Tag Archives: United Express-CommutAir

CommutAir pilots ratify new long-term contract

CommutAir and its pilots represented by the Air Line Pilots Association (ALPA) ratified a new long term contract today. The new contract includes significant improvements to pay, benefits and quality of life to competitively position the company to maintain its long term growth. Among the most significant changes are:

30% increase in starting First Officer wages – $51/hr
25% increase in starting Captain wages – $84/hr
Commuting program to include company-paid travel to/from home to work
Employee 401K contributions up to 16% matched 50% by the company
Sign on bonus program up to $50,000 for Direct Entry Captains
Longevity credit up to 50% for new hires with prior FAR 121 industry experience

CommutAir announces Embraer ERJ145 fleet interior refresh program

CommutAir is pleased to announce the launch of an expansive effort to update and replace the interiors of its entire fleet of Embraer 145XR 50-seat aircraft with the support of United Airlines.

The upgraded aircraft will provide a more modernized and comfortable travel experience for customers flying with CommutAir. Heading into 2022, customers can expect to see new sidewalls, overhead bins, bulkhead finishes, LED cabin and reading lights, and a completely redesigned lavatory on CommutAir’s entire fleet of ERJ145 aircrafts.

CommutAir is hiring in all areas to continue to support the expansive growth the carrier has experienced in recent years. The carrier offers pilot programs that include:

Career path program through United AVIATE partnership – the fastest path to a United flight deck
Attractive sign-on bonus for Direct-Entry Captains ($50,000)
Rapid position upgrades for qualified applicants
Top-tier benefits including 401K matching
Unparalleled Commuter Policy

CommutAir becomes all-jet, phases out its last DHC-8-200 Dash 8

CommutAir operated their last scheduled turboprop flights on Sunday, January 7, 2018.

The final United Express turboprop flight, operated by CommutAir, operated on Sunday, January 7, 2018. Flight UA 4909 departed from Syracuse, New York (SYR) at 7:30 p.m. and arrived at Washington (Dulles) (IAD) at 8:45 p.m. with the pictured N363PH (top).

On Monday, the Dash 8s were replaced with Embraer 145 regional jets.

CommutAir operated 16 37-seat DHC-8-200 Dash 8s and five 50-seat DHC-8-300 Dash 8s.

The DHC-8-300 were previously retired on September 5, 2017.

In August 2017, CommutAir and United announced plans to replace the Dash 8s with 21 Embraer 145 regional jets.

The Embraer fleet has already grown to 23 and could expand to 60.

CommutAir operates to 20 + cities in the midwest, and northeast.

Albany, NY	Lexington, KY
Buffalo, NY	Manchester, NH
Burlington, VT	Milwaukee, WI
Charleston, SC	Norfolk, VA
Cleveland, OH	Portland, ME
Columbus, OH	Providence, RI
Fayetteville, NC	Richmond, VA
Grand Rapids, MI	Rochester, NY
Greensboro, NC	Savannah, GA
Greenville / Spartanburg, SC	St. Louis, MO
Harrisburg, PA	Syracuse, NY
Hartford, CT	Washington, DC
Indianapolis, IN
Ithaca, NY
Jacksonville, FL

Cape Air (Hyannis) operates three turboprops for United Express on local routes from Guam.

These three aircraft are now the last turboporps to be operated in United colors.

Top Copyright Photo (all others by CommutAir): United Express-CommutAir Bombardier DHC-8-202 (Q200) N363PH (msn 520) IAD (Brian McDonough). Image: 909271.

United Express-CommutAir aircraft slide show:

Video:

CommutAir to add 21 Embraer ERJ 145s, will retire the Dash 8s by January 2018

CommutAir (Burlington, VT) has announced a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) with United Airlines to add 21 Embraer ERJ 145 aircraft to its existing contract to fly 40 jet aircraft under the United Express brand.

These jets will replace Bombardier the Dash 8 turboprop aircraft with planned retirements by January 2018.

Under the MOU, CommutAir plans to:

Accelerate the retirement of its 21 Bombardier DHC-8 Dash 8’s – with the final exit in January 2018
Continue accepting Embraer ERJ145 aircraft through 2019 until 61 jets have been inducted
Offer an improved and attractive hiring incentive program for pilots

“We are gratified by United’s renewed vote of confidence in CommutAir’s dedicated employees,” said Subodh Karnik, CommutAir’s President & CEO. “This development will allow us to triple in size by 2019, provide tremendous career-growth opportunities for our employees, and help us pursue our Vision of ‘becoming United’s regional airline partner of choice’.”

This development follows the 2016 agreement between United Airlines and CommutAir, which resulted in:

United’s purchase of a 40 percent ownership stake in CommutAir stock, as part of a comprehensive recapitalization
A new Capacity Purchase Agreement (CPA) to double CommutAir’s fleet with 40 ERJ145 aircraft
United’s first, and most expansive, Career Path Program (CPP) to provide CommutAir pilots with a gateway to a United flight deck in as quickly as a year

“Our growing team of 800 plus aviation professionals embrace our family environment and can-do culture and were the driving force behind the successful launch of the Embraer ERJ145 in 2016 – which was faster than the three other operators who undertook similar efforts last year,” said Joel Raymond, Chief Operating Officer. “Accelerating Dash-8 retirements and continuing to grow the Embraer ERJ145 fleet will afford our pilots and other employees with leading regional airline industry career advancement opportunities.”

As part of its growth plan, CommutAir announced a significant improvement to its Pilot sign-on bonus program and further enhancements to its Career Path Program.