Will Airline End Up Servicing Planes Flying Its
Former Routes?
Some good news for
beleagured regional carrier Comair... as the Delta subisidiary
announced Thursday it has received certification from the Federal
Aviation Administration (FAA) to perform repair station maintenance
under 14 CFR Part 145. The certification allows Comair's Northern
Kentucky hangar and maintenance support facility to perform
third-party work on 50- and 70-seat Bombardier Canadair Regional
Jets (CRJs).
Comair has been a repair station for its own fleet since October
1980, and has extensive history with the CRJ as the launch carrier
of the aircraft in North America. Today, Comair is one of nine CRJ
heavy maintenance service providers, and the airline continues to
maintain one of the largest fleets of CRJs in the United
States.
"Our team of over 500 maintenance professionals have more
experience than any other operator performing maintenance on
regional jets and now we have the requisite authority to provide
maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) services for other air
carriers," said Allen Messick, Comair's vice president of
Maintenance. "The FAA certification sets the regulatory foundation
for our industry-recognized team to provide those services."
The expansion of Comair's maintenance capacity is part of the
company's strategy to diversify its business. The airline is also
seeking to expand its airport customer service operation to serve
more air carriers... including, possibly, those which may end up
flying routes currently served by Comair, under parent Delta's plan
to cut what it pays out to regional carriers.
As Aero-News reported, Delta put several routes flown by regional
operators up for bid in August, in an attempt to gain
further concessions from its current regional carriers -- or their
replacements. Comair had until October 2 to submit its bid to
keep its routes... with CEO Don Bornhorst all-but conceding the
airline couldn't cut enough of its costs to meet
Delta's requirements.
"Since we have received this certification from the FAA, we will
continue to focus on developing the processes and support
infrastructure required to grow our business and support the
customer's needs," Messick said. "We also have plans to achieve
repair station certification for our Orlando maintenance base in
the coming months."
Comair states its current maintenance capabilities exceed
the FAA's 14 CFR Part 145 certification requirements that a repair
station have facilities, equipment, materials and data to properly
perform maintenance for the aircraft and engine ratings the carrier
holds. FAA certification also requires verification of qualified
personnel, quality control procedures, and sufficient management
and oversight.
Comair is a Delta Connection carrier and wholly owned subsidiary
of Delta Air Lines. Based at Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky
International Airport, Comair currently operates three heavy
maintenance lines to service its fleet and has the capability to
expand this capacity to accommodate the needs of other
carriers.