Major U.S. airlines expect regional jets to return to full service after years of delays following the coronavirus pandemic.
Executives at American Airlines, Delta Air Lines and United Airlines said on recent earnings calls that they are increasing the use of jets operated by their regional airline partners. In fact, regional airlines now fly roughly half as many jets as they did about two years ago.
American Airlines said on Jan. 23 that it expects its regional fleet passenger capacity (measured by available seat kilometers) to increase 17% year over year in the first quarter “as we return to full operations.”
Meanwhile, Delta Air Lines CEO Ed Bastian said on January 10 that half of its 2025 capacity growth will come from “improved utilization of both our trunk and regional fleet.” “Incremental capacity will be deployed primarily in core hubs with high margins,” he said.
Delta Chief Financial Officer Dan Janke added, “We look forward to seeing regional airlines return to full service of our assets.” “We have that ability.”
United Airlines recently said that returning its entire fleet of regional jets to service proves “the right decision for 2025.”
In September, the Regional Aviation Association (RAA) announced that dozens of regional jets that had been parked in the Arizona desert were back in commercial service, with regional airlines taking advantage of the temporary reprieve from pilot attrition. I confirmed that.
As demand recovers from the coronavirus pandemic, major U.S. airlines are hiring co-pilots and captains from regional carriers, often subsidiaries of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, and Alaska Airlines. I pulled it out like crazy.
Faye Malarkey Black, RAA's chief executive, told FlightGlobal on January 23 that a massive aircraft shortage caused network airlines to suspend pilot hiring last year following the pandemic, and regional airlines said it was an opportunity to restart a previously dormant jet.
“Regional airlines are starting to get their aircraft back into service and are increasing flight hours on their partner airlines,” Black said. “Some airlines are adding growth aircraft.”
For example, Phoenix-based regional airline Mesa Airlines announced in December that it plans to “significantly increase daily aircraft utilization” starting this month. Working with our network planner partners at United, we aim to increase usage from an average of 8.9 block hours per day to 9.5 hours per day, with further increases to follow.
“Although still below pre-COVID-19 levels, the increase in utilization has resulted in significantly lower attrition across all work groups, more optimized scheduling and improved operational performance. It’s the result,” Mesa said.
But Black stressed that pilot employment will remain a pressing issue for years to come, saying: “Retirements at major airlines are increasing, peaking in 2029 and continuing to rise for decades. “It will continue to remain at that level.”
Black said the significant reduction in the U.S. regional airline network caused by the COVID-19 pandemic has not reversed, and many small and medium-sized regions still have no or minimal air service. It is said that there is no.
“The aviation service eco-style remains upside down in terms of the number of pilots needed to rebuild service levels in 2019, much less lead small communities to better air service leveling in 2025. “It's hard to grow enough,'' she says.
The “big three” airlines of American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, and United Airlines are hiring pilots again, but 2025 employment trends for regional airlines are set to decline as Airbus and Boeing's shortage of large narrowbody aircraft continues. “It's hard to predict,” Black said.
reconstruction
At the height of the post-pandemic pilot shortage, about 500 regional jets were grounded across the United States. That number has since been cut by roughly half, with 265 regional jets grounded today, according to aviation analysis firm Cirium.
And some aging regional jets are being retired without entering service. Notably, the American airline announced that it took a “$33 million non-cash writedown on regional aircraft resulting from the decision to permanently park 43 Embraer ERJ-145 aircraft” in the fourth quarter. It's clear.
American Airlines says the increase in regional flights fits into a broader plan to overhaul its domestic network.
“It's no secret that we've had to rebuild our network, and a large portion of our network is supported by regional fleets,” said CEO Robert Isom. Masu.
“It feels great to have a fully fielded regional fleet in 2025,” he says. “What this allows us to do is, frankly, better meet some of the hubs that are ready and willing to support the network in a different way.”
As an example, American Airlines plans to run “one of its largest schedules ever” in Dallas-Fort Worth, Charlotte and Miami, while strengthening its presence in Chicago, Philadelphia and Washington, D.C., Isom said. he says.
American Airlines' subsidiary operates a fleet of 585 large regional jets under the American Eagle brand, according to recent filings with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. This includes more than 200 Embraer E-jets and approximately 250 MHIRJ CRJ family jets.
“Domestic products are our strength,” says Isom. “We have a regional product that other companies can't touch in terms of E175.”
American Airlines has recently phased out the ERJ-145 in favor of the E175. The airline currently operates 58 ERJ-145s, up from 164 in 2019, according to airline data.
