Grumble

Exactly right. An RJ flying pax from ROC to ORD will never make money, but connecting that ROC pax to his SIN flight does, and that is what Kirby is getting at. He needs more RJs to pump into more of these small under served towns, to bring those passengers into the system.

Chief Brody

This idea has been around since the 90s. Kirby really gets paid for this??? What a visionary!!

Andy

Well, that '$20' fare is really in excess of $40 once the PFC, security fee, and other taxes are added on to the '$20' fare.

But more to the point, I cannot believe that you think that Frontier or Spirit or any other carrier can make money by charging $20 for a ticket. All one needs to do is check the carrier's CASM and divide $20 by the CASM. That is the number of miles that a carrier could theoretically fly a passenger for $20 with a 100% load and break even.

Those are loss leader fares, designed to generate interest. They're no different than the Chevy dealer who lists a brand new Corvette for sale for $20,000.

The fact that you don't recognize those fares as loss leaders but actually think that those airlines make money at those fares tells me that you're susceptible to every huckster that you come in contact with.

But on a serious note, I know this Nigerian prince that has a massive fortune but needs to transfer the money out of the country quickly. He needs an ordinary bank account to transfer it to. In return, he'll give you 10% of the money he transfers. He needs your name, social security number, address, and bank account number to complete the transaction. I've agreed to be a go between. You can PM me all of the details. You will be richly rewarded.

Andy

OMG. You believe that someone living in/near Rochester isn't going to travel Singapore or anywhere else if there's no RJ flying into ROC????
Hogwash. If there were no commercial service in and out of ROC, they'd simply drive 70 miles down the road to BUF and catch their connecting flight from there.

In addition, the EAS (Essential Air Service) program subsidizes flights into a lot of these smaller cities. Up to $200 per passenger. The airline pockets that money so yes, they do make money on a lot of these flights to small cities. The problem with EAS is that the Trump administration has EAS in its crosshairs as a waste of money and I do not expect the program to be around by the end of 2020.

Really

Thats my point from the post above. Small airplanes DO NOT make money by themselves without being subsidized!! (They just lose less money on thin routes than do big airplanes. And are used to capture market share in HUBS.) That is the reason only rich people fly on corporate airplanes. They are the only ones that can afford the cost!

Skyw

The lack of respect for RJ pilots is unacceptable. Don't assume you make more money than me. Flying isn't my only job, I fly part-time and pay people to pick up my trips. I feel sorry for pilots like you flying full-time. It's a good way to lose a decade or two off your life.

oldmako

Can you back that last claim up? Or is this something you just pulled from the foul recess that you passed yesterdays beef jerky through?

I (and most of us) have no disrespect for RJ pilots, so that's another spurious claim. Many of us spent a decade in the bowels of the airline world, so we know what your lifestyle entails. Personally, I just hate small RJs and what airline management has used them for and how bloody uncomfortable they are. Well, more than that actually but you get the idea. My animus is not directed at the guys and gals flying them who aspire to a better job and contract. Those who are willing to fly our planes for significantly less money are free to go self-procreate however. Unless you want to fly RJs forever, our fight is your fight. The more we make, the more you make. So why all the ire for us? Cheap airlines have been around for 30 years now. DAL, UAL, and AA are still in business despite all the negative prognostications. And doing pretty well I might add.

Maybe you could pay someone to post for you on here as well? They might do a better job and not make you appear quite so petulant.

Boeing Aviator

Spirit has an agreement in principle for a 45% pay raise, Virgin just got a sizable raise in their Alaska merger contract. Frontier and JetBlue are next up both with big pay increases. I believe Allegent got a sizable raise a year or two ago. It’s called pattern bargaining and it’s ALPA’s wet dream. The LCC’s ability for profit and to survive on extremely low fares reduce significantly as their companies mature with higher wages and higher longevity employees. Kind of levels the playing field.

MasterOfPuppets

And we have reached the end......finally. He/she no longer has an argument that they perceive as relevant. Hopefully you know more about your other job than you do about your part time job.

By the way my Grandfather flew for TWA for 34 years and passed away at 90. He was a great man that did and saw more than any of us could dream of.

cadetdrivr

And yet here you are hanging out and typing away in a United sub-forum.

Says it all, really. Sad.