Q400s coming to MKE for summer 2010???

Old Feb 18, 2010, 7:55 am
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Q400s coming to MKE for summer 2010???

According to a poster on airliners.net Republic will be sending some Q400s to MKE to certain some routes during the spring/summer months. Specific routes mentioned included MSN and GRB.

Of course this is only a rumor (and we all know how reliable the information on airliners.net can be) and there is no official confirmation elsewhere. Yet, it does make sense for the following reasons:

1) Lynx will be shut down in September. That means aircraft could be available to cover peak season flying from the MKE hub based on some of the schedule changes in DEN.

2) Frontier will be ending Q400 service to FAR and TUL on April 5th. Will those planes be simply pulled out of service or will the lift be utilized in MKE?

3) At various gates in MKE, parking lines have been painted for the Q400s. Why would those be added unless there were potential plans to add turbo prop flying???

4) The economics of the Q400s would certainly be better than jet service on routes with little to no O&D (especially since there was speculation that MSN in particular might be some E170 service on the MKE runs).

It's a real shame that the Q400s are being phased-out as there could definately be a place for some of these aircraft in MKE.

Like I said, this is only a rumor at this point but if nothing else it will give us all something to talk about on an otherwise quiet board.

Last edited by BlueHorseShoe2000; Feb 18, 2010 at 8:35 am
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Old Feb 18, 2010, 8:22 am
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Sounds like somebody putting a lot of good logic together to come up with a rumor. Q400's are better when utilized and more profitable on short haul flying like MKE-MSN. They become inefficient when they hit maximum range on a DEN-FAR route, then you might as well use a jet and limit prop avoidance.

Last edited by MostlyAir; Feb 18, 2010 at 8:32 am
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Old Feb 18, 2010, 8:33 am
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Originally Posted by MostlyAir
Sounds like somebody putting a lot of good logic together to come up with a rumor.
The logic was mine but I didn't start this rumor.

It would be an interesting development if this actually does occur.
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Old Feb 18, 2010, 8:50 am
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Originally Posted by BlueHorseShoe2000
The logic was mine but I didn't start this rumor.

It would be an interesting development if this actually does occur.
Yeh there are definitely reasons to do it when you think about it, but I still think Republic would like to get rid of this extra small fleet so they don't have to maintain them. Maybe they are thinking about bringing them to MKE in the meantime before they are able to sell or contract out Lynx, but I haven't heard anything.

I saw the post in a.net too, I'm not pinning you with starting this rumor.
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Old Feb 18, 2010, 9:00 am
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Originally Posted by MostlyAir
Yeh there are definitely reasons to do it when you think about it, but I still think Republic would like to get rid of this extra small fleet so they don't have to maintain them. Maybe they are thinking about bringing them to MKE in the meantime before they are able to sell or contract out Lynx, but I haven't heard anything.
I tend to agree with you about Republic wanting to get rid of the Q400s ASAP. However, my understanding was that if these planes to come to MKE it would only be for this summer. Do you know if there are other reasons as to why Republic would keep all the Q400s in service until September?
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Old Feb 18, 2010, 11:38 am
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Info on the Lynx shutdown posted elsewhere on FT indicated that the shutdown would be in phases, so when the TUL and FAR routes are cut, the planes would be parked and the employees laid off. The last planes and crews would last until Sept.

Seems like it would make little sense to start new service anywhere with planes and crews that are scheduled to be eliminated.
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Old Feb 18, 2010, 11:45 am
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Originally Posted by BlueHorseShoe2000
. Will those planes be simply pulled out of service or will the lift be utilized in MKE?
As of right now those six aircraft will be returned to their lessors. I'm sure those banks wouldn't be against them keeping the aircraft and putting them in MKE, it would be quite an about face from RAH. However, judging from how the whole integration is going, it wouldn't surprise me.

Originally Posted by BlueHorseShoe2000
Do you know if there are other reasons as to why Republic would keep all the Q400s in service until September?
One big reason, Aspen, Colorado. Republic has nothing else in the fleet that is certified to serve ASE. It is rumored that the E190 will be certified sometime this summer. Until that changes, however, it will be a Q400 only city.

Checko
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Old Feb 18, 2010, 11:47 am
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Originally Posted by Daze
Info on the Lynx shutdown posted elsewhere on FT indicated that the shutdown would be in phases, so when the TUL and FAR routes are cut, the planes would be parked and the employees laid off. The last planes and crews would last until Sept.

Seems like it would make little sense to start new service anywhere with planes and crews that are scheduled to be eliminated.
I'd also read that the planes would be phased out, but who knows. Personally, I wouldn't fall over in shock if a few Q400s ended-up in MKE for the peak summer months.
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Old Feb 18, 2010, 11:53 am
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Originally Posted by BlueHorseShoe2000
I'd also read that the planes would be phased out, but who knows.
According to the plan, 6 planes will be gone along with half the workforce in April. This is fact as of this morning. Can it change? Of course. Will it change? My money is on, highly unlikely.

As for Q's going to MKE, Bedford has already said the fleet is too expensive. Moving a subfleet of one or two aircraft to MKE (assuming they keep 2 or 3 around to fly back and forth from ASE), just for the summer sounds like an even more expensive proposition.
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Old Feb 18, 2010, 11:58 am
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Originally Posted by GreatChecko
According to the plan, 6 planes will be gone along with half the workforce in April. This is fact as of this morning. Can it change? Of course. Will it change? My money is on, highly unlikely.

As for Q's going to MKE, Bedford has already said the fleet is too expensive. Moving a subfleet of one or two aircraft to MKE (assuming they keep 2 or 3 around to fly back and forth from ASE), just for the summer sounds like an even more expensive proposition.
Good points.

If Q400s were to come to MKE, then there would be a need to rotate them in/out of DEN for maintenance and crew needs, etc. What city would serve as a bridge? OMA?
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