SkyWest Airlines set to retire 66 CRJ200s and add 34 CRJ700/900s

SkyWest Inc., the parent of St. George, Utah-based SkyWest Airlines and Atlanta-based ExpressJet Airlines, said it has “reached an understanding” with Delta Air Lines (DL) enabling it to take delivery 34 Bombardier CRJ700s/900s while removing 66 older CRJ200s from its fleet.

SkyWest did not explain the origin of the five CRJ700s and 29 CRJ900s slated to join its fleet incrementally from this month to June 2013. The regional operator said it expects to incorporate the aircraft into existing agreements with DL, enabling it to operate them on Delta Connection-branded flights through 2022.

DL recently announced it is shutting down regional subsidiary Comair. It is possible that CRJ700s/900s operated by Comair make up some of the aircraft coming SkyWest’s way, though this has not been stated.

SkyWest said it “intends to remove the 66 CRJ200 aircraft from existing Delta Connection service between August 2012 and December 2015.” It noted that 41 are DL-financed aircraft that will be returned to the Atlanta-based mainline carrier. Another 25 are SkyWest-financed aircraft. It said it “is currently working on opportunities to mitigate the financial risk associated with removing those aircraft from Delta service.”
     
SkyWest last month signed an agreement in principle for 100 Mitsubishi Regional Jets.

(Aaron Karp -ATWOnline News)