Republic Airways said it has amended its capacity purchase agreement (CPA) with Delta Air Lines to provide for the addition of eight dual-class Embraer E170s for a period of at least six years. Republic plans to place the 70-seat jets into Delta Connection service between May and September, after removing them from its Frontier Airlines system.

The company plans to ≥backfill≤ all or some of the flying performed by the E170s for Frontier with 50-seat Embraer ERJ145s slated for removal from fixed-fee service with Continental Airlines in the second quarter and former Lynx Airlines Bombardier Q400s Republic unsuccessfully tried to sell.

The addition of the eight E170s to the Delta system will increase Republicπs share of the Delta Connection regional fleet to 48 airplanes, including 16 E175s and 24 ERJ145s.