Tag Archives: Embraer ERJ 145

Envoy Air’s pilots vote to ratify the new tentative agreement, Envoy to get 40 new Embraer 175s

Envoy Air (American Eagle) (subsidiary of American Airlines Group) (Dallas/Fort Worth) will continue to grow. The pilots, represented by ALPA, have approved the tentative agreement hatched out between the company management and ALPA (MEC) representing the pilots. Envoy issued this statement today:

Pilots at Envoy Air Inc., an American Airlines Group wholly owned regional carrier, have voted to ratify a Tentative Agreement reached between the carrier and the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA). This agreement was ratified by a vote among Envoy’s more than 2,400 pilots and allows Envoy to now offer all existing and future pilots a direct career progression to American Airlines, the world’s largest mainline carrier. In addition, it provides Envoy with a firm fleet commitment of 40 new fuel-efficient 76-seat Embraer ERJ 175 (E175) aircraft and the opportunity to operate up to 90 more E175s, if American exercises those options.

“We are very pleased our pilots voted to ratify the Tentative Agreement that offers them new, large and modern aircraft to fly and faster career advancement at both Envoy and American Airlines,” said Envoy’s president and CEO, Pedro Fabregas. “This agreement also lays the foundation for Envoy to become a stronger and more successful company for all of our more than 14,000 employees. My sincere thanks to Envoy ALPA and its Master Executive Council (MEC), as well as ALPA president Lee Moak, ALPA executive administrator Tim Canoll and MEC chairman Sam Pool for their hard work and dedication to reach this agreement.”

According to ALPA, Envoy Air pilots completed voting on the proposed changes to the Collective Bargaining Agreement. Of the 91.57% of eligible Envoy pilots who voted, 75% voted to accept these changes.

Copyright Photo: Rob Finlayson/AirlinersGallery.com. The Embraer ERJ 145 fleet is likely to continue to shrink as the larger and newer Embraer ERJ 175s join the Envoy fleet. ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N659AE (msn 145762) arrives at the Miami hub.

American Eagle-Envoy Air aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/American-Eagle-Envoy

United to add United Express service between the Houston hub and Peoria

United Airlines (Chicago) is hoping this announcement will play well in Peoria. The carrier is adding United Express service between the Houston (Bush Intercontinental) hub and Peoria, Illinois. The new daily route will be launched on March 5, 2015 with Embraer ERJ 145s operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Houston) per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: Mark Durbin/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 145XR (EMB-145XR) N16147 (msn 145749) is pictured on the ramp at the George Bush Intercontinental Airport in Houston.

United Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):

United Express-ExpressJet Airlines aircraft slide show:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-3/Airlines-United-States3-QZ/United-Express-ExpressJet

Trans States confirms it will operate at least 15 Embraer ERJ 145s for American

Trans States Airlines (St. Louis) has confirmed our previous report that the company will operate at least 15 former Envoy Air Embraer ERJ 145s under the American Eagle brand starting in April 2015 (see update below). The carrier was a former American Connection carrier. The airline issued this statement:

Trans States Airlines, a wholly owned subsidiary of Trans States Holdings, Inc., has announced that it has finalized an agreement with American Airlines to operate at least 15 Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft under the American Eagle brand. Deliveries are slated to begin in April of 2015 at a rate of two per month until all aircraft are in place.

“We’re thrilled to renew our relationship with American Airlines and are delighted by the current and future opportunities that this growth will provide to our employees,” said Richard Leach, President and Chief Executive Officer of Trans States Airlines. “We look forward to providing American Airlines with the same safe, efficient and quality-focused service that our mainline partners have come to expect.”

“The Embraer 145s are an important part of our regional operation to ensure customers in small- and medium-size markets can access our growing global network from their communities,” said Kenji Hashimoto, senior vice president of regional carriers for American Airlines. “Trans States Airlines has been a solid regional partner of American Airlines and US Airways for many years, as well as a reliable performer with the E145 aircraft.”

Trans States Airlines previously provided regional service for American under the American Connection brand from 2001 to 2009, and has provided regional service for US Airways nearly continuously since 1993. It currently operates a fleet of 29 Embraer 145s and announced earlier this month that it will operate an additional 36 for United starting in February of 2015.

Update: Trans States Airlines will start operating as an American Eagle carrier on March 4, 2015.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Trans States operated as an American Connection carrier from November 2001 through May 2009. Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N811HK (msn 145256) arrives at Charlotte.

American Airlines Group to move 50 Envoy Air Embraer ERJ 145s to other American Eagle carriers

American Airlines Group (Dallas/Fort Worth) has informed subsidiary Envoy Air (formerly American Eagle Airlines) (Dallas/Fort Worth) that will it transfer 50 Embraer ERJ 145s to Piedmont Airlines (2nd) (Salisbury, MD) and Trans States Airlines (30 aircraft) (St. Louis) starting March 2015. One other carrier that has not been specified will also receive Envoy aircraft. The number of pilots at Envoy has been declining. The pilots of Envoy did not accept the last contract offer from the AAG.

Yesterday Sam Pool, Envoy MEC Chairman, sent the following message to the pilots of Envoy:

November 21, 2014

My Fellow Envoy Pilots –

Today management announced the long-anticipated news that AAG is moving aircraft from Envoy to other carriers. Starting in March 2015, 30 of our Embraer 145 series aircraft will transfer to Trans State Airlines and another express carrier at the rate of 2 aircraft per carrier per month. In 2016, another tranche of aircraft will transfer to Piedmont.

While we are clearly disappointed at the thought of losing four aircraft per month, and the 10 pilot jobs each aircraft represents, the harsh fact is that Envoy is currently losing pilots at an even faster rate as our colleagues seek more rewarding careers elsewhere.

We are beyond disappointed that the sacrifice of economic and operational flexibility that this workgroup provided to our parent corporation during the darkest hours of bankruptcy are now considered insufficient and we again find ourselves facing the demands of concessions in exchange for a viable future.

That said, our disappointment should not cloud the reality that we face today. Our reality is that other pilot groups in our segment of the industry have demonstrated their willingness to accept concessions in exchange for new and larger aircraft, and have subsequently agreed to reduce the pilot costs. If we wish to compete in this market, we simply have no choice but to recognize that reality and decide a course of action.

While it is true that AAG is honoring our bankruptcy contract, the unpleasant fact is that they believe that they can obtain lower cost regional flying from other carriers, and have demonstrated that they will award new aircraft and new flying to those other carriers, leaving our contract and our pilots in an awkward status quo.

AAG’s senior management has made it clear that they desire the new aircraft be flown by the pilots of Envoy. And they have also made it clear that they believe we should cost less. For these reasons, they have remained quietly engaged with your MEC in an attempt to effectuate a mutually acceptable agreement that gently nudges our forward looking economics closer to the perceived market in exchange for the enhanced career security sought by our workgroup.

The entire MEC remains committed to working with the company to find an agreement that satisfies the needs of both parties, and which we can endorse as the best path forward. We believe that such an agreement is within reach.

Thank you for your professionalism and patience, and as always don’t hesitate to contact your representatives.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/Airlinersgallery.com. Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N928AE (msn 14500911) operated by Envoy Air arrives in Baltimore/Washington.

American Eagle-Envoy Air:

http://airlinersgallery.smugmug.com/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/Airlines-UnitedStates-1/American-Eagle-Envoy

SkyWest Airlines to remove all remaining Embraer EMB-120 Brasilias from service

SkyWest, Inc. (SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines) (St. George, Utah) has announced fleet transitions and contract updates designed to improve SkyWest’s overall efficiency and long-term profitability.

Specifically, SkyWest announced that SkyWest Airlines, Inc., its wholly-owned subsidiary, intends to transition to an all-jet fleet by removing all remaining 30-seat Embraer EMB-120 Brasilia turboprop aircraft from service by summer 2015. The EMB-120 fleet retirement comes, in part, in response to increased costs and additional challenges associated with new FAR117 flight and duty rules, implemented in January 2014.

Separately, SkyWest announced that ExpressJet Airlines, Inc., its wholly-owned subsidiary, has executed an agreement with United Airlines, Inc. to reduce the term of the existing 50-seat ERJ 145 contract between ExpressJet and United from November 2020 to December 2017, subject to certain extension rights by United. ExpressJet Airlines anticipates the reduction in the ERJ 145 operations will improve its overall operational reliability and financial results.

As a result of the decision to remove the EMB-120 aircraft from service by June 2015 and as a result of the reduced term to operate the ERJ 145 aircraft, SkyWest, Inc. anticipates recording pre-tax special charges (primarily non-cash) ranging from $55-70 million in the fourth quarter of 2014.

It is unclear how the grounding and retirement of the Brasilia fleet will affect air service to remote communities.

Top Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. SkyWest Airlines mainly operates its Brasilias under the United Express brand however 13 EMB-120s wear the SkyWest house livery (below). Embraer EMB-120ER brasilia N294SW (msn 120321) arrives in Los Angeles.

United Express-SkyWest Airlines aircraft slide show:

SkyWest Airlines aircraft slide show:

Bottom Copyright Photo: Michael B. Ing/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer EMB-120ER Brasilia N217SW (msn 120286) arrives in Las Vegas.

Trans States Airlines to operate 36 additional Embraer ERJ 145 regional jets for United Airlines

Trans States Airlines (subsidiary of Trans States Holdings, Inc.) (St. Louis) has announced that it will operate 36 Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft provided by United Airlines (Chicago). Trans States expects to begin taking delivery of and starting scheduled service with these aircraft under the United Express brand and livery in February 2015, with deliveries slated to continue through the first quarter of 2016. The aircraft will be moved from ExpressJet Airlines to Trans States by United.

Trans States Airlines has been providing United Airlines regional service under the United Express brand since 2003. The addition of these 36 aircraft will increase the fleet size of Trans States Airlines from 29 to 65 aircraft, more than doubling its current fleet size. Trans States Airlines currently has 25 aircraft in service with United, all of which are 50 seat Embraer ERJ 145s. The remaining four ERJ 145s in its fleet are operated as US Airways Express.

Trans States currently serves 25 cities and operates approximately 190 daily flights.

Copyright Photo: Bruce Drum/AirlinersGallery.com. Trans States’ Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N845HK (msn 145842) in the old 2004 livery approaches the runway at United’s Dulles International Airport hub near Washington.

United Express-Trans States aircraft slide Show:

Map: Trans States currently operates in these cities as United Express and US Airways Express.

United Airlines to start Panama City, Florida-Houston flights on March 5, 2015

United Airlines (Chicago) will start twice-daily United Express service from Panama City, Florida to the Houston (Bush Intercontinental) hub on March 5, 2015 per the Panama City News Herald.

Copyright Photo: Ken Petersen/AirlinersGallery.com. ExpressJet Airlines’ Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N36915 (msn 145421) departs the runway at New York’s LaGuardia Airport.

United Express-ExpressJet aircraft slide show:

United Airlines (current livery) aircraft slide show:

Envoy Air’s Embraer ERJ 145 operations continue to shrink, the Miami pilot and FA base to be phased down by April 2015

Envoy Air (formerly American Eagle Airlines 2nd) (part of American Airlines Group) (Dallas/Fort Worth) continues to shrink its Embraer ERJ 145 operations as its parent continues to replace its flying with larger aircraft from other associated AE carriers..

Pedro Fábregas, President and CEO of Envoy, has informed its employees that the parent American Airlines Group has decided to phase down and finally close the Miami pilot and flight attendant base in April 2015.

According to the memo, with the December 18 schedule, Envoy will operate 37 daily departures from Miami International Airport (MIA), using 12 50-seat Embraer ERJ 145 (EMB-145) regional jets. This is a big drop off from the 60 flights operated at the hub on October 1, 2014 with its 23 ERJs. The ERJ 145 aircraft and crews that will no longer be needed in MIA will be assigned to replace Envoy operations in other locations for the planned retirement of the 44-seat ERJ 140 (EMB-140) aircraft.

No Envoy pilots or flight attendants will be furloughed as a result of the schedule change.

Envoy is phasing out its pilot and flight attendant base in MIA. This will begin in January 2015 and will be completed by April 2015.

Republic Airlines will replace the smaller Envoy ERJ 145s with its newer and larger Embraer ERJ 175s.

Copyright Photo: Ton Jochems/AirlinersGallery.com. Envoy Air’s Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N697AB (msn 14500875) taxies to the runway at the Chicago O’Hare hub.

American Eagle-Envoy Air:

Dniproavia cancels four routes due to increased flying as a result of the fighting in eastern Ukraine

Dniproavia (Dnipropetrovsk) is dropping four routes due to the increased flying required to avoid the closed airspace of eastern Ukraine:

Kharkiv-Tbilisi-Kharkov – from September 7, 2014

Kharkiv-Yerevan-Kharkiv – from September 4, 2014

Kharkiv-Baku-Kharkov – from September 6, 2014

Odessa-Batumi-Odessa – from September 5, 2014

According to the airline, these forced cancellations are associated with the “increase in cost of flight”. The airline continued, “changing the route of the flight due to the closure of certain areas of airspace led to a significant increase in fuel consumption, the constant fluctuation of the dollar in the last month lowered the purchasing power of the passengers and confidence in the future – these factors have led to the fact that the fulfillment of these flights is unprofitable.”

Kharkiv is located in the eastern portion of the Ukraine near the on-going fighting.

Copyright Photo: Stefan Sjogren/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 145EU (EMB-145EU) UR-DNF (msn 145404) departs from Stockholm (Arlanda).

Dniproavia:

Envoy Air’s pilots fail to reach an agreement with the American Airlines Group

Envoy Air’s (American Eagle) (Dallas/Fort Worth) pilots, represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA), failed to reach a new agreement with the American Airlines Group (Dallas/Fort Worth) for a new contract. The group had approached the union about reopening discussions on a new contract. Discussions broke down on August 21. According to the union in a message to its members by Bill Sprague, “The effort began with informal discussions to identify and attempt to resolve the areas of the failed TA that were unacceptable to our group. We focused on finding solutions to guarantee that the company would re-fleet our carrier while respecting the value we provide as professionals. Identifying the core issues was easy. Finding mutually acceptable solutions was extremely difficult. The MEC met three times and spent countless hours on conference calls to eventually arrive at a proposal that satisfied those requirements.

On Wednesday, company executives rejected that proposal. Their stated intent is to continue seeking lower feed costs at other Fee for Departure carriers, as they did with Compass.”

The union chairman continued, “The state of our current daily operation shows an inability to attract a sufficient number of recruits, but it also shows that many Envoy pilots are moving onwards and upwards in their aviation careers. In their efforts to operate an airline of our size while lacking the necessary tools to safely do so, the company has found many ways to violate the current collective bargaining agreement. The MEC and leadership are dedicated to protecting and defending the contract. Our contract remains in place. We will enforce it and continue to pursue every opportunity to improve it.

The pilots of Envoy have made it clear: now is time to make this airline an attractive place to work and that responsibility falls squarely on the shoulders of upper management. This action is essential to ensure the long-term success of our company.”

Envoy Air currently operates more than the 220 aircraft on about 1,300 daily flights to more than 170 destinations in the U.S., Canada, Mexico and the Caribbean. The company’s more than 14,000 employees provide regional flight service to American Airlines under the American Eagle brand and livery as well as ground handling services for approximately 15 airlines, including American.

Envoy Air is headquartered in North Texas with hubs in New York, Chicago, Miami, Dallas/Fort Worth and Los Angeles. The company was founded in 1998 as American Eagle Airlines, Inc. following the merger of several smaller regional carriers to create one the largest regional airlines in the world. On April 15, 2014 the company changed its name to Envoy Air to distinguish the company for the American Eagle brand, under which several carriers operate regional flight service for American.

American Airlines Group is likely to continue to assign new aircraft to other American Eagle carriers as Envoy Air reduces in size unless the two parties resolve their differences.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N668HH (msn 145785) prepares to touch down at Baltimore/Washington (BWI).

American Eagle-Envoy: