With DL buying these frames, it places less burden on the regionals to get them financed, and also more flexibility to DL to whipsaw. However, long term, DL is going to have to do something with them, because SkyWest, Inc., has that (not yet finalized) order of 100 MRJs (if not more) coming to replace the CR7/9.
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My personal opinions are my own, and do not in any way reflect that of my company.
I think earliest SkyWest would take delivery of the MRJ is in 2017, assuming they continue forward and place an order.
Didn't see when delivery would be for the DL order of RJ900NG
Delta said orders would start in the second half of 2013. So, for those keeping score, that's an order for 100 739s, 88 717s and 40 CR9s, all with delivery starting in between six and 12 months.
Programs: DL - Diamond (NW - Plat), AA - Gold, Marriott - Plat, SPG - Plat, Omni - Black, Avis - First
Posts: 594
In the next 3-5 year DL will reduce its CRJ-200 fleet down to about ~125 aircraft.
I know most people on here hate on the CRJ, but it still has appropriate missions and is the only feasible aircraft in some markets. 10 years ago most of these routes were still getting turboprops.
Yes, many of the larger routes and/or markets with many frequencies will start to see more 2-class RJs.
However smaller markets that only see 2-4 flights per day will likely still be served by the CRJ-200.
I'll be so happy to see the CRJ200s get booted. I fly weekly between STL and CVG. The freqnecies have been cut to three flights daily - two on CRJ200s, one on a CRJ700. ALL of these flights are consistently oversold. So, if they replace the 200s with these new 900s on this route, it'll benefit everyone.
I just don't understand where Delta thought it would be a good idea to fly from a growing DL market (STL) to a hub (or focus city, however you want to label it now) on a CRJ200... Guess they're trying to push everyone through ATL.
