Hi! I'm pretty new to AirlineSim, so I'm sorry if this is a dumb question.
I just started on Otto the day it started and noticed that many airlines have several (10+) large aircraft already. I was just wondering how this was possible, if you only start with $10,000,000. I'd assume the planes would cost much more than that. Are you able to take loans or something?
Thanks for your help!
The Otto game world started with used aircraft available. And some of those are very old and therefore cheap to lease.
Aha, I guess it was a dumb question, lol. Thanks 
Though used old aircraft have one disadvantage - they cause you to have terrible image which is then later on difficult to bring up, and even when you switch to brand new fleets in the future, it will take years for your image to catch up, and it will never reach image levels you would otherwise attain with new aircraft. The best option, in my opinion, is to use the old aircraft to expand quickly but switch to new aircraft in a new company under your holding once you have about 50 million in a bank and your fleet is roughly 80 aircraft. That way it is still possible to reschedule all flights on the new aircraft without yourself psychologically negating to do it because of lot of work, and still have sufficient money to refleet quite quickly. Once you go past 100 aircraft it is virtually impossible to refleet under a different company, unless you take great pleasure in manually recreating schedules ;)
Of course switching fleets mean double interlines (if your interline partners are willing to accept it), staff charges, liquidations, wait times for deposits to come back, sunk cost of seats, etc. But I have personally guided several players through the transition and at the end it worked out. But you must not forget that the longer you take to refleet in a new company, the more excruciating the process will be. Also, refleeting basically stops your growth for several weeks, as you need to invest all generated profit into new aircraft in the second company, instead of getting more aircraft and expanding.
Can not support that.
I created 1.000+ aircraft airlines with 30% profit margins using older aircraft nobody wanted.
It´s all a matter of strategy and timing.
With some of the older aircraft you can generate healthy profits in good times while keeping costs
down in weak economic periods.
Can not support that.
I created 1.000+ aircraft airlines with 30% profit margins using older aircraft nobody wanted.
It´s all a matter of strategy and timing.
With some of the older aircraft you can generate healthy profits in good times while keeping costs
down in weak economic periods.
I Agree. I started my airline using MD80's, many over 20 years old. The airline is doing just fine....
Actually I don’t think it’s as much of an issue as its a temp world anyway.
Well it’s not the same doing 30% margin on old aircraft and 45% margin same flight plans on new aircraft.
@ufsatp yes your airline is doing just fine but will never reach image potential it could have had it started with new aircraft only. I tried both and see the difference. But it’s my opinion, you are fully entitled to yours.