I am currently using 3 maintenance categories, (Those being Dash 8-Q 400s, EMB 190s and 737-700 BGWs) and am thinking about getting 737-500 BGWs. I just want to make sure that the 737-500 is the same category as the 737-700 therefore it won't increase my maintenance costs by 15% right?
And one more question, there are 15 -500 BGWs on the market with ages ranging from 16.3 yrs. to 24.4 yrs. . If I were to say lease and operate those 15 how much of an impact will it have on my image? and if it has a lot of impact on my image what impact would it have a load factors? Those are 1 of two old plane (When I say old I mean like over 10 yrs... so don't think i'm talking about DC-10s or anything :D) types, the other being 757, that I plan to operate... they rest would be newer and at least under 8 yrs.
As for the image, i have no idea.. You will have to try it by yourself.
But don't get them all at once, or you can blow yourself and not be able to sustain all those aircrafts flying.
Are you certain that all your flights will be booked? If yes, then go for it.. If not, get a few of them at a time. Take then five by five for example.. So when the first five aircrafts get good loads, you go for the next five.
High demand sounds a little risky, I'd prefer to fly on a sleek, new 787 than a 2 decade-old 737. If you can back it up with domestic routes and interlining then it could work, just don't dive into the deep end. (as said earlier)
You can operate any Dash-8(Q400 is a DH4), E70/75/90/95, or 737 model, as well as all of their ER/AR/XR/IGW/HGW/BGW/LR/etc variants because you've already got those categories activated. (BTW, can anybody tell me what AR stands for?)
I don't have hard data to back up my feelings on older aircraft, but my experiment with an older 737 and 757 in an all-737 fleet convinced me that my maintenance costs nearly doubled, since then I've never leased anything older than 5 years. Other AS airlines can make it work, but I have no idea how they do it.
High demand sounds a little risky, I'd prefer to fly on a sleek, new 787 than a 2 decade-old 737. If you can back it up with domestic routes and interlining then it could work, just don't dive into the deep end. (as said earlier)
I'm kinda gonna use them on 800- 1500 KM routes so...