Originally Posted by Mason32

would you believe this then...

the original business model never included two airframe types and the associated cost increases... and it also did not include ANY long term MX since the 320's came with included two year MX programs... and the original business model had the planes being turned over every two years.

There are many more reasons their CEO left other than an ice storm. A severe change in the direction the company was being taken by the Board of Directors... The original business model was to build a name brand airline, and sell it off for mega-profit. Somewhere along the line, the BOD decided they'd rather run an airline than sell it off... and poof the founder left with a convienient excuse of an ice storm. The long term effects of this change are/will be to increase their costs beyond what their current LCC business model can absorb. Hence all the little partnerships with places like Cape Air, the cash infusion from Luftansa, and most recently an interline agreement with the most evil empire on earth.... AMR.

The cost savings from leased equipment, single equipment type, no maintenance costs, low cost labor are all vanishing (some already have), and the company has noplace else to trim down and lower expenses since it already is a barebones operation.

They'll be bought within the next two years....