Delta Air Lines is expanding its Bombardier CRJ-550 operations to a third hub as the customer-friendly aircraft debuts in Detroit.
Spacious CRJ-550 Arrives at Detroit For Delta Air Lines
Delta’s CRJ-500 aircraft offers a spacious configuration onboard:
- 10 first class seats
- 20 Comfort+ seats (extra legroom economy Class seats)
- 20 main cabin seats
Already this aircraft is utilized on several routes from Minneapolis (MSP) and Salt Lake City (SLC). Now Delta is adding this aircraft to Detroit (DTW) with service to six cities within the state of Michigan:
- Alpena (APN) – October 2024
- Iron Mountain (IMT) – October 2024
- Sault Ste. Marie (CIU) – October 2024
- Escanaba (ESC) – November 2024
- Pellston (PLN) – November 2024
- Marquette (MQT) – January 2025
United Airlines was first to introduce the CRJ-550, which is essentially a 70-seat aircraft (CRJ-700) with only 50-seats installed onboard, including a large first class cabin, extra-legroom economy class cabin, and large storage areas for full-sized carry-on bags.
The point of this aircraft is not simply to provide extra space and comfort to passengers onboard, but to address scope clause limits negotiated into pilot contracts that limit the ratio of regional jets operated by subsidiaries like SkyWest to mainline aircraft.
In the case of Delta (and United), regional aircraft with more than 50 seats fall under that clause, hence the introduction of the CRJ-550 model. While not the most efficient jet in terms of maximizing revenue per available seat mile, offering a comfortable aircraft compared to the “devil’s chariot” 50-seat CRJ-200 in an all economy-class configuration makes a huge difference in terms of leaving an impression of quality and that can build loyalty beyond the flight itself.
I’m not a fan of pilot scope clauses in general, but I do like the fruit of those agreements…I do go out of my way to fly on these regional jets versus other more densely configured ones.
image: Caribb / Flickr
Iron Mountain is right along the border of Wisconsin in upstate Michigan. Should help me with getting to the icy ski slopes around there instead of driving up from MSP, EAU, CWA, or RHI.
Meant to type Upper Peninsula (Michigan, not “upstate”.
I just want to point out that one of the destinations, Sault Ste. Marie, is in Canada.
You are correct – I should have written CIU, not YAM.
Actually, that Sault Ste Marie service is to CIU airport on the US side. Most of these new CRJ-550 routes are Essential Air Service routes operated by SkyWest CRJ-200s under Delta for the last ~10 years.
I don’t believe that’s correct Delta flies to Chippewa County International Airport that services Sault St. Marie, Michigan (airport code CIU).
Airport code YAM is on the Ontario/Canadian Side of the border and only has service from Air Canada Express and Porter for major airlines.
There are two cities named Sault St. Marie.
Following UA’s industry leading standard.
For anyone wondering, here is the seat map:
https://www.aerolopa.com/dl-cr5
Same as UA.
Flight attendants for Sky West, which operate these routes for Delta as Delta Connection, are already complaining. Was on a CRJ-700 over the weekend to one of these airports. 700s, like the 900s, have two flight attendants, including one dedicated to first-class. The 500s have one flight attendant who has to service the whole cabin. She says it’s a problem because the forward galley is left unattended as she is providing service in economy. Apparently, bad passengers gave already tried to do self-service from the galley. Of course, since it’s Sky West, it’s also likely a case of flight attendants complaining because they really, really don’t like doing anything on 1-hour flights.