It's not about what the plane can and can't do and how much it'll cost to do it. It's about the comforts of a jet versus a prop that the customers have been complaining about.

 

The comforts of a jet? You mean a 3.5 hour block flight, stuck in a 50 seater?

 

The emb 135 can usually fly full with a full load of bags as long as there isn't a big alt fuel burn. It makes sense if you have really light loads between two points. Ever since CAL started charging for bags the carry ons have been adding up. The q 400 has a small baggage compartment and has had to leave bags behind on full flights. Usually they throw them on the next flight. What CAL found out when they originally brought in CHQ was that when you start bumping people due to weight restrictions, or leaving bags behind forcing compensation it adds up to a pretty sizeable number fast.

These 135's are already being paid for by CAL who was able to work out a deal with the lease holder. The replacement parts are already there, the replacement parts cost a hell of a lot less when you are ordering for 245 airplanes vs 30 airplanes, no new maintenance guys needed, no new pilot training required, and if it breaks there are 245 more of them to find a replacement to still operate the flight.

 

There should be a law against that. EWR - OMA, EWR - TUL, EWR - MCI...

 

I remember working YYZ-IAH............ugh.

 

We do it at Eagle too, LGA-XNA, MIA-IND, MIA-PIT, MIA-CLE, MIA-CVG, MIA-CMH....many more

 

You sound like the typical "you gotta get jet time! Turboprop doesn't count!" guy.

 

Even more of a compelling reason to fly them instead of starting a small turboprop operation, then.

 

Everybody knows turboprop time is inferior to jet time. Expressjet is hiring if you want to make yourself marketable for the majors.

 

Its ALL about cost. As far as comfort goes, I've ridden on every RJ currently flown by US operators, and all but one turboprop type. Personally I'd put a couple of the props at the top of the list, certainly above the 50 seat RJs. To each his own though.

It does amuse me when im walking out to the airplane for my next flight and a passengers asks methis old the Q400 they're looking at is. I had one guy tell me I was wrong when I told him the airplane wasn't yet a month old. Oh well.