Republic Airways announces fleet simplification plan

Republic Airways Holdings announced (04-Feb-2010) a fleet simplification plan:

• Regional service operated by Lynx Aviation Bombardier Q400 turboprop aircraft will be replaced by Embraer 170 and 190 jet service, operated by Republic Airlines;
• Three Q400 turboprop aircraft will be removed from service, effective 06-Apr-2010, another three aircraft will be removed from service on 19-Apr-2010;
• The leases of seven smaller regional jets will be terminated and the aircraft returned to the lessor;
• Operations to Fargo, N.D. and Tulsa, Okla, will cease on 05-Apr-2010, other Lynx services will continue until mid-September;
• Approximately 175 positions at Lynx, including flight crews, operations, customer service and support personnel will be reduced. [more - Perspective]

Republic: "Lynx employees have done an outstanding job of providing service to a number of regional communities and have provided important passenger connections to Frontier's network...Unfortunately, after extensive analysis and months of efforts to grow the business, we concluded we could not efficiently operate a fleet of 11 Q400 aircraft. Converting service from the Q400 fleet to jet service allows us to better utilize our existing aircraft resources and lower our cost of operating and maintaining multiple fleet types, while providing our customers with outstanding jet service." Republic Executive Vice President and COO Wayne Heller, 04-Feb-2010. Source: Republic Airways. [more]