Delta Shifts 12 Planes to SkyWest

Delta Air Lines, which is trying to cut expenses and emerge from bankruptcy, has chosen SkyWest Inc. to take over some of the regional flying business operated by its Comair subsidiary.

Delta will shift the flying of 12 of its 70-seat jets to St. George-based SkyWest, beginning in February. The Bombardier aircraft will continue to be operated out of Comair's hub in Cincinnati.

"We selected SkyWest to assure that our regional flying is cost-competitive and meets the needs of our network, while providing excellent service for our customers," Delta spokesman Anthony Black said Tuesday.

Delta requested bids in August for operating up to 143 of its regional jets, including as many as 43 70-seat jets, up to 50 50-seat jets and 50 new 76-seat jets not yet in service.

The 12 aircraft that Delta awarded to SkyWest are the first allocation. The remaining 131 aircraft will be awarded by the end of this year, Black said.

Mike Kraupp, vice president of SkyWest, said the company hasn't decided which of its two subsidiaries -- SkyWest Airlines or Atlantic Southeast Airlines -- will fly the jets. He said the deal will increase the number of aircraft SkyWest Inc. flies for Delta to 252 regional jets and turboprop aircraft, or by about 5 percent.

The planes will come from Comair's fleet. They are owned by Delta, Kraupp said.

Comair, like Delta, filed for Chapter 11 bankruptcy in September 2005. The two companies are trying to exit bankruptcy by the middle of next year.

"Comair is obviously disappointed by today's development," Comair spokeswoman Kate Marx said. "However, as long as we are unable to complete our restructuring, we face the very real risk of further reductions to our fleet."

Details of SkyWest's bid weren't released. But Kraupp said SkyWest has submitted separate bids for each of the three aircraft types.

"We would anticipate and are very hopeful that we would be awarded additional aircraft as part of that outstanding [request for bids]," Kraupp said.

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