#crj550

Bombardier CRJ550 GoJet Airlines operated for United Express

Registration: N504GJ Type: CL-600-2C11 Engines: 2 × GE CF34-8C5B1 Serial Number: 10022 First flight: Dec 2001

The history of the CRJ550 begins in 2019, when the American regional carrier United Airlines faced a peculiar challenge. Collective bargaining agreements with pilot unions in the United States strictly limited the number of regional aircraft with more than 50 seats that could be operated by the subsidiary carriers of major airlines. These restrictions, known as "scope clauses," were put in place to protect the jobs of mainline airline pilots.

United Airlines found a creative solution: take the existing 70-seat CRJ700 and radically reduce its seating capacity to 50, in order to formally comply with the requirements of the union agreements. Bombardier modified the CRJ700 by altering only the cabin layout of the existing airframe. But that was not all. To meet U.S. regulatory requirements, the Maximum Takeoff Weight (MTOW) was reduced to 65,000 pounds. The new CRJ550 received certification from both Transport Canada and the FAA.

The key idea was to use the freed-up space for the installation of more comfortable premium-class seating. The result was a regional aircraft with an unusually spacious cabin: 10 business class seats, 20 Economy Plus seats, and just 20 standard economy seats. The remaining available space was used to install generously sized overhead bins for carry-on luggage, effectively resolving longstanding baggage issues. In essence, it became a "poor man's liner" with the comfort of a mainline aircraft.

The aircraft with registration N504GJ, originally built in 2002, became the first of the 550 series. Its maiden flight took place in 2019, and commercial operations began in November of that same year under GoJet Airlines, operating under contract with United. The CRJ550 became the only 50-seat aircraft capable of offering three classes of service.

Notably, this modification remained exclusive to United Airlines — no other customers emerged. The result was a niche aircraft born not so much from technical innovation as from a clever workaround of labor agreements.

That day felt beautiful. Every flight, the announcement had to be made that I was training. I couldn’t figure out what was in those damn carts, atlas boxes and numbered cabinets. We spent weeks on safety, what to do, what to say, what equipment to grab — but where am I supposed to get the snack bags from? How do you know where the Sprite is and not grab an Apple Juice ? But it was a shorter flight from Richmond, VA to Newark, less than 300 miles so I don’t have to take that heavy janky cart down the aisle that remind me while informing passengers, I have hips.

We landed gate 107, the plane was going to Jaleel — a name I had heard, because we had the same instructor who used him as an example of how some people choose photos of themselves from many years ago that didn’t resemble them present day for their graduation slideshow. I left a note for him. It’s my eldest brother’s name, and it made me feel like I was supposed to be there. The first day of work after certification, I was getting my plane from Jaleel. He was so happy to meet me, he got my note and has an older sister named Amani.

All trip I keep telling my crew, what happened on this day during the trip — I came down in nothing but my uniform coat and high heels toting my luggage with me during a 5AM fire drill in Ithaca while it was snowing because I’d fallen asleep after my shower, in the hotel robe — the single passenger who refused to put on his seatbelt, was a flight attendant in full uniform… he’s actually one of my favorite passengers to see now, because he commutes from Richmond to Newark.

This morning I woke up in Cincinnati, a place my brother Jaleel lived as a baby. I often imagine the relationship we would have had. I cried this week at the thought of specifically wanting him to help me put up my curtains. After I laughed snot out of my nose, I realized how ridiculous it felt to mourn emotions I’ve never even had. I was 3, he was 13. Who’s to say he would’ve been handy enough to have a hammer drill? Jaleel my coworker quit, but his name and photo are still in our crew room from him winning a raffle. My brother’s silhouette is tattooed on my bicep and in the jumpseat this evening I thought about finding his homework and getting his handwriting tattooed as well. “They” say your siblings leave behind DNA in the womb that goes into you, and it makes sense why I feel like I truly miss this fly guy.

365 days later.

Tomorrow (now today) makes it

How many days ago was August 17th 1995?

11088 days

Bombardier’s ‘new’ regional jet – the CRJ550

The announcement of 50 new Bombardier CRJ550 is a new product for United Airlines (operated by Go Jet) and reveals some quirks around cabin configuration when there’s too much space onboard.

This is Bombardier’s answer to an ageing CRJ200 fleet from the 90’s and the answer is revised CRJ700 platform (originally designed for 70 passengers) with an overhauled cabin configuration increasing seats…