And exactly how many times have you done a transcon with 173 seats filled in your RJ? Denver is a rare and maybe the only example of someplace we consistently send the ER that has a weight limitation relatively often. Even so, with the possible exception of the A321, it still hauls more passengers with the weight restriction than the other single aisle airplanes currently in production. Every time I left Hong Kong for Newark in the 777 we had close to 100 seats held due to cargo and that was burning down to MGTOW in the hold short. The reality is every airplane has restrictions when pushed to it's limits and your RJ has more limits than most.

I've flown the 737 ER since it's been around and am intimately familiar with its limitations. I have no love for the plane, but our industry is driven by economics. I've repeatedly heard the 757 is a great airplane and have no reason to doubt it, but the market didn't want it. Maybe the Neo 321 is a better plane than the 737 Max, it's beating it in orders, but the reality is our management isn't alone in its view of the 737 as its narrowbody of the near future. What drives me nuts when I read these threads is how pilots hold forth about being industry experts based on our view from the pointy end of the plane and anecdotes. We're experts in flying and have a good understanding of basic operations, but when it comes to the decisions that really determine our future, like which airplanes to fly where, we respond emotionally without numbers to back up our views.