American Eagle fleet adjustments will mean fewer cramped regional jets
It's not just mainline carriers that are shaking up their fleets in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.
American Airlines has announced the retirement of a number of jet types, including the Boeing 757 and Airbus A330-300. Now the regional carriers that fly for its Eagle division are making changes of their own.
Those operators are purging some of the smallest regional jets from their fleets, reducing the number of aircraft that are among the most unpopular with travelers.
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AA's PSA affiliate is retiring its entire fleet of Bombardier CRJ 200s, saying the 50-seat jets will be out of service, effective immediately.
"American has made their plans clear to reduce single-class regional jets around the American Eagle system," PSA president Dion Flannery said in a letter to employees reviewed by TPG. "Retiring these older, single-class aircraft from our fleet sooner than originally planned avoids unnecessary maintenance and fuel costs."
At American's Envoy affiliate, the retirement of the 44-seat E140s is also being accelerated.
"The latest projections suggest that customer travel demand will build back slowly, so we have also accelerated the retirement of 22 of these inactive E140s," Pedro Fábregas, Envoy's president and CEO, said in a letter to employees reviewed by TPG.
Related: American Airlines leads shift to smaller jets for flights still flying in U.S.
However, the moves don't quite mark the end of these unpopular, small, all-economy jets. Envoy will continue flying the roughly two dozen of the E140s that remain in its fleet.
Still, travelers are likely to welcome the news that the number of the smallest regional jets in operation is being reduced. They are among the least popular planes with passengers, disliked for minimal standing room, tiny overhead bins and for feeling generally cramped.
The changes are expected to increase the percentage of larger regional jets in the overall American Eagle fleet, which — across several affiliates — also includes Embraer E175s and E145s and Bombardier CRJ-900s and CRJ 700s. Except for the E145s, the other types are all configured with both first class and economy.
Regional jet usage exploded in the 2000s, replacing turboprops on short-haul routes around the country. The swap initially was welcomed by passengers who generally preferred jets — even small ones — to prop planes. But the satisfaction was short-lived. Airlines quickly increased the usage of regional jets, putting them on more flights and on longer and longer routes. Those decisions pushed the planes out of favor with many travelers.
Related: Airlines add new rules as call for masks on planes gets louder
By 2010s, the pendulum began swinging the other way, thanks to a combination of spiking fuel prices and other economic factors. Suddenly, airlines couldn't retire their smallest, relatively inefficient regional jets fast enough. That trend is only being accelerated as airlines revisit their fleet strategies amid plummeting demand for travel.
The latest fleet changes at American Eagle come as the regional network itself is changing during the pandemic.
A pilot for Envoy confirmed to TPG Thursday that American had ordered the affiliate to suspend flying in and out of Miami from May 7 to June 3. The move was first made public on Twitter by JonNYC. Envoy had already stopped serving JFK and LaGuardia airports in New York in late March, and airlines across the board continue making or extending cuts to their network, waiting for demand to recover.
Read more: Here's why airlines probably aren't using this moment to spruce up their planes
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There’s a lot to love about the Amex Gold. It’s a fan favorite thanks to its fantastic bonus-earning rates at restaurants worldwide and at U.S. supermarkets. If you’re hitting the skies soon, you’ll also earn bonus Membership Rewards points on travel. Paired with up to $120 in Uber Cash annually (for U.S. Uber rides or Uber Eats orders, card must be added to Uber app and you can redeem with any Amex card), up to $120 in annual dining statement credits to be used with eligible partners, an up to $84 Dunkin’ credit each year at U.S. Dunkin Donuts and an up to $100 Resy credit annually, there’s no reason that foodies shouldn’t add the Amex Gold to their wallet. These benefits alone are worth more than $400, which offsets the $325 annual fee on the Amex Gold card. Enrollment is required for select benefits.Pros
- 4 points per dollar spent on dining at restaurants worldwide and U.S. supermarkets (on the first $50,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter and $25,000 in purchases per calendar year; then 1 point per dollar spent thereafter, respectively)
- 3 points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with the airline or with amextravel.com
- Packed with credits foodies will enjoy
- Solid welcome bonus
Cons
- Not as useful for those living outside the U.S.
- Some may have trouble using Uber and other dining credits
- You may be eligible for as high as 100,000 Membership Rewards® Points after you spend $6,000 in eligible purchases on your new Card in your first 6 months of Card Membership. Welcome offers vary and you may not be eligible for an offer. Apply to know if you’re approved and find out your exact welcome offer amount – all with no credit score impact. If you’re approved and choose to accept the Card, your score may be impacted.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on purchases at restaurants worldwide, on up to $50,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 4X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent at US supermarkets, on up to $25,000 in purchases per calendar year, then 1X points for the rest of the year.
- Earn 3X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on flights booked directly with airlines or on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 2X Membership Rewards® points per dollar spent on prepaid hotels and other eligible purchases booked on AmexTravel.com.
- Earn 1X Membership Rewards® point per dollar spent on all other eligible purchases.
- $120 Uber Cash on Gold: Add your Gold Card to your Uber account and get $10 in Uber Cash each month to use on orders and rides in the U.S. when you select an American Express Card for your transaction. That’s up to $120 Uber Cash annually. Plus, after using your Uber Cash, use your Card to earn 4X Membership Rewards® points for Uber Eats purchases made with restaurants or U.S. supermarkets. Point caps and terms apply.
- $84 Dunkin' Credit: With the $84 Dunkin' Credit, you can earn up to $7 in monthly statement credits after you enroll and pay with the American Express® Gold Card at U.S. Dunkin' locations. Enrollment is required to receive this benefit.
- $100 Resy Credit: Get up to $100 in statement credits each calendar year after you pay with the American Express® Gold Card to dine at U.S. Resy restaurants or make other eligible Resy purchases. That's up to $50 in statement credits semi-annually. Enrollment required.
- $120 Dining Credit: Satisfy your cravings, sweet or savory, with the $120 Dining Credit. Earn up to $10 in statement credits monthly when you pay with the American Express® Gold Card at Grubhub, The Cheesecake Factory, Goldbelly, Wine.com, and Five Guys. Enrollment required.
- Explore over 1,000 upscale hotels worldwide with The Hotel Collection and receive a $100 credit towards eligible charges* with every booking of two nights or more through AmexTravel.com. *Eligible charges vary by property.
- No Foreign Transaction Fees.
- Annual Fee is $325.
- Terms Apply.