SAS Pulls Dash 8 Q-400 From Fleet

[Midnight Mike]

Airline Pulls Turboprops From Fleet
Sunday October 28, 12:59 pm ET

Crashes After Landing Gear Malfunctions Prompt Airline to Pull Turboprops From Its Fleet

STOCKHOLM, Sweden (AP) -- Scandinavian Airlines said Sunday it will pull Bombardier Q400 turboprops from its fleet after a series of crash landings caused by landing gear malfunctions.
The decision came a day after an SAS turboprop with 44 people on board crash-landed in Denmark when part of its landing gear collapsed, with one wing scraping the ground in a shower of sparks. All passengers and crew were evacuated safely.

The same type of plane, also known as Dash 8, crash-landed twice last month and SAS temporarily grounded its fleet of turboprops. No one was seriously injured.

"Confidence in the Q400 has diminished considerably and our customers are becoming increasingly doubtful about flying in this type of aircraft," SAS chief executive Mats Jansson said in a statement.

The airline said it would replace its 27 turboprops, made by Canada's Bombardier Inc., with other types of aircraft in its fleet, as well as with leased aircraft. SAS warned that it would have to cancel flights "in the period immediately ahead," but did not say how many. The turboprops represented some 5 percent of SAS's total fleet.

The airline had already canceled about 50 flights Sunday and Monday with turboprops after Saturday's emergency landing at Copenhagen's airport.

Bombardier, which has said there are some 160 of the Q400 planes worldwide, recommended airlines to continue flying the aircraft, saying there appeared to be no link between the Saturday's crash-landing and previous incidents involving SAS turboprops.

"According to preliminary information, the incident involved the main right-hand landing gear, which failed to fully extend for landing," Bombardier said in a statement.

However, the SAS board decided to permanently remove the planes from service at an emergency meeting on Sunday.

The airline has said it would demand $78.25 million in compensation from Bombardier for costs and lost income for accidents involving the turboprops. It wasn't immediately clear if SAS would make additional claims after Sunday's decision.

[Iberia A340-600]

I wonder if all these incidents with the Dash-400 are giving Continental doubts in their order to replace the ERJ-145 fleet.

[cancidas]

the CO Q400s are going to be operated by colgan, and the airplane order has yet to be effected by this.

[njgtr82]

the CO Q400s are going to be operated by colgan, and the airplane order has yet to be effected by this.

Nope, it was definitely announced its Q400's: http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/ap ... x?i=PRNEWS (http://www.continental.com/web/en-US/apps/vendors/default.aspx?i=PRNEWS)

Continental Airlines Selects Pinnacle Airlines and Bombardier Q400 Aircraft for Newark-Based Regional Service
NEW YORK, Feb 05, 2007 /PRNewswire-FirstCall via COMTEX News Network/ -- Continental Airlines (NYSE: CAL) today announced that it has selected a new regional airline partner and a new type of turboprop aircraft to operate as Continental Connection from its New York hub at Newark Liberty International Airport.
Colgan Air Inc., a subsidiary of Pinnacle Airlines Corp., will operate efficient, quiet and comfortable 74-seat Bombardier Q400 twin-turboprop aircraft on short and medium-distance routes from Liberty starting in early 2008.

"Pinnacle Airlines Corp. and its subsidiary Colgan have the high standards that we expect from our Continental Connection service," said Mark Erwin, Continental's senior vice president of corporate development. "Our selection of the Q400 aircraft is an important move for us because it addresses our need for efficiency without sacrificing our customers' comfort, and because it is well-suited to the unique operating environment at Newark Liberty."

Continental has entered into a 10-year capacity-purchase agreement with Pinnacle Airlines Corp. The company will acquire 15 new Q400 aircraft which it will operate as Continental Connection through its Colgan subsidiary. Continental will schedule and market the service.

The Q400 Aircraft

Manufactured by Bombardier Aerospace, the Q400 is a high-efficiency, modern-technology turboprop, which will be configured with 74 seats in a single cabin. With a maximum cruise speed of 440 mph, the Q400 can keep pace with traffic flows into and out of busy metropolitan airports like Newark Liberty. Passenger comfort will be enhanced by the Q400's state-of-the-art noise and vibration suppression system.

Pinnacle Airlines

Pinnacle Airlines Corp., a publicly traded holding company, is the parent company of Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. and Colgan Air, Inc. Pinnacle Airlines, Inc. operates 135 Bombardier CRJ-200 Regional Jets in the United States and Canada as a Northwest Airlink carrier. Colgan Air, Inc. operates as Continental Connection, United Express and US Airways Express with a fleet of 39 Saab 340 and 11 Beech 1900 turbo-prop regional aircraft.

Continental Airlines

Continental Airlines is the world's fifth largest airline. Continental, together with Continental Express and Continental Connection, has more than 3,100 daily departures throughout the Americas, Europe and Asia, serving 150 domestic and 136 international destinations. More than 400 additional points are served via SkyTeam alliance airlines. With more than 44,000 employees, Continental has hubs serving New York, Houston, Cleveland and Guam, and together with Continental Express, carries approximately 67 million passengers per year. Continental consistently earns awards and critical acclaim for both its operation and its corporate culture.

In 2006, Continental Airlines won its sixth J.D. Power and Associates award since 1996. The carrier received the highest rank in customer satisfaction among network carriers in North America in the J.D. Power and Associates 2006 Airline Satisfaction Index Survey(SM). For the third consecutive year, FORTUNE magazine named Continental the No. 1 Most Admired Global Airline on its 2006 list of Most Admired Global Companies. Continental was also named the No. 1 airline on the publication's 2006 America's Most Admired airline industry list. Additionally, Continental again won major awards at the OAG Airline of the Year Awards including "Best Airline Based in North America" for the third year in a row, and "Best Executive/Business Class" for the fourth consecutive year. For more company information, visit continental.com .

SOURCE Continental Airlines