14 replies to this topic

[wings396]

SparrowHawk, on 14 February 2012 - 06:04 PM, said:

It's a tried and true approach to go where the competition isn't. Whether you're in the airline or Schmatta (rag Trade) or any business if you can fill a specific niche you can prosper. The one thing I found confusing is the use of B-737-400's. Seems a bit large for small city markets? Maybe it's because there are about eight bajillion of them on the used market and the price is right??

So for the sake of discussion let's say this airline gets going, how does this effect US?

There are not that many 400's sitting around out there. As far as I know, US and AK were the only US based carriers to have them. I know that a couple of the old US ones were scrapped a few years back. Granted that US will be parking more of them this year, and I suppose they could get them on the cheap.

[AAviator]

About 30-35K/month lease rate.  Thats average...  If someone wanted to score a few more bucks out of an airframe before being scaped, why separate the fools at PE from some of their money?

[LGA777]

A couple of comments from different things I have read. First while all initial service will be from PHF they also plan on several Focus cities and sounds like after PHF then PIT would likely be next. Even though it an expensive airport to operate from their are a lot of markets that don't have non-stop service now that might support it especially at the right fare.

And as far as the 734 I read they are trying to acquire all or most of Qantas's fairly new 15 strong 734 fleet. I was surprised to read the oldest first flew in 1990 and the newest in 1996 with most being 3 to 6 years younger than US's newest 734. Pretty sure these are well maintained birds as well.

While I think this outfit will likely actually get off the ground will be interesting to see how big they actually get and how long they are around for.

Cheers

LGA777

[wings396]

Depending on who's feet they step on, they may get squashed in a hurry. Not a good time to start a new airline  with all of the mergers that have taken place along with fuel costs.
If SWA couldn't make a big hit in PIT, I doubt that this new outfit will either....

[EXT PWR]

I give them less than a 50% chance to get off the ground. They don't have financing yet and who in there right mind would waste money like that with oil at $103 a barrel.

[Kev3188]

Despite flying to "main" airports, and a different A/C type, this just seems like another version of Skybus. Time'll tell, I guess...

[JFK Fleet Service]

Oh yay,*another* low fare,low frill airline coming to liberate the masses from the tyranny of high airfares...

Does the industry need *another* new entrant serving tertiary airports?