Delta Airlines plans to start having its regional airline affiliate ExpressJet fly from Dallas Love Field to Atlanta using 50 seat Canadair regional jets.  If they are Canadair, they’re CRJ200s most likely.

I see some good and bad in this.  First, Delta is clearly interested in seeing if it can poach a few more AA customers on that route with service that is more convenient to a Dallas businessman.  I suspect that it can and will succeed in that sense. In addition, this is a shot across the bow at Southwest Airlines who cannot currently offer non-stop service between Dallas and Atlanta.  In this scenario, Delta will offer the better service.

The problem is that if these aircraft aren’t configured to offer business class seating and/or very comfortable economy class seating, I don’t see anyone being very interested in using the flight(s) regularly after their first experience.  The CRJ100/200 is not a comfortable aircraft and could only be described as such when compared to the Embraer ERJ-140 aircraft.   It’s going to take a bit more than convenience to permanently win over customers on that route from Southwest and American Airlines.

Filed under: Airline Service by ajax