BOMBARDIER REGIONAL JET 550 PLUS
BOMBARDIER REGIONAL JET 550 SERIES

While this may be a problem in general, the issue is magnified in Chicago where American is able to compete head-to-head with bigger airplanes thanks to fewer restrictions.

BOMBARDIER REGIONAL JET 550 PLUS

Most notably, as mentioned, frequent fliers can’t get access to Economy Plus or have a shot at an upgrade, because those don’t exist on these airplanes. So these airplanes fly around with only coach seating, and that creates problems. These already aren’t the most economical airplanes around, and reducing seat count just won’t make sense. Couldn’t United put First Class and Economy Plus on these airplanes? It would be rough. The big issue is that those 50-seaters (the Embraer 145s and Bombardier CRJ-200s) are all-coach. While United might like to fly airplanes with more seats in them on these routes, that’s not the most pressing issue. It doesn’t, however, have a meaningful limit on those small 50-seat regional jets, so it ends up serving more cities with those airplanes than it would like. United, like all US airlines, has a limit on the number of large regional jets that its partners can operate. The CRJ-550 is United’s attempt to get around its pilot scope clause while improving options for travelers. From what I can see so far, this isn’t just about being able to compete with American. Initial markets will focus on Chicago with Newark to follow. Its CRJ production facility in Mirabel, Quebec will remain with Bombardier, and the Canadian company will continue to supply components and spare parts for the CRJ as well as assemble them on behalf of Mitsubishi until a current CRJ backlog is cleared in the second half of 2020.United has been talking about this for some time, but last week the airline finally loaded flights operated by the CRJ-550. Bellemare had said in November he hoped to hold onto the line, which competes with Brazil's Embraer. The Canadian company, he said, would now focus on its global rail business and its last remaining niche aircraft - business jets under the Learjet, Challenger and Global brands.īombardier committed in 2015 to a five-year restructuring, which has already led to thousands of job cuts worldwide and massive loans and grants from the Quebec and Canadian governments.

BOMBARDIER REGIONAL JET 550 SERIES

More than 1,900 CRJ aircraft have been sold or ordered since then.īut CRJ sales have slowed to a trickle in recent years with only a handful of new orders, and the line was arguably neglected as Bombardier poured resources into the development of the larger C Series jetliner to go head-to-head against giants Airbus and Boeing.īombardier Chief Executive Alain Bellemare said the transaction represents 'the completion of Bombardier's aerospace transformation.' The sale of Bombardier's money-losing CRJ line, meanwhile, marks the end of an era for the company and for Canada after a three-decade expansion into the aviation sector that began when Bombardier bought Canadair from the Canadian government in 1986.

'This transaction (with Bombardier) represents one of the most important steps in our strategic journey to build a strong, global aviation capability,' Izumisawa said, and a 'significant step in our growth strategy.' Mitsubishi president Seiji Izumisawa said the CRJ program will complement the development and production of its SpaceJet family of commercial jets as the company aims to grow its aviation business.įormerly known as MRJ, the SpaceJet regional aircraft's development has suffered several years of delays and the company is still seeking certification to fly the plane before its first deliveries scheduled for late 2020.įirst announced more than a decade ago, the Mitsubishi Regional Jet was to be the first commercial passenger aircraft in nearly half a century - and the first jet airplane - to be developed in Japan. In a statement, Bombardier said Mitsubishi will also assume liabilities totalling $200 million, and take over all maintenance, support, refurbishment, marketing and sales activities for the aircrafts. The sale of the 75- to 100-seat CRJ line - along with its service and support networks in Montreal, Quebec City and Toronto as well as Bridgeport, West Virginia and Tucson, Arizona - is expected to close in the first half of 2020, subject to regulatory approvals. Canadian aerospace firm Bombardier is effectively exiting the commercial airline manufacturing sector with the sale of its CRJ Series regional jet program.Īnnounced Tuesday, the deal would transfer program to Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, which has been seeking to break into aviation, for $550 million.īombardier also recently sold its new medium-range C Series jetliners to Airbus, which renamed the line A220, and its Q Series turboprop line to a Canadian investment fund.

Bombardier regional jet 550