Skywest to get B737's or B717's?

mrivc211

Well-Known Member
Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

I was recently at a wedding of a SWA F/O and met a guy whos been with Skywest for 17 years and is now a Captain based out of SLC on the RJ. Well, anyways after dinner and cake and a few drinks we got to talking and of course he heard all my obsessions with skywest, he was telling me that the company has a lot of money in reserves and is thinking of bringing on 737's. I heard 717's from a friend.

But later, when I got to thinking and read a few articles about if United or American or Continental were to go under, companies like skywest would furlough pilots because they would lose the contracts that the majors give them. Well they lose the contracts and have no more major routes to feed, so where I"m going with this is they'd bypass the majors and feed their own routes???? Or in simpler terms, right now- Palm Springs - LAX fed by skywest for United, and United would then fly the guy to mid range destination with 737. Now use skywest to fly them from Palm springs to LAX and use skywest 737's to fly that mid range route?
Would this idea work?

I'm sure there would be less profitability because United guarantees the amount of money they get and if they were to use their own 737's they would have to fill them up themselves. But even though this is true, there is still a need for them. Anyone care to comment, especially the few of you that work for SkyWest?
 
Re: Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

FYI, Skywest stopped hiring this month. We had people scheduled in the sim all month for interview "preps" and they have all cancelled. Hopefully it won't be for long.
 
Re: Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

Personally, short range 737-gauge flying is the domain of SWA.

If Skywest took UAL's 737s and tried to compete on the same level with SWA who has a long operational history in short haul routes, it would be pure carnage.

We're talking scheduling costs, reservations costs, training costs, the unfamiliarity of dealing with a new aircraft type and the reluctance of investors to take a risk...

I dunno. Not an unimaginable idea, but I can't see the profit potential.
 
Re: Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

here in DEN where UA has a major hub we at Frontier are wondering how things would go if UA pulled out of DEN. The simple truth is that Frontier is in no position to take over what UA has/had. We have just under 40 A319s/737s with about 10 more A318s and A319s on the way this year and there is just no way Frontier could take over what UA has going, it is just too much.

Now if an airline such as Frontier cant handle all the traffic that UA would leave then I say there is no way that Skywest could come in and do it.

Basically what will happen is other airlines, CO/DL/NW will take over the routes that UA had (if they pull out). Once this happens more planes will be full and airlines will start to make money again. In DEN I bet skywest who now flies under UA will just put CO stickers on their RJs until they are painted white and blue. Who knows? maybe we put some animals on their tails too
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Re: Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

Would'nt operating an aircraft larger that 70 seats null and void Skywest's contract with Delta? If I'm not mistaken no DCI carrier can operate anything larger than a CRJ70/ERJ170 under the current agreement....so Skywest would be cutting off 50% of it's cash right there. I don't think the SKYW mangement is that crazy.

Tim.......rumor has it that FRNT is not pleased with Mesa's performance of the JetExpress and is looking for a replacement. True or False!
 
Re: Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

I think Skyest is only not allowed to fly bigger jets under the DL or UA name... they're always free to go it alone..
 
Re: Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

There's nothing official out with Skywest right now. The only things are the crew room rumors that are running rampant. The 717 rumor came when Boeing flew on into St. George on a sales pitch. Our CEO is an excellent business man who will not rule out anything. I'm sure they're looking at all avenues. In that process someone overhears that they're pricing 737s, then the rumor mill runs that we're acquiring 737s!

It's all rumors and speculation at this point! Nobody outside the upper tier really knows what's going on. And even they are a bit in the dark because of the situations with United and Delta.
 
Re: Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

Every year Airbus brings the "horse and pony" show to Delta in Atlanta. And every year, a pilot in recurrent training (who doesn't realize that Boeing and Airbus pimp the airlines regularly) sees a bunch of Airbus manuals, or Boeing 747 manuals sitting in the lobby which sparks a rumor machine.

Over on the Delta pilot forum a few months ago, someone saw a A-318 manual in the sim building and it grew from "I saw an Airbus manual" into "I've got a friend who heard a guy in the employee cafeteria that Leo was downstairs talking about yadda yadda yadda".

Pilots are gossipy like teenage girls the night before the prom.
 
Re: Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

>>Pilots are gossipy like teenage girls the night before the prom.<<

And are as dramatic too!
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Re: Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

[ QUOTE ]
And are as dramatic too!
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[/ QUOTE ]

You callin' me a drama queen, Iain? What's up, punk, you wanna step up?

hHAHAHAHA! For anyone who didn't hear the comical "inflection" in my typing, I'm kidding.
 
Re: Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

Ill ask the D/O next time I see him about it, I highly doubt it. If any thing the RJ70 would be the next one.
 
Re: Skywest to get B737\'s or B717\'s?

Has any airline ever been pleased about Mesa's service? I have heard that too. Whenever you mention mesa everyone seems to roll their eyes and I have never heard anything good about them and only negative comments about their maintainence record. But after saying all this, just a couple weeks ago I heard that F9 is expanding the Jetexpress service and adding more cities. I think they said Mesa was going to give us like 6 more RJs for those routes? Whatever they do, I hope they paint them to blend in with our airline if we are going to be using them. I am tired of seeing all white RJs.
 
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