Originally Posted by
cosflyer
I've flown on the 550 4x now and even though i like the idea of this i still have to wonder if ua will can this project once they get a new contract with their pilots and convert them back to 70 seats. i have not seen any numbers on casm but gojet has to be doing this for next to nothing or ua is not making alot of $$ on this.
I seriously doubt that UA is going to get scope relief from the pilots, so the CR5 is probably here for a while. The CR7 doesn't have dramatically higher trip costs than a CR2, and with a F cabin, plus ancillaries, the CR5 definitely has greater revenue potential than a CR2. So, contrary to 'conventional wisdom', I don't think the CR5 is necessarily a
loser for UA, but an acceptable stop-gap until UA can solve its scope issue (whether by bringing in a new small narrowbody type or reaching a different solution).
Even if UA finds a way to take on more 76-seaters, what's likelier (IMV) is that UA converts the 70-seat E-175SC to the standard 76-seat configuration (since presumably more will be allowed) and continues to draw down 50-seaters in favor of the CR5. I don't expect to see a mad rush to reconfigure the CR5 back to a CR7, as UA still has lots of thoroughly-uncompetitive 50-seaters in the system.