CommutAir Q200 Deal Announced

[WestSide]

This would have required some imagination and risk-taking, both of which are in extremely short supply on the shores of placid Angle Lake.

You couldn't have said that any better.

 

[dkwid]

I would find it strange that QX would sublease 16 perfectly good Q200's to commuteair, leave all of the high priced equipment in them and also help pay the lease payments? What is in it for QX? Getting rid of the Q200 to make way for the Q400? Would it not have been better and more profitable to find something else for the Q2 to do? Like fly in Alaska or something, I don't believe there is nothing out there for the Q2's with QX pilots flying them to do.

If what you say is true, because like you said you are no expert and neither am I. I want that kind of rent. I rent a house and the owner helps me pay it!!! Where do I sign up!!! The whole thing sounds fishy to me, like rotten,stinky fishy.

Part o fthe incentive that Bombardier gave to Horizon during the last round of Q400 orders were arrangements for remarketing assistance. Part of that package was that Bombardier would help with lease payments to bring the aircraft closer to current market value. there was an associated fee involved....of course I have absolutely no idea what the dollar figures involved were and would never be so arrogant as to pretend I have any idea as to whether or not it was a good deal for Horizon. The reality is that Horizon has been a profitable stand alone airline for sometime now. Of course it is always fun to mock management and pretend we would make better decision if we were in their chairs but when you evaluate the facts you are a little hard pressed to imply it that they have absolutely no idea what they are doing.

Now, that all said I would much prefer to see a 60 dollar an hour Horizon Captain flying those airplanes rather than leasing them (for a profit or not) to another airline who may or may not find the decency to match Horizons pay scale. Of course that is a self motivated thought and has absolutely nothing to do with smart business. But, as a Pilot it would certainly be nice to see growth airlines having some of the top paid employees, rather than the other way around as it seems to be now.