Tag Archives: ERJ 145LR

Trans States Airlines’ pilots approve a three-year contract extension

Trans States Airlines-TSA (St. Louis) has issued this statement:

Trans States Airlines is pleased to announce that its pilot group has passed a Tentative Agreement on a three year contract extension. The Trans States Airlines pilots are represented by the Air Line Pilots Association, International (ALPA). The Tentative Agreement, which was unanimously recommended by the ALPA Master Executive Council (MEC) for a rank and file vote, passed with 71% of voting pilots voting in favor of the contract extension. The new contract increases first year pay to $35.81 per flight hour, and includes increases in cost-of-living pay and the pilots’ per diem rate. It also increases the company’s 401(K) contributions and decreases pilots’ health insurance costs.

The new contract will go into effect on October 1, 2015.

Trans States Airlines operates a fleet of Embraer 145 aircraft on behalf of United Airlines (as United Express) and American Airlines (as American Eagle). Trans States is one of the fastest growing regional airlines in the country, with 52 additional Embraer 145 aircraft scheduled for delivery starting in 2015. Trans States expects to serve over 3.6 million passengers in 2015, with approximately 237 daily flights to over 70 cities in North America. Headquartered in St. Louis, Missouri, Trans States has crew domiciles in St. Louis (STL), Chicago (ORD), Washington D.C. (IAD) and Denver (DEN). Trans States will open a fifth crew domicile in Raleigh-Durham (RDU) in 2016.

Copyright Photo: Ken Petersen/AirlinersGallery.com. Formerly operating as an AmericanConnection carrier, Trans States now operates some former Envoy Air Embraer ERJ 145s under the American Eagle brand. Trans States Airlines Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N835HK (msn 145670), originally with TSA, arrives in Raleigh-Durham (RDU).

American Eagle-Trans States aircraft slide show:

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American Eagle to add four regional routes

American Airlines (Dallas/Fort Worth) is adding American Eagle ERJ 145 service (operated by Envoy Air) on the Charlotte – Springfield, Missouri route on November 5. The new route will operate daily according to Airline Route.

Additionally the carrier is also adding three American Eagle routes from New York’s LaGuardia Airport. Akron/Canton and Memphis will be added on November 5 followed by Jacksonville on December 17 per Airline Route.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Envoy Air’s Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N609DP (msn 145069) arrives at Baltimore/Washington.

American Eagle-Envoy Air aircraft slide show:

United Airlines today starts Evansville – Chicago flights

United Airlines (Chicago) today (June 4) starts United Express service between Evansville (EVV) and the Chicago O’Hare (ORD) hub. The new route will be operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Atlanta) Embraer ERJ 145s.

Copyright Photo: Brian McDonough/AirlinersGallery.com. Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N15555 (msn 145594) arrives at Washington’s Reagan National Airport (DCA).

United Airlines aircraft slide show (current livery):

United Express-ExpressJet Airlines aircraft slide show:

SkyWest reports a net loss of $27.9 million in the 4Q, a net loss of $24.2 million for 2014

SkyWest, Inc. (SkyWest Airlines and ExpressJet Airlines) (St. George, Utah) today reported financial and operating results for the quarter ended December 31, 2014.

Highlights are as follows:

Excluding special items, SkyWest’s pre-tax income was $33.5 million for the December 2014 quarter, an increase of $18.4 million over the December 2013 quarter. SkyWest’s net loss, including special items, was $(27.9) million, or $(0.54) per diluted share, for the December 2014 quarter, compared to net income of $8.6 million, or $0.17 per diluted share, for the December 2013 quarter.

The December 2014 quarter includes special item expenses of $70.0 million pre-tax ($43.6 million after-tax) due to the accelerated retirement of SkyWest’s EMB-120 turboprop aircraft and a code-share agreement modification that shortened the contract term for ExpressJet’s operation of the ERJ 145 aircraft type.

SkyWest’s pre-tax income for the December 2014 quarter, excluding special items, increased 122% from the December 2013 quarter, despite a 6.6% reduction in departures and a 4.4% reduction in completed block hours, from the December 2013 quarter. Excluding the special items, the increase in pre-tax income from the December 2013 quarter was primarily due to higher unit revenue from new and renewed flying arrangements at improved rates as described in more detail below.

For the 2014 year, SkyWest’s pre-tax income, excluding special items, was $58.4 million, compared to $98.5 million for the 2013 year. SkyWest’s net loss, including special items, was $(24.2) million, or $(0.47) per diluted share, for the 2014 year, compared to net income of $59.0 million, or $1.12 per diluted share, for the 2013 year.

Significant operational and commercial items related to the December 2014 quarter include:

SkyWest Airlines took delivery of six E175 aircraft during the quarter under its flying contract with United, which resulted in a total of 20 E175 deliveries for calendar 2014.

SkyWest is scheduled to take delivery of the remaining 20 E175s under its United agreement during the first three quarters of 2015.

SkyWest Airlines reached an agreement with Alaska to operate seven new E175 aircraft with deliveries scheduled between the third quarter of 2015 and the first quarter of 2016.

SkyWest Airlines reached an agreement with Delta to operate 12 additional used CRJ200 aircraft that SkyWest Airlines intends to lease from Delta. The aircraft deliveries started in December 2014 and are scheduled to continue through the second quarter of 2015.

SkyWest Airlines started the removal of 43 EMB-120 turboprop aircraft from service and is expected to be an all-jet operator by the conclusion of the second quarter of 2015. As of December 31, 2014, SkyWest owned 18 EMB-120s and leased 25 EMB-120s.

For the second consecutive quarter, ExpressJet’s operational reliability improved year-over-year to a 99.6% adjusted completion rate for the December 2014 quarter compared to 99.1% for the December 2013 quarter.

ExpressJet reached an agreement with American to operate 15 used ERJ 145 aircraft that ExpressJet intends to lease from American. The American ERJ 145 operation is scheduled to begin during the first quarter of 2015.

Commenting on the results, Jerry C. Atkin, SkyWest’s Chairman and CEO said, “SkyWest made significant progress in executing our long-term strategy in the fourth quarter, including reducing the total number of unprofitable aircraft and flying over time. We expect these changes to continue through 2017, as we continue to work with our major airline partners to meet their needs with larger RJ opportunities during that same period. We expect that reducing our total fleet count while improving the overall fleet composition will put us on a path of continued financial and operational improvement.”

Copyright Photo: Tony Storck/AirlinersGallery.com. ExpressJet removed 10 ERJ 145s from its United flying contract during the fourth quarter of 2014 and is returning the aircraft to United. ExpressJet removed a total of 26 ERJ 145s from its United flying contract during the 2014 year. Additionally, 59 ERJ 145s and nine ERJ 135s are scheduled to be removed from service during 2015 and to be returned to United. As of December 31, 2014, ExpressJet had 216 ERJ 145s and nine ERJ 135s operating under the United ERJ contract. ExpressJet Airlines’ Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N14959 (msn 145091) arrives at Baltimore/Washington.

United Express-ExpressJet Airlines aircraft slide show:

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.

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:

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:

United to connect the oil patch of Williston, North Dakota to Houston starting on August 19

United Airlines (Chicago) will start nonstop United Express service from its Houston (Bush Intercontinental) to the oil patch area at Williston in the western part of North Dakota starting on August 19. The new route will be operated by ExpressJet Airlines (Atlanta) and was announced by Senator John Hoeven of North Dakota. ExpressJet already flies the Williston-Denver route for United Airlines (see the map below).

Read the full report from The Republic: CLICK HERE

Additionally, United will also commence nonstop United Express service from its Denver hub to Lafayette, Indiana also starting on August 19 per Airline Route.

The carrier will start daily nonstop Houston (Bush Intercontinental)-Hartford/Springfield Embraer 175 flights starting on October 15.

Copyright Photo: Jay Selman/AirlinersGallery.com. United Express Embraer ERJ 145LR (EMB-145LR) N16559 (msn 145603) operated by ExpressJet Airlines prepares to land in Charlotte.

United Airlines (current):

United Express-ExpressJet:

United Express-ExpressJet Route Map: