I-Team: Midwest's Final Boarding Call?
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MILWAUKEE - Could "The Best Care in the Air" soon be grounded for good? Midwest's shrinking fleet has just nine big jets left. Now, the foreign airline that wants those planes confirms it's going to get them. At one time, Midwest Airlines had 25 Boeing 717's in its fleet -- all leased from Boeing. To cut costs, Midwest gave most of the big jets back to Boeing, which started shipping them off to Mexico's Mexicana Airlines -- three so far. Thing is, Mexicana wants, and now confirms, it will get all 25 of Midwest's 717's. In an email to the I-Team, a Mexicana spokesperson wrote, "Starting June 2009, and it will take until December 2010, to conclude. All come from Midwest." "It's our plan to continue to operate the 717's," said Midwest Airlines spokesman, Michael Brophy. "We've got nothing to announce on that front right now." However, Brophy admits the airline is looking at options for what he calls "fleet replacement," which, lately, has meant outsourcing service. Indianapolis-based Republic Airlines now operates smaller regional jets under the Midwest Airlines flag on many routes once serviced by Midwest's 717's. "Without Midwest crews flying the airplane, I don't know how you can honestly hold out a position that Midwest Airlines still exists," said Anthony Freitas, president of Midwest's pilot's union. And potentially no planes of its own could mean the final boarding call for Milwaukee's hometown airline. Boeing wouldn't comment on Mexicana's statements about the future Midwest's 717's. Officially, Boeing says it hasn't decided where the rest of Mexicana's planes will come from.
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