channa

This thread is so sad. CO did so well Continental-ifying the ExpressJet experience -- same paint job, interior was blue, uniforms seemed to be like mainline, even the food and beverages were identical. Very unlike the hodgepodge of carriers you see with other carrier partners.

It's going to be tough getting all these vendors -- Colgan, Sh!taqua, etc. -- to perform to the same standard.

CO 1E

Chautauqua is not a subsidiary of CO - it is merely a contract operator.

CO 1E

On my last trip through the wonderful IAH B terminal, I observed a whole cluster of unpainted CHQ aircraft parked near the B84-ish area.

delpreston

Wasn't it CO under Gordon Bethune's management team that insisted that even if they couldn't afford a paint job, all the planes had to look the same?

I don't think he'd be happy with the CHQ unmarked jets, let alone the CHQ deal to begin with.

notsosmart

As bad as Gordon was, on so many levels, I guarantee you that this sorry excuse for an airline would not be carrying paying CO customers if he was CEO today.

J.Edward

Bethune purportedly also threatened to empty a Beretta clip at the MX guys unless all the CO planes were in the new (present day) colors when he was told 'it could not be done'.

Sadly the same tactic did not work for me when I used it against the GA for the last upgrade.

fly co to see the yanks

as long as i get there, i could care less. remember, you are flying on the inside of the plane. why does it matter what the outside looks like?

vassilipan

Mea culpa.

It's still a POS.

ssullivan

True, but it is a marketing thing. Flying a plane with the United Express titles scraped off but still visible and telling passengers it's Continental Express probably doesn't leave a very good impression with many passengers, especially those not familiar with the changeover of some COEX flights from ExpressJet to Chautauqua.

And if it's the interior that counts, then that's where Chautauqua fails miserably. Their interiors are highly inconsistent. There are the ex-Independence Air CRJs (registration numbers end in "BR), which are the nicest of the bunch, with wider seats, decent cushioning, and new blue leather seat covers. By far these are the nicest planes in the Chautauqua COEX operation, and given my absolute hatred of the CRJ-100/200/440, it's not easy for me to say anything nice about that type of equipment. But when I do have to resort to flying one, the aisle exit row seats aren't too bad, and can be quite comfortable if you're on one of the ex-Independence Air planes.

After that, it goes downhill. There are the other CRJs that Chautauqua is flying. These are ex-Comair planes (registration numbers end in CA), and they are very worn looking inside. They have black leather seats, some of which are in dire need of new covers. The seats aren't quite as wide, and the armrests are lower. I may be wrong, but it seems like the lighting is dimmer in these planes. Several of them I've flown on had issues with the air conditioning not working well.

And then there are the Chautauqua ERJs, the best of which have interiors that could be described as mediocre. Most I've flown on still have the US Airways look to them, with gray seats and the US gray stripe pattern on the bulkheads. Several of these I've flown on have had broken overhead bin latches and missing window shades. One had a broken armrest at my seat.

Now I've been on some mainline CO planes that had some interior issues, and some of those circa-1997/1998 ExpressJet ERJs are showing their age inside. But on mainline and ExpressJet operated COEX flights those issues have been the exception. On Chautauqua aircraft they've been the norm.

Big_Dutch

Actually Republic and Chautaqua are headquartered in Indianapolis.

chasbondy

>>>>Since those flight are NOT CO on the inside... maybe there is no reason to say CO on the outside..>>>
The old Hooters Airline was Hooters on the outside, and Hooters on the inside, that is, until male F/A's claimed hiring discrimination

fly co to see the yanks

matters absolutely zilch to me. business is business. if the commuter airline switches affiliations for business reasons, great. its really none of my bees max.

CO 1E

No doubt about that.

JBLUA320

Hooters flight were actually operated by Pace Airlines, not the Hooters company.

They had standard F/As who wore generic uniforms and hooters girls who did some of the service, but not really that much.

-A

monitor

I think you are correct. I also am under the impression that their main operations and maintenance centers are at SDF.