Originally Posted by
iaflyer
The MD90s do add a twist, but I guess I was looking at the fact that Delta didn't have anything smaller than the MD88 prior to the merger. The DC9s are good because they are paid for, and can be parked if fuel goes up again. I don't know what the going rate for a 717. Two CR9s can serve a market better than a single DC9, the frequency attracts business travelers. A leisure traveler doesn't usually care how often a flight goes, as long as it gets there and the fare is cheap. The business traveler wants the frequency, so I think it would be more attractive to network. The 2 CR9s might be cheaper than a single DC9. However, the company can't add many (or any, not sure, paging ACL...) more CR9s because of scope. They can add any number of mainline aircraft.
The only thing I'd say is frequency is giving way to capacity control nowadays. If a market needs 140 seats (two CRJ900s), enter 88. If the market needs 120 seats I think a 717 does better than 2 CRJ-900s.
Also, from what I looked up, AAI is paying around $140K a month for a 717. Since leases are usually about 1% per month the value of the aircraft you're looking at $14M 717s. Makes sense if slightly older MD90s are coming in around $8-12M.
Now a CRJ-900, according to a couple of articles, is nearly $35-$40M a copy at, mind you, list price. But still, if you cut the price in half you're still buying a 70 seater for more than a almost new 717.
But that's from me, which means nothing.