for choosing air carriers were as follows: The exemptions must enhance options for nonstop travel to “beyond-perimeter airports” that do not have nonstop service from Reagan National as of the signing of the bill, or they must have a positive impact on the overall level of competition in the markets.

Four of the slot pairs were made available to nonlimited incumbent carriers while the remaining slot was available to one airline qualifying for status as a limited incumbent carrier at the airport.

American and Delta

Both American and Delta won their respective proposals for long-distance flights from Reagan National. American plans to serve San Antonio with daily Airbus A321 flights.

Delta is set to serve its Seattle hub with daily service from the D.C. airport on an Airbus A321neo. The airline will compete directly with Alaska on the same route.

“American would like to thank the city and community of San Antonio, the San Antonio International Airport, U.S. Senator Cruz and the entire Texas delegation for its strong partnership and support of this effort. I’d also like to thank DOT for recognizing the overwhelming value this route will bring to a previously unserved market,” said American executive vice president Nate Gatten in a Wednesday news release. “We look forward to DOT issuing a final order so we can begin connecting more members of Military City USA with our nation’s capital and our industry-leading global network.”

Alaska and Southwest

Alaska and Southwest were also awarded new routes. Alaska will add service between Reagan National and San Diego on a Boeing 737 MAX 8 aircraft. The Seattle-based carrier also serves San Diego from Washington Dulles.

An Alaska 737-800 at Reagan National Airport (Photo: AirlineGeeks | Craig Fischer)

San Diego is the largest unserved market from the airport, previously flown by US Airways before the route was axed in 2014.

“Alaska is proud to connect these two critical markets and looks forward to providing our premium service to guests in San Diego, Washington, D.C. and across the West Coast,” the airline said as part of a statement.

Southwest will operate new flights between Washington and Las Vegas following the slot award. The carrier will go head-to-head with American on the route.

United

Even with its nearby hub at Washington Dulles, United is slated to take the fifth slot, adding more flights to San Francisco. The route would be the carrier’s second daily flight between the two cities.

The DOT’s decision remains tentative, the agency noted as part of a “show cause” order issued on Wednesday. A public comment period will be available prior to a final order. The agency’s order can be found here.

In addition to the carriers that received tentative awards, JetBlue, Spirit, and Frontier applied for one of the five slots. In a July statement, Breeze — which does not currently serve the airport — called the reauthorization legislation unfair and anti-competitive because it excludes nonincumbent airlines.

JetBlue scaled back capacity on some of its existing routes from Reagan National during the upcoming winter months.

Editor’s Note: This story was updated on Wednesday, Oct. 16, 2024 at 9:24 p.m. ET to include a quote from Alaska Airlines.

Ryan Ewing

Ryan founded AirlineGeeks.com in February 2013 and has spent more than a decade covering the airline business. His work has been featured by CNN, WJLA, CNET, and Business Insider. His aviation experience spans airport operations, Part 135 regulatory compliance, and airline crew workforce planning, along with time behind the yoke of a Cessna 172 and interviews with airline executives. Ryan now serves as Group President of Firecrown Media’s Aviation Group. He holds a B.S. in Air Transportation Management and an MBA from Arizona State University and teaches Airline Management at Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University.
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