Originally Posted by
contrails
Compass ran a sizeable operation out of LAX for a year before a crew base opened. Very similar scenario. The airplanes came from MSP/DTW and went out west in a similar manner to the stuff that is loaded for the 717 so far.
It might take quite a bit of flying out west before a base could be justified.
I'm sure they did, but in four months, there will be at least 16 717 departures per day from LAX. The one airplane and crew arriving in the evening after a 5 leg day won't be able to cover that. I'm not sure if Compass had a TDY arrangement or used outstation basing, but we have provisions for neither here at Delta. If this is the schedule they intend to fly, they'll need to DH in crews and preposition aircraft to do it. Not unlike what they did in NY while they got that spooled up. The difference now is that there are already a lot of people qualified on the aircraft, who might well bid it. They could have it up and running very rapidly and I think they know it. I'd be looking for this on the next bid.