Does UNITED have plans for their E120’s and E170’s ?
flickr.com/photos/26436024@N06/4195279843/ (These are all in old colors still.)
dvincentphotography.com/Airp … 4344-L.jpg (These are still in the (New/Old) colors. I’ve only seen a few of these in the newer colors, why is UNITED taking so long to paint both type of aircraft? are there other plans for these instead?
Thanks for actual answers.
Livery has little to do with “use” or potential. A/C are only painted when they’re up D check and not “just because the livery has changed”
don’t quote me on this but I think they plan to fly those types until the sell or retire them.
The E-120’s will be leaving the fleet soon and are all owned by SkyWest and almost all of them are operated “at risk” by SkyWest at this point. It’s up to SkyWest whether they want to repaint them or not and clearly, they don’t. Note that they haven’t painted any of the ones operating DL Connection flights into the new DL livery either (all of those are in OO house colors).
Some of the E-170’s have been repainted, but they are taking a long time to repaint for a few reasons. First, they already say “united express” on them, so the need to have them repainted is less dire in that they already have the right airline name on them. Secondly they are all pretty new and their current paint is in good condition. Finally, the E-170 fleet is pushed really hard so there’s not much opportunity to take one out of service for painting.
thanks for the long and correct answer, but what do you mean by “at risk”?
What was incorrect in the other answers?
Nothing, this was more complete. I like every body else’s answers the same. This gave me more of an idea on what will happen. 
Duly noted. I’ll use bigger words next time
Ah ha! That’s the reason I was looking for. Thank you!
“at risk” means that the flights are not under a Capacity Purchase Agreement by United.
For a normal Skywest flight that is operated under a CPA (for example SFO-SMF or ORD-ASE), United pays SkyWest a fixed amount to operate the flight and United prices the flight and collects all the revenue. In an “at risk” flight, United gives no money to SkyWest to operate the flight, but SkyWest gets to keep all the revenue for passengers that are flying nonstop on that flight, and a portion of the revenue for passengers connecting to or from that flight to a United mainline or CPA United Express flight. Skywest also sets the prices for these nonstops and has influence in the pricing of many of the connections using these flights.
Examples of Skywest at risk flights are LAX-IPL/IYK/SGU/YUM, SFO-CIC/CEC/OTH/, PDX-EUG/RDM/SEA, ORD-PAH/EAU/MKG/CMX, LAS-PSP/FAT, SMF-ACV, DEN-RKS/CPR and others. Many of these are subsidized essential air service flights.
Skywest can terminate these flights without the permission of United and/or change the schedule in any way as long as the United gates that handle them are available.
All of the Skywest E-120 flying under the DL code out of SLC is done “at risk”.
Another notable Skywest “at risk” operation was their FL coded flights out of MKE a few years ago.
Haven’t they been talking about the 120’s leaving for some time? and what will they use on those, and other, 120 markets they now serve?
The markets they currently serve with the E-120’s will either get CRJ-200’s or be dropped. The ones that are dropped (if they are the only airline in the market) will then be put up for EAS bid. I imagine IPL and IYK will go to Great Lakes since they already fly to LAX and LAS.
It doesn’t look like Skywest is interested in ordering any props to replace the E-120’s. The Q400 and ATR are too big for most of the markets they currently serve.
That’s about what I figured. I’m on the central coast, SBP has something like 10 E120 flight’s a day plus 3 CRJ’s flying for USAirways while just down the road SMX has 4 120’s a day plus 3 or 4 Allegiant flights a week. No points for guessing what happens there.
could skywest get or lease a B1900? (talking multiple quantities here)
The economics of a 120 and a 1900 are close. Not sure why multiple 1900s is better than some number of 120’s?
Take a look at the whole EAS concept that was mentioned.
