Why SWA Loves RJ's
 

Having the unfortunate pleasure the other day spending over 2 hours in a RJ 50

I can now see why people Love SWA. With their meager payment they get a full size airplane.
On the other hand on a RJ you get full service fare for 2/3 of a seat.
2/3 of a coke
2/3 of a window
2/3 of elbow room
1/2 (or less) of the overhead room
2/3 bag of peanuts
2/3 of a flight attendant
2/3 of a chance of being able to get on
2/3 of a flight crew (usually looks like some flight instructor paired up with a retiree up front)
2/3 of the leg room
2/3 the chance of the flight breaking down and CX'ing

all this for 100% FULL FARE

If I could be King for just ONE day

Most of the captains at my company, including myself, are in our thirties, and for just about all of us this is the second airline we've worked for. In my 2.5 years on the RJ I have flown with 1 FO who came straight from instructing. The pilots who come from PART 121/135 do just as well if not better than those from a corporate background. Also, the FAs at the regionals are generally friendlier and provide better service (for much less pay) then their counterparts at the majors.

The RJ is simply not meant for 2+ hour flights. It's a great airplane to take from ORD to GRB, but not DEN to ATL. Hince the name "regional" jet. Blame the airlines who schedule them on these long routes, not the airplane. And don't critisize flight crews who are often just as experienced and well trained as yourself!

Woopsee
I really meant to rag mostly on the plane vs the cost.......not the crew.
No degredation meant. SORRY

I know that you are all doing your best with what you have to work with.
Its just my displeasure with the RJ mentality.
The airlines think the RJ is the save-all for the industry.........it's NOT
They are trying to sell it off as the "do it all" plane, in fact it does very little.
Can't get far with full pax load, no storage space and ungodly loud inside.
Its a Yugo and its being advertised and marketed as a Lexus, with a pricetag
to match.
Same thing at Walmart, bar of soap 50 cents, elsewhere 75 cents.
For the SAME DAMN THING.
Its a P.O.S. so sell it as such ( SEE CHEAP TRANSPORTATION.)
Many Many cities have been lost from the mainline to the commuters.
But the price for a ticket is the same or even HIGHER.
Wait a minute here less product for same or more money?
THAT is my complaint, it just aint gonna sell, and SWA loves every one that
rolls out of the jungle plant.
3 trips on a RJ and they are SWA customers for life
You as a crew mwmber which "product" would you choose 2/3 full box of cereal, or a full box FOR THE SAME PRICE
Get my point?

I've seen polls of business passengers wherein the RJ's rank higher in preference than most mainliners.

Some of the reasons listed were:

-shorter lines at counters and check-in
-no middle seats.
-shorter emplaning and deplaning times
-less people at baggage claim.
-hub bypassing
-at smaller markets the RJ's are replacements of either turboprops or mainliners with less frequency. Given the choice, they would rather have the RJ and the frequency.

Right on Av8r. I once went coast to coast through Dallas Ft. Worth on an RJ, and I couldn't believe it. The cost was paid by my company so I didn't care, but the whole experience was so darn right miserable. I had a sore neck afterwards that needed a visit to a chiropractor!

The RJ is a Regional jet. Something management at the legacies don't seem to understand.

comment for Widows son:
YOU OBVIOUSLY HAVE NEVER BEEN IN A RJ.
Just getting to the plane is a chore.
Down 3 flights of stairs through 1/4 mile of 98 degree plastic tunnel
only to be greeted by a pimple poping youngstar stating
"enjoy your flight sir" He said with a smirk on his face.

My god I think a trip on a Nazi cattle car to Aushwitz would have been nicer!

Those spam cans need to be crushed and melted!

RJ is NOT I REPEAT NOT a replacement jet for mainline.
They need to stick to DFW to Tyler Texas and back for 39.00 dollars

Feeder support NOT MAINLINE SERVICE.
I am tired of seeing my future eroded to a inferior product

One more thing.
I would rather travel by props than a RJ.
At least I can get the feeling I am flying ,see a little more, and have more
elbow room.
Not bad for a flight under a hour.
RJ's need to do what the name says
R E G I O N A L
That does NOT mean DFW to BUF.

Waaaaaaaaay to many "regions" crossed on that flight.

Speaking of Tyler Texas Av8r, check this out.

DFW-Tyler R/T: $320
DFW-Atlanta R/T: $229

That says a lot. 1/6th the distance, yet 50% more from your pocketbook. And you're on a RJ!!

Personally I would rather drive to Tyler Texas than drop 320 for a 20 minute spam can ride.
Plus good BBQ shops on the way!

See above my proof in black and white.

RJ's suck and they are expensive.

The price SHOULD be DFW to Tyler Texas R/T 59.00
and DFW to ATL R/T 499.00

Even the RJ in a regional is not the best. Example LGA - PWM (New York to Portland MAine) It is a popular route...we used to do it in a SAAB good flight for us 1.1 hrs....good revenue making but the loads got too be too high for a 34 seat plane. It went to the RJ (EMB 145) same problem...overbooked to 55 and the wieght limited on many days to 45....so 10 people get bumped.....the route might be better served by the old Folkers or a 717...so the answer will probroly go to the EMB 170...good for the customer but as we know the pay for the pilots on the 170 are not at "Airline Pay"

I agree...leave the short routes to the turbo-props...better fuel efficency, the proper regional routes....between 10K and 15K...less congestion on the center routes. I can not tell you how many times I jump to the head of the line at LGA because we are on a tower to tower route and an RJ going to the same destination is on the ground waiting for center airspace...a good example is LGA - ORF...White intersection is stopped but we go out at 7K and squeeze right on by....

Regionals in the regions and let mainlines do the long flights...more jobs in the "majors"

I had a delta jumpseater introduce himself to me as a "pilot for Delta...you know...the feeder for Comair"

p