By Darren Shannon in Washington DC
Continental Airlines is contracting Republic Airways subsidiary Chautauqua Airlines to operate 44 50-seat jets to cover capacity lost in the US major's fleet agreement with primary regional partner ExpressJet.
Chautauqua will begin services as Continental Express early next year, coinciding with the loss of 69 ExpressJet Embraer ERJ-145s from the Express fleet.
Chautauqua says it will lease the jets, but does not specify Bombardier or Embraer aircraft. The first aircraft is expected to go into service in January and the last in July, says Republic.
Continental, which will continue to schedule and market its Continental Express regional jet service, says it will not contract any more regional jets to cover the 25 ERJ-145s lost under ExpressJet's revised capacity accord. However, the carrier would not comment on its separate request for proposals issued for 24 70-seat turboprops.
Source: Flight International
