Let me try to explain this to all you with blinders on.
This company is going to outsource as much flying as possible to RJ's. They are not interested in becoming another Southwest. Notice SWA reported yet another year of profit as well as aggresive expanion with LARGE JETS to drive down their CASM cost. We are doing the opposite.
This airline will continue to shrink as more and more large jets are replaced with RJ's. The RJ's will feed mainline long haul and high density markets and handle the vast bulk of the short hauling. And long haul is not CLT-PHX. The only new jets you will see will be a smattering of Europe/Hawaii capable planes for the long haul work. This isn't going to be an LCC. It's going to be a hybrid utilizing as much outside lift, maintenance, and contract empolyees as possible.
New routes are not truly new when the jets that fly them are pulled from mainline as the RJ's fly our former routes (ie CLT-PHX). They are redeploying our lift as well as eliminating a substantial portion of it. Along with the employees needed to support those planes.
Wake up people. You are seeing the systematic dismantling of the USAirways and America West route structure as it is turned over to Mesa and everyone else. Just look at C concourse in CLT if you don't believe me.
pilot
