Originally Posted by BeenThere

Passengers often ride RJ's and turbo-props where we used to fly 737's, and 737's now go where DC-10's and 747's used to. So there's a much bigger story here than just Q400 operators--they're only flying because they were the lowest bidder for a major airline contract. The ultimate responsibility for the quality of their product lies in the boardrooms of the carriers who hired them.

Originally Posted by BeenThere

From my perspective there is a huge quality advantage to an airliner with multiple lavatories and flight attendants, room for everyone's luggage, isn't usually at min fuel status the moment it leaves the gate, and that you don't have to walk outside to board. I agree that individual seat comfort & pitch varies widely--death row inmates have more space than most coach passengers. And yes, they should be maintained, dispatched and flown by mainline carriers who have the resources to do it right.