"United Express operated by SkyWest" - how bad?

[karly05]

OK, I know about these commuter airlines that run the small jets for the big boys. I know first hand just how awful American Eagle is out of DFW ("Envoy" and "Mesa" and "ExpressJet").

The current Delta schedule keeps me on full-fledged big Delta jets, but won't get me home until late evening. United can get me home an hour earlier (before dark), but that last leg on United out of Houston is on their "United Express"/SkyWest. Anyone know how reliable - or awful - they are? American Eagle out of DFW is a headache of delay-delay-cancel-delay, move your gate 5 times (seriously). Anyone had experience with United Express out of IAH/Houston?

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

I have flown on these planes many times. They are okay; smaller and many don't have room in the overheads for carry-on size suitcases, so you have to gate check. Also, if there are weather delays, the smaller planes often are delayed longer the larger planes. Also check to see if you'll be flying a jet or or propeller plane; the later are very noisy. I do prefer not to fly regional planes when I can avoid it.

 

[rwdavis2]

I flew them several times about 15 years ago with no issues. They were always the final leg of flights landing in Monterey or San Luis Obispo. Small planes.

 

[Yellowjj]

Skywest is actually not bad at all and being the largest regional company; operates for all 3 legacy carriers. I think your more likely to find a delay with mainline United as opposed to Skywest operating as United Express. I would stick with Delta and mainline aircraft as Delta has the highest on-time rate among the big 3.

 

[nacho113]

Quite often we find ourselves flying United Express on our first leg from YWG to ORD (on our way to MCO or TPA) These planes are typically ERJ or CRJ units with 2 and 2 seating. They seem to be older planes and have plenty of legroom (if a little short on headroom in the window seat) but I would fly these any day of the week over the A319/A320 with the new Slimline seating (or just about any plane with the slimline seating for that matter).
As a previous poster has noted, overhead bins are quite small and may require your carry-on to be gate checked.

BTW: don't let then put you on a Dash8 or Saab prop plane, these tend to be used on the "milk runs" and are nowhere near as fast as the regional jets.

 

[lost*in*cyberspace]

....... I would fly these any day of the week over the A319/A320 with the new Slimline seating (or just about any plane with the slimline seating for that matter)......

 

[gottalovepluto]

I've ended up on SkyWest by United flights a few times flying out of Fresno, CA. I obviously can't speak specifically to your airports but I haven't had any particular issues with these flights. The planes are always on the small side, beverage service just consisted of water last time I flew. Never just had one cancelled out from under me like happens with baby/local airlines. Honestly, the only way I knew it was "SkyWest" was because they kept saying it, I checked in at the United Counter, it pretty much seemed like United with smaller planes.

 

[dis_guy]

Flown Skywest as UX loads of times. No complaints at all. I do believe they have one of the better safety records of any regional operator in that they have never had a fatality.

 

[jsilvers]

QBTW: don't let then put you on a Dash8 or Saab prop plane, these tend to be used on the "milk runs" and are nowhere near as fast as the regional jets.

No current United Express operating carrier uses a Dash 8 or Saab aircraft, and there are only a small number of other props.

 

[Yellowjj]

No current United Express operating carrier uses a Dash 8 or Saab aircraft, and there are only a small number of other props.

The Dash 8's are well and alive in the fleet, albeit only at certain bases. You are correct with the Saabs.

 

[jsilvers]

The Dash 8's are well and alive in the fleet, albeit only at certain bases.

You are correct - I misread the phase-out dates for the Dash 8's as September 2015 instead of September 2016.

 

[karly05]

OP here. Thanks, all, for the feedback. I'm pretty well settled on Delta (full-fledged Delta-operated "big jet") for various reasons. I may still take a gamble on United someday, but we'll see. I don't really mind the smaller planes - I've been on plenty of them, including some of the prop jobs (haven't seen one of those in a long time). I've just had multiple issues this year with American Eagle being totally unreliable (seriously, like a 50-50 chance they're even on schedule). Delta is far and away my best option flying to Orlando. I still wish I could get home earlier (without having to be on DME before sunrise), but those are the breaks.