ExpressJet's branded shutdown - routes

© ExpressJet

Recently, Cheapflights reported that ExpressJet will shut down its branded flight operations on September 2, while continuing to fly under Continental Express colors. Impelled by the price of petroleum, XJet is pulling out of some 34 city pairs. In virtually all instances, that will leave those specific city pairs without nonstop air service. Flyers will have to connect to make what were once nonstop journeys. That, indeed, was ExpressJet's branded business plan: to offer nonstop flights between cities where flyers had formerly had to make connections.

Here are the markets XJet will be leaving by September 2:

- Austin (AUS) to Albuquerque (ABQ)

- Austin (AUS) to New Orleans (MSY)

ExpressJet to end San Diego flights

ExpressJet has announced that it will end its remaining San Diego flights under its own brand name as of September 2.

The airline flew to ten cities from San Diego's Lindbergh Field. ExpressJet had announced previously it would no longer serve four of them – Oklahoma City, Tulsa, Omaha, and Bakersfield.

Now services to Fresno, Monterey, Santa Barbara, Boise, Idaho, Colorado Springs, and Spokane will be discontinued as well, The San Diego Union-Tribune reported.

The end of XJet - Fuel forces out branded product

© ExpressJet

Another individually branded, regional jet airline is about to stop flying. ExpressJet says it will shutter its branded service on September 2. The move follows some two-and-a-half years after Washington, DC-based Independence Air shut down. It flew mostly Canadair Regional Jets. ExpressJet flies Embraers. The economics of both fleets (smaller, sub-50 seat aircraft) worked against the carriers.

“If we had any other choice [but to shut down], we would not take this difficult action,” says Jim Ream, ExpressJet President and CEO. “Rising fuel prices [have] made the operation impossible to sustain.”

ExpressJet's branded service was predicated on the premise that people would pay for nonstop flights on routes where they'd formerly had to connect. Flyers liked the idea, but sky-high fuel prices rendered the business model impractical.

ExpressJet cuts, chapter and verse

Fuel prices and load factors are forcing ExpressJet to jettison, at least for a while, a number of nonstop routes. The all-regional jet airline is shedding 30 percent of its seats as of August 23. There’s a chance some routes might re-emerge on November 15 however.

Flyers will have to adjust because there was no nonstop competition on virtually all of these routes. That has been a key component of ExpressJet’s business plan: fly routes the other airlines do not. ExpressJet spokeswoman Kristy Nicholas tells Cheapflights that even though nonstops are going away, flyers will still be able to make one-stop connections on the carrier to a number of cities in its route network.

ExpressJet to axe one-third of fall schedule

© ExpressJet

Due to their size - and the cost of flying passengers on a per-seat, per-mile basis - 50-seat or smaller regional jets are particularly vulnerable to fuel prices. ExpressJet, which flies Brazilian-built ERJs, is to cut its fall schedule by a third beginning August 23, reports Forbes.com.

Among the cuts, according to the Arizona Daily Star, is service from Tucson to Austin (AUS), Omaha (OMA), and Reno (RNO).

There is no word on whether the service cuts will prove permanent or not. The carrier says they'll last through November 15 at the earliest.

ExpressJet declines SkyWest approach

© ExpressJet

ExpressJet has turned down an acquisition offer from SkyWest Airlines.

The Delta Connection and United Express operator made an unsolicited approach of $3.50 per share to ExpressJet.

A Special Committee made up of independent members from outside the ExpressJet Board of Directors was set up to evaluate the offer.

ExpressJet marks first year flying with frequent-flyer awards

ExpressJet is marking its first year of flying under its own brand with celebrations in the 24 cities it serves. It also plans to recognize its No. 1 frequent flyer and 24 runner-up flyers.

The winner of the "JetSetter of the Year" award will receive a vacation package, including airfare, rental car and hotel with three friends or family members to an ExpressJet location of their choice.

Runners-up will receive free companion tickets and rental cars from ExpressJet partners over the coming year.

ExpressJet reveals 'green' provisions

ExpressJet Airlines has revealed details of its environmentally friendly initiatives in the lead up to Earth Day later this month.

The carrier is looking at new ways to cuts its impact on the environment and this includes cutting down the commute of its employees.

ExpressJet found that ticket agents travel two million miles a year to get to work, using 98,000 gallons of gas, this has now been changed with the advent of home-based staff.

Birmingham-New Orleans: XJet out, Southwest in

© ExpressJet

In a move that has surprised no one ExpressJet has pulled out of the Birmingham, AL (BHM) to New Orleans (MSY) market.

Southwest Airlines had flown the route with frequency, and full airplanes, until Katrina. It suspended the popular run after the massive hurricane, deciding to resume flying it in November. Shortly after Southwest jumped back in, ExpressJet backed out.

ExpressJet’s business plan is to fly the nonstop routes that other carriers do not. The carrier, which flies 50-passenger Embraer 145 Regional Jets, continues to serve Birmingham to Raleigh/Durham (RDU). It has no nonstop competition on that run.

More Tucson takeoffs: ExpressJet ups ante

ExpressJet bases its business plan — that part, at least, where it flies under its own colors — on the premise that people don’t like to connect, that they’d rather hop nonstops. To that end, more service for Tucson (TUS).

The all-regional jet airline has started flying from the southern Arizona city to three new nonstop destinations: Reno/Tahoe (RNO), Spokane (GEG), and Omaha (OMA). Prior to XJet’s entry, none of them sported nonstop service to Tucson. Flyers had to connect.

ExpressJet has managed to make Tucson a focus city of sorts, flying its nicely appointed Embraer 145 Regional Jets not just to these three cities, but to Austin (AUS), El Paso (ELP), Kansas City (MCI), Ontario (ONT), Sacramento (SMF), and San Antonio (SAT) as well – all on a nonstop basis. That’s the market niche Express jet is trying to exploit: point-to-point nonstops that minimize passenger hassle.