SkyWest COO Says Q400 Is A Noteworthy Plane To Track

SkyWest Airlines has been eyeing Bombardier's Q400 for several years, says President and Chief Operating Officer Ron Reber, noting that as the industry continues to shake out, it should be "an interesting aircraft to watch."

Earlier this year, SkyWest Inc. CEO Jerry Atkin noted that most major carriers were probably looking at larger turboprops as fuel prices were climbing (DAILY, May 26).

Continental's been quietly considering a request for proposal for 24 planes it floated to carriers earlier this year. But in August, it was still evaluating its turboprop possibilities. More recently, Frontier unveiled plans to launch a new subsidiary next year that would eventually fly 10 Q400s from Denver. Other airlines are also trying to capitalize on the plane's favorable operating attributes. Hawaiian carrier Island Air hopes to strike a deal soon to fly its three Q400s on the U.S. mainland (DAILY, Oct. 6).

SkyWest's Reber told The DAILY the Q400 could be the best aircraft in certain areas, pointing out the plane's favorable performance in Rocky Mountain markets, but the airline would have to weigh choosing the Q400 against adding another fleet type to its operations. The carrier currently flies Bombardier CRJ-200s/700s/900s and 30-seat Embraer Brasilia turboprops.

Reber pointed out that the optimal scenario for the Q400 is a central location for about 20 planes that would serve the right markets with favorable utilization.