Originally Posted by
flieger
I know that I’ll be flamed for this....
Wouldn’t it make more sense for the pilots to focus on trying fight for and achieve a contract before getting excited over an airplane that is for all intents and purposes a shiny and new high performance RJ?
Maybe whom ever runs APC should put Jetblue under the regionals section.
I don’t think about it solely from a fancy new ride or SJS perspective (although it certainly would be nice: http://www.worldairroutes.com/airbalticcs300.html). Instead, I think about it from a capability perspective and what it can do for an airline in terms of growth and profit options. What is the proposed mission profile? What new routes could it open - and do so profitably? Ultimately, under a new contract, one would “assume” more profit would also translate into better employee compensation... But I won’t hold my breathe.
Regardless, the CSeries is a performance game changer and JB could use it to expand into new markets using a very business-passenger friendly interior. Holding on to the higher margin business traveler is critical for profits - so you need frequency of service and an appealing product. Using MINT-equipped A321s and fuel efficient CS100/300s could be a profitable combination. Will be interesting to see how these negotiations play out...