The U.S. regional airline industry, beset by the harsh economic climate and serious questions about safety in the past couple of years, is at a crossroads. Some have chosen to redefine contracts with their mainline partners that allow them to fly larger aircraft under the network airline's brand name, while others are focusing on feeding any carrier anywhere it is profitable to operate 30-seat turboprops, finding lucrative niches for the more efficient, albeit slower, aircraft. And manufacturers say regionals fill a needed role in the 60-99-seat market.rnAbout 53% of all domestic passengers flew on a regional airline in 2009, according to the Regional Airline Association (RAA), and one in four domestic and international passengers flew on a regional in the U.S.
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