In early March, United Airways will begin providing a brand new plane sort on some regional flights, and it has the best proportion of additional legroom financial system seats we’ve ever seen…
Mesa will fly CRJ-900s for United Specific
The “massive three” US carriers every outsource their flying of regional jets to different airways. In some circumstances these airways are wholly owned subsidiaries, whereas in different circumstances this flying is simply contracted out.
We’re at present seeing a little bit of musical chairs in terms of regional companions in the USA:
- As of April 2023, American is contracting some flights to Air Wisconsin, which might be working CRJ-200s on behalf of the airline; these beforehand operated flights on behalf of United
- American and Mesa have had a fairly tough breakup, so Mesa will utterly cease flying for American, and as of March 2023 will as a substitute begin working CRJ-900s on behalf of United
In different phrases, American and United have swapped Air Wisconsin and Mesa Airways. I’d say that from a passenger expertise standpoint, objectively United wins right here, as United is getting CRJ-900s with firstclass and additional legroom financial system, whereas American’s CRJ-200s are in a one class configuration.
United’s CRJ-900s are in a premium configuration
As reported by @IshrionA, Mesa will begin working flights on behalf of United as of March 4, 2023. The planes will initially serve locations out of United’s Houston hub, after which as of June 2023 will begin serving locations out of United’s Denver hub.
What’s particularly attention-grabbing to me is how these Mesa CRJ-900s are being configured once they fly United. They’ll function a complete of 76 seats, together with:
- 9 firstclass seats
- 39 further legroom financial system seats
- 28 financial system seats
Clearly that’s an extremely spacious structure, because it’s not typically you see extra further legroom financial system seats than normal financial system seats. What’s the logic for this? Properly, United’s contract with pilots accommodates a scope clause, limiting the kind of flying that may be outsourced.
United is simply in a position to outsource flying for planes which have as much as 76 seats. Despite the fact that the CRJ-900 ordinarily has the next capability than that, the aircraft is being reconfigured so it doesn’t exceed that restrict.
This isn’t the primary time that United has achieved one thing like this. The scope clause additionally has limits on what number of planes will be operated by companions with greater than 50 seats. So the airline has added some CRJ-700s to its fleet, which ordinarily seat 70+ passengers.
Nevertheless, the aircraft has been rebranded because the CRJ-550, and as a substitute options simply 50 seats. This contains 10 firstclass seats, 20 further legroom financial system seats, and 20 normal financial system seats.
Backside line
As of March 2023, Mesa Airways will begin working flights on behalf of United Airways. Particularly, Mesa will function some CRJ-900s on behalf of United Specific, they usually’ll function simply 76 seats. The aircraft could have 39 further legroom financial system seats and simply 28 common financial system seats, which should be some kind of a file by way of the ratio.
With this newest regional airline associate swap, prospects on United’s CRJ-900s will definitely be extra snug than prospects on American’s CRJ-200s…
What do you make of United’s new CRJ-900s?
