Originally Posted by
Stayontarget
I’ll admit during the interview I drank that Koolaide up but when I heard the same exact spiel two years later from the CP my opinions had changed drastically.
I would absolutely believe we are opening new bases though I believe BB toned it down to “1 or 2 more in 24”. That is all we have done for the past two years. Yes Chicago shut down but PHX, DFW, ATL, TPA, MIA, and CLE. We aren’t even half way to Allegiants base count. Ryanair has 84. For the record I don’t like that method because of the sever base stagnation and displacement it causes. The most recent one likely hurts me.
While I disagree on the order situation your policy is one I stand by. Hope for the best plan for the worst.
I agree, I love the idea of having bases for a lot of people, but there is a point where it hurts. Look at Allegiant with SAV, they have what? 10 total pilots there?
If we continue growing, I wouldn't mind seeing a total 12 or 13 bases, but we will ALWAYS have issues with people who live in DEN and it being super senior. There isn't a way around that... You can't have a hub, then downsize it constantly when it was the main place of living for so many of your employees.
While we can look "more like ryanair" and allegiant with having a lot of bases compared to other major airlines, we do not operate like them. If you look at a lot of routes Allegiant has for instance, most only operate MAYBE twice a week.... We are (thankfully) increasing frequency on most of our routes instead of expanding to new routes with 1 or 2 flights a week. In my mind this leads us to having "a lot" (meaning 13-15) of bases, but not near as many as Allegiant or Ryanair due to the sheer frequency at which we fly compared to them.