22 replies to this topic

[penguinboy]

If you were to create a real life airline, what would you do?

I would have 3-4 CRJ-200s fly from Wisconsin and northern Minnesota to Minneapolis' Humphrey terminal, and have a code sharing agreement with Sun Country and/or AirTran. Northwest's regional flights are way overpriced, and they plan to move all other airlines to the Humphrey terminal so people can't switch airlines in Minneapolis (the two terminals are not easy to go from one to another).

The destinations would be:

• Int'l Falls
• Brainerd
• Bemidji
• Hibbing/Chisholm
• Madison
• Wisconsin Dells
• La Crosse
• Wassau
• Green Bay
• Grand Forks (ND)

[drv4truk]

Sounds like Mesaba Aviation to me. Unfortunately, with the Northwest buy out, NW can do just about whatever they want with those prices. Especially since for some of those cities, they are the only option.

It is sad that it costs about $375-$600 to fly from MSP to HIB (174 miles) or TVF (269 miles) in a S340. It wasn't long ago when these were offered as $75 or $99 flights. Unless you are in a hurry or have the cash to waste, I'd drive.

[penguinboy]

Yeah . . . I live in Saint Paul, and as far as I know, it takes the same amount of time to drive from Saint Paul to Duluth as it does from Duluth to Hibbing.

[RmTrice]

Well obviously the monopoly is MSP is working if they're not losing business. Im against those 3-400 dollar routes on saabs and such, but flying used to be a lot more expensive back when i was very very young. People just dont understand that in order for an airline to make money, they have to charge u money. 99 dollar routes dont work for long, even Southwest and JetBlue are starting to notice that.

[mandala499]

Bring this to the next level of realism... You got $10m of funds for an airline... what kind of airline would you make?

[YamazaruNinja]

bringing up this old thing? That was the worst idea you could have.
Anyways, do you take an interest in creating you own real life airline?

[mandala499]

bringing up this old thing? That was the worst idea you could have.

These kinds of topics have been beaten to death by everyone in the past... always the dream plans with no consideration to realism. In a lot of cases, one gets tasked with setting one up on a limited budget...

This topic is however, an interesting one because the thread starter mentioned a relatively limited start. *grin*

Anyways, do you take an interest in creating you own real life airline?

It's amazing how many people with money who wants to have an airline have no clue on it, so it's part of the stuff I do in real life. Most would back out when reality sets in...

[FlyWorld Air]

I would buy/ lease second hand JS-31/41's, and set up base in OXF (Oxford - Kidlington), this being as it is close to where I live, has facilities, and has no based airlines. I would set up flights to secondary destinations e.g. SOU, CWL, TSV and maybe LBA from OXF. All of which are university cities, thus giving me a small niche market to start with. Prices would be approximately £50 o/w, and $75ish return from say, OXF to LBA. Given time I would expand into airports such as maybe, LCY or other similar airports, that have good market value yet have available space, or are untapped. I would look to build up a secondary hub in somewhere like CVT, and expand into there also. After that, I would look for expansion from OXF to international destinations using a larger aircraft, the Q100 would be a good example to use for these routes. I'd use that to tap into larger airports from OXF such as NCL, or BRS. Maybe even to Scotland or Ireland, depending on traffic. From then, I'd look to expand domestically from new bases in places like OXF or CVT. SOU being a good place for this. I'd also look to serve limited international flights on possibly RJ aircraft, but this would obviously be after X years, depending on revenues from the humble beginnings.

[Cloud airlines]

My airline would be based in BOS, flying in the Northeast area and to warm weather destinations.

It would fly to the following cities:
BOS
EWR
MIA
FLL
DCA
MSY

My fleet would consist of a couple of used MD-90s and Q400s.

[Conor]

hmmm i think i would lease maybe 1-2 CRJ-700 and 2 ATR-72-500 because there the most fuel efficient aircraft available and i would fly EICK-EINN EINN-EIDW EICK-EIDW using the ATR's And the CRJ-700s i would fly EICK-LFRS EIDW-EGLL EICK-LEBL

[Jet]

I would operate 20x CRJ-700's and 20x EMB-190's on small routes. Then 737-200's and MD-80's on medium routes, and finally 767's/757's on long haul routes;)

[Conor]

Look at Ryanair cheapflights are working for them there the largest low budget carrier in europe and they fly nearly everywhere you could go to nearly any airport in europe and they've got it covered

[Delacy]

i would; fly 3 dash8`s and i would flyto
europe
lhr-dub-bes

and africa

abj=yam-los-acc

and i would have a 3 big dc-10 operaing

lhr-los
lhr=abj
aand lhr-jfk

[mikeydc03]

I would not create a new airline, I would take an existing airline and build it on a true network foundation. I would combine the networks of Jet Blue and American Airlines, taking two very different fleets and creating one strong network carriers. The combined Jet Blue Network would Feed Americans International routes at JFK, as well as providing a stronger presence in the NE. Jet Blue is thinking about calling Long Beaches bluff and leaving, this move to LAX would combine operations on the west coast allowing American to further grow into Asia, South America, and the South Pacific. The ORD and DFW hubs would cover the center of the US. Florida would need some rearranging in order to streamline operations and limit losses, but American would retain its dominant position at MIA.

The fleet would help American replace it's MD-80's, on routes where American and Jet Blue compete the newer more efficient planes will be retained and operated and the 80's sold or returned to lessors. The planes on order would help American phase out the 80's more quickly, additional 738's would be ordered to phase in quickly to improve fleet commonality, and the A320's would start to be phased out after all the 80's are gone. American would have the E-190's onboard that it needs to expand in marginal routes, but a new pilot agreement would be needed.

Fleet:
American Eagle:
ATR 72-500: 75 (replace the aging ATR's & CRJ-700's to reduce fleet types)
E-135: 35 (expand fleet by 3 to increase service to smaller markets)
E-145: 180 (replace the 140 fleet, and expand on medium density routes)
E-120: 15 (to add additional service to smaller light routes)
Total: 305

American Airlines:
A320: 170 (replace MD-80's)
B-738: 165 (replace MD-80's)
B-757: 124 (Transcon, TATL, Hawaii, Carribean)
B-787: 95 (Replace 767's, addtional TPAC routes, South Pacific, Africa)
B-777: 65: (expand european markets, South America, Africa, TPAC)
Total: 619

Hubs:
New York: JFK
Miami: MIA
Dallas: DFW
Chicago: ORD
Los Angeles: LAX
San Juan: SJU

Focus Cities:
Orlando: MCO
Boston: BOS
London: LHR
St. Louis: STL

The American stripes would stay, but the Blue tails would be integrated into the flat grey tail fleet. The airline would remain American, a world renown brand. The airline would leap frog into the top spot as the leader in the NYC market.

The strong domestic feed would allow for International Routes to be the focus, so more TPAC and TATL routes would be added, as well as service to Africa and the Middle East.

Onboard service would include live TV at every seat, since Jet Blue owns LiveTV. XM Radio would be offered at every seat. New seats would be engineered to offer the most comfort and legroom. A true lie flat business class seat would be introduced on all widebody planes. Domestic First Class would be improved and offered on all mainline routes. Economy would be standardized fleet wide.

[FlyHelsinki]

Personally i would operate -
2 x Boeing 767-200ER
4 x Boeing 767-300ER
3 x Airbus A330-300
1 x Airbus A310-300
3 x Boeing 747-400
2 x Boeing 777-300ER

And in summer i would lease:
3 x MD-11
1 x Boeing 747-300

And for connecting flights i would use:
10 x Fokker F100

I would have HUBs in:
LGW
LTN
MAN
EDI

And would focus on long-haul routes to major cities, and the connect aircarft to major cities in the UK + Europe.

[Spenser]

My Hubs would be.

Detroit
Las Vegas
Washington Dulles

While my focus cities would be,
Roanoke
Indianapolis
Phoenix
Orlando

My fleet may include,
737-700
737-900
757-200
757-300
777-300ER
747-200
747-400
787-8/3
A310
A319
A320
A330
A380
MD-11

my regional fleet would include.
CRJ-200
CRJ-900
Dash-8-100/200/300/400 (Yeah, all of them)
Saab 340
ERJ-145
ERJ-170
ERJ-175

[Conor]

A good knowledge of aircraft is essential so i would start by doing some homework thats for sure

[MarkATC4N64]

I would be based in denver,colorado and have a fleet of 3 Q400 aircraft and 2 Beechcraft 1900D aircraft

My hub is DEN

and i would fly to ASE,ABQ,BIL,COS,FAR 1900D ALS,FMN,CYS,RKS

1 Free checked bag free lounge at DEN and free snacks on the Q400 flights and drinks paint scheme is orange, blue for the name, white on the body and orange on the engine

[Spanish David]

Look at Ryanair cheapflights are working for them there the largest low budget carrier in europe and they fly nearly everywhere you could go to nearly any airport in europe and they've got it covered

Well i dont know in other countries, but in Spain, msot of Ryanair bases are subsidized, thats how they can offer cheap flights.

[M4matthew]

The fastest way to becoming a millionaire is to become a billionaire then start an airline! Despite that I'm seriously considering starting an air service, albeit flying Cessna's in another country