Originally Posted by
EngineOut
This has been the "plan" in the background (or plan B if you will) for more than a decade. I believe that the infrastructure is in place.
I've heard that we were supposed to buy Midwest Airlines and turn that around (as a seperate company) while SkyWest provided feed. RR was "reassigned" because he let RAH slip in undetected.
We were doing it with Airtran, we've been doing a lot of at-risk flying with United and American. I think the company's skill set is being broadened to make this a possibility.
That being said, I'm sure that this plan is under glass. Not to be broken unless there's an emergency like a regional airline apocolypse or a primary major partner liquidates.
In other words: don't bank on it.
I wouldn't rule out that such a plan exists (yes it has been discussed for many years), but I wouldn't bet your career on it's success...
Every regional which has tried in the modern era has failed.
RJ's are only cost-effective on certain routes (and darn few of them for 50 seaters). Aquafresh actually did a good job of choosing the right routes.
Without an international frequent-flyer program you're at a big disadvantage. Business travelers (highly desirable airline customers) like to use the miles they accumulate on business trips for their european vacation...they don't want to take the wife and kids to Boise or Edmonton next summer
You're almost better off going clean-slate with a start-up airline.