Quote:
Originally Posted by IceCream
This, in my mind, is such a typical pie-in-the-sky type proposal that has sketchy backing, lots of promises, and requires heavy subsidies. It's likely to never happen and probably for good reason.
Like one of the article mentions, if you subsidize one airline at $50 per "new passenger to LA" you are going to extremely aggravate the other carriers who are more legitimate since they can't compete fairly. They'll probably leave the market and then you have one dominate, low quality airline running the whole show.
It's bad all around in my opinion. I would be head over heels if someone like Southwest wanted to open a hub here, but not these folks. Stinks like rotten eggs.
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Exactly if you want a hub for an airline go after the one thing they care about operating cost. Thats all that matters. Now if they said they wanted to start an airline to service markets that no one else will service say like all 6 airports in Louisiana than that's OK and do code shares with the majors and that could be a very successful model.
Even if the airline hub became successful you don't want to piss off the other airlines. Many business travelers are loyal to a certain airline and you would hurt yourself if Delta decides to leave completely or drastically reduces service. Its unfortunate for New Orleans that we are smack dab in the middle of four hub airports that most of the majors operate out of.Now, I do think there are opportunities to grow but probably meeting with one of the carriers already here would be better. I would love Frontier to move here but only if all the benefits they get are offered to every other airline currently operating at MSY.
Oh and one obvious thing that stinks is they quote Roy Williams.. Our former airport director who did a crap job and was indicted on federal charges. If these people are serious then they will fail miserably because they cant launch a site with even the most basic proofreading. Not to mention cant get reputable people to back them up!
Basically if you want service to unserved markets you offfer any airline that subsidy to do that route. So if you want direct flights to seattle... offer any airline the subsidy. Simple really!