Island Hopper,
I'll call B.S. on the fact that J.O. is after Aloha Certificate in order to operate 737's. I agree he wants 737's, as evident by the constant attempt to get payrates from our M.E.C. He has been quoted in various public events that he intends to fly 737's at Mesa. So I'll concede the fact to you that Mesa will one day operate narrow body aircraft (not necessarly 737's). Do you think he needs (or at this point wants) the aloha certificate to do it? NO. We already have the Midway certificate. Also, considering his track record with putting new aircraft on a certificate (ie. freedom), adding 737's to any of the many certificates currently under Mesa control would take all but 3 months. Having said that I do believe he was after Aloha. For reasons I wouldn't dare speculate on he was unsuccesful in his attempts to gain control of your airline. So, as there is more than one way to skin a cat, he decided on this independent venture. Will it be succesfull? I doubt it. If you run the CASM vs RASM for any inter-island flying (regardless of aircraft used) there just isn't alot of money in that market alone. Do you think J.O. is after the inter-island market? No, it is to small and insignificant. He is after something bigger. Just speculating here, (I repeat JUST SPECULATING) he wants Aloha's mainland routes with the possibility to expand to Asia. That is the only "real" value of Aloha's route structure. So while it would have been much easier to take over Aloha that bid failed. We are simply witnessing plan "B." By the way good luck to you and everyone at Aloha with your fight against management. Like you, I would come join any picket line you guys put together.
