Comair has received the first two of 14 Bombardier CRJ-900s aircraft that the regional airline is counting on to boost revenue. The new jets are scheduled to begin passenger service late this month.
The planes, featuring 12 first-class seats and 64 coach seats, are the first new order for Comair by parent Delta Air Lines Inc. in three years. The remaining 12 aircraft in the order are to be delivered by April, Comair said Monday.
Erlanger, Ky.-based Comair emerged from Chapter 11 bankruptcy protection in April with Delta. Atlanta-based Delta has said it would consider selling Comair, but it has said there is no timetable for any decision.
Comair has said that the 76-seat planes can generate more revenue and will be more economical to run than the 14, 50-seat, CRJ-900 aircraft currently in its fleet. Delta will sell those planes back to Bombardier.
The 76-seat planes are the first in Comair's fleet to include a first-class cabin, and Comair spokeswoman Kate Marx said that will allow Comair to provide service more similar to Delta's.
The 76-seat planes will initially serve markets in the northeastern United States -- including Boston, New York, and Philadelphia -- out of Delta's hub at the Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. Initial routes also will include Chicago, Denver and Dallas/Fort Worth.
Comair operates 733 flights a day to 87 cities in the United States and Canada.
