Delta's most uncomfortable regional jet makes a surprise comeback

13.07.2024 - 04:03 / thepointsguy.com

The most uncomfortable regional jet is making a comeback on Delta Air Lines.

The Atlanta-based carrier plans to fly the CRJ-200 — a 50-seat all-economy jet — on a handful of routes from Detroit and Salt Lake City over the coming weeks, Cirium schedules show. This includes the following routes:

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All of this CRJ-200 flying comes after Delta "retired" the jet from its fleet just about eight months ago.

The CRJ-200 features just 13 rows of economy seats arranged in a 2-2 configuration. These planes have overhead bins that can only hold the smallest backpacks, and without Wi-Fi or power outlets, the passenger experience feels in some ways like a blast from the past. (Larger carry-on bags must be valeted at the gate for pickup on arrival.)

And if you need to use the bathroom during the flight, you might need to practice some human Tetris, because fitting inside the lavatory can be a real challenge.

Delta, along with its big U.S. competitors, has flown the CRJ-200 for years. It's a popular regional jet for route planners for many reasons. It's cheaper to operate than some of the larger aircraft, and with just 50 seats, it helps carriers work around their scope clauses with their pilot unions that limit how much outsourced flying each carrier can do. These scope clauses are designed to ensure that carriers won't simply outsource as much flying as possible to cheaper regional affiliates.

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In fact, these regional jets aren't actually operated by Delta. Instead, they're flown by affiliate carriers — some wholly owned by the airline, such as Endeavor Air, and others, like SkyWest Airlines and Republic Airways, that contract with Delta in smaller regional markets.

In this case, SkyWest is actually operating the new CRJ-200 flights for Delta Connection. Aside from maybe an announcement at the gate and perhaps a placard or two onboard, some travelers may not actually be able to tell the difference between a typical Delta Connection flight operated by SkyWest and one operated by Delta's mainline aircraft — though those onboard a CRJ-200 are likely to notice the plane's cramped cabin.

The CRJ-200 has long been at the bottom of the rankings for comfort, and many flyers might be surprised to see Delta — one of the nation's most premium-centric airlines — bring the jet back from retirement.

Turns out, the carrier has a good reason for the move. Summer demand in many markets remains strong, and Delta's regional partner SkyWest has been focused on debuting the new CRJ-550 regional jet into its Delta Connection network.

"As we continue to transition our CRJ-550 fleet and to ensure adequate