Independence Air top ten rejected names

[Cappy]

From the Independence Air bash on Wednesday;

Here is the TOP TEN rejected names for Independence Air:


#10 Meghan Daly Air...a little too personal

#9 Kitten Air...Who could not like a fluffy little kitten?

#8 Pacific Midwest Airlines...Someone needs a geography lesson

#7 Theodore Air...No, because people would shorten it to TED and that's NO NAME FOR AN AIRLINE!!!

#6 Free Bird...Rock and Roll!!! Free Bird!!!

#5 Free Air...Rejected by the finance department

#4 No B.S. Airlines...Rejected by PR dept.

#3 Quick Jet or Slick Jet or Click Jet, ProAir or GoAir or FlowAir...
Someone likes Dr. Seuss

#2 Dairy Air...You figure it out

And the NUMBER ONE REJECT NAME FOR OUR NEW AIRLINE...


#1 MESA!!!

All in fun.

 

[mullet]

Your Avatar is HUGE!!! Must be the Viagra Blue!!!

 

[Cappy]

Now that you mention it...yes, it is!

No Viagra connection, though!

 

[General Lee]

How about "Midway Airlines." Now that they are Chap 7, you can buy the name and use it again. You can do something TOTALLY different from them---like flying a mixed fleet of RJs and Airbuses from a city that has total promise with high tech (like RDU) and compete with the likes of Southwest (in BWI) and the other LCCs on the East Coast. (Oh wait, they did that too-----ooops)


Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[Cappy]

How about "Midway Airlines." Now that they are Chap 7, you can buy the name and use it again. You can do something TOTALLY different from them---like flying a mixed fleet of RJs and Airbuses from a city that has total promise with high tech (like RDU) and compete with the likes of Southwest (in BWI) and the other LCCs on the East Coast. (Oh wait, they did that too-----ooops)


Bye Bye--General Lee

Hi General Lee!

I agree with you some times but not on this one. RDU was a promising mark to be sure, but the stumbling of tech, competition from AA, and the fact that Midway was never really in a decent cash position left them unable to weather a short-term problem.

ACA, on the other hand, has $230mil now with estimates of $300mil by year-end.

Also, the Dulles mrket is much more extensive in regards to geography than RDU was. I wish you could have been at the rollout on the 19th. There was a business model presentation mirroring the one on the ACA website that was interesting.

Times are strange.

Chow

 

[General Lee]

Cappy,

I wish I was there too. I just hope that ACA/Independance doesn't mirror Midway. I think your initial weak point will be the RJs versus Southwest (cost wise----$59 fares on 50 seaters might not be profitable, and Southwest 737s might make a profit on those fares). I think you getting Airbuses was smart, and I like them vs the 737-700s. I have many friends at ACA, and I do hope you succeed---I just am a little concerned at the moment---but that doesn't mean you won't do well. Your cash position is good, and that might be the difference. Let's hope Mesa doesn't get you in the end.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[46Driver]

General,
2 quick points before I go drink tequila:

1) How many cities will ACA actually go head to head with Southwest? or Air Tran?

2) Our fares don't have to be as low as Southwest - just close enough for the prospective passenger driving from northern Virginia to say the difference in price between Southwest and ACA is not worth the hassle of driving to Baltimore when Dulles is so much closer.

 

[General Lee]

46driver,

Ok, here are the cities served from BWI on Southwest nonstop:

Albany, Albuquerque, Austin, Birmingham, Buffalo, Chicago Midway, Cleveland, Columbus, Ft. Lauderdale, Hartford, Houston Hobby, Indianapolis, Jackson Miss, Jacksonville, Kansas City, Las Vegas, Little Rock, Long Island MacArthur, LAX, Louisville, Manchester NH, Nashville, New Orleans, Norfolk, Orlando, Phoenix, Providence, Raleigh, St. Louis, San Antonio, San Diego, San Jose CA, Tampa, and West Palm Beach.

Here are the nonstops on Airtran from BWI:

Atlanta, Boston, DFW, Freeport, Ft. lauderdale, Ft. Myers, Miami, Milwaukee, Orlando, Rochester, and Tampa.


Now, this doesn't mean that you won't have plenty of customers at IAD, but the fares from those two airlines will undoubtably be low---to try to squeeze you---and you will likely have to match them or come close. With those low fares, Southwest and Airtran will probably break even or get a small profit becasue their planes are larger and all of those seats can spread out the costs. If you had your 25 airbus planes now, that would help you a lot, but it will take awhile. My fear is your 50 seat RJs will have a hard time making a profit with those low fares. Midway tried that, and failed. Yes, you have more money right now--and so does Southwest and Airtran. We at Delta have stayed out of the BWI/IAD market, instead focusing on DCA, where we have an advantage with more gates and slots--and have a profitable Shuttle that runs businessmen from DCA--LGA for $195 one way--and so does our competition--the USAir Shuttle. AA Eagle also runs a shuttle, and they have had some success too. All of our flights from BWI and IAD mainly go to our hubs, with a couple Song 757s to MCO from IAD also.

All I am saying is that I hope you get those airbus aircraft quickly, and that Southwest and Airtran don't give you a big price war when you start out. I understand that Ryan may fly 4 A320s for you initially, and that is better than nothing to get your transcons started. I hope it doesn't get that ugly. Good luck.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[kirk]

RJs and profits

Nobody is suggesting that Independence Air is a viable low fare carrier with CRJs alone. Nobody is expecting my "I" to make money running the CRJs all over the eastern US until some level of critical mass is achieved with the Airbus fleet mated to the CRJ fleet.

Between the historically high yield O&D traffic into IAD and the connections through IAD for north/south flying and the reach of the Airbus across the continent and the connections at IAD - this plan is complete and viable and just needs to be executed.

I am Kirk.

 

[General Lee]

Good luck Kirk. It will be interesting to watch and hopefully you guys will succeed.

Bye Bye--General Lee

 

[FADECtoBLACK]

FREEEEEEEE BIIIIIRRRRDDDDD!

 

[C-5 MEM]

I was able to fly in from the desert to Andrews AFB on the 19th. I went to the show and was glad that I did. The ideas the talked about made since. That evening I was flying home and was talking with a United and Air Wisconsin pilots. They started in saying it won't work. Now I have been gone on military leave for sometime now and it strikes me when everyone is an expert. It sounds like a fire station. Everyone is an lawyer.

Only thing I will say to those in question. Wait and see. If it does not work. Well we tried. But if it works. I bet those who yelled the most will be those asking for us to walk there applicaitons in.

 

[Pez D. Spencer]

Originally posted by General Lee

Let's hope Mesa doesn't get you in the end.

Pun intended??? Even if not intended, that's funny...

 

[Marko Ramius]

Re: RJs and profits

Between the historically high yield O&D traffic into IAD and the connections through IAD for north/south flying and the reach of the Airbus across the continent and the connections at IAD - this plan is complete and viable and just needs to be executed.

I am Kirk.

Kirk,

Can't have it both ways. You can't promise to be a low fare carrier with fares 70% over what exists now and then say you're counting on high yield traffic to make this work.

 

[becket]

Here's another unintended Pun

"TED, The End of United"...

 

[House_X]

Cappy,

I wish I was there too. I just hope that ACA/Independance doesn't mirror Midway. I think your initial weak point will be the RJs versus Southwest (cost wise----$59 fares on 50 seaters might not be profitable, and Southwest 737s might make a profit on those fares). I think you getting Airbuses was smart, and I like them vs the 737-700s. I have many friends at ACA, and I do hope you succeed---I just am a little concerned at the moment---but that doesn't mean you won't do well. Your cash position is good, and that might be the difference. Let's hope Mesa doesn't get you in the end.

Bye Bye--General Lee

Don't worry about us...we already declared war and our torpedos are loaded and ready to launch. Worry about all the other poor b@stards that signed on with USS United. I hope and pray TED and the MESA boys come over to VA. Dulles is a da*mn ghost town compared to other hubs...and people are tired of driving 2-3 hrs to get to BWI.

I went to the big bash and was impressed with our marketing department...they did an excellent job with the concept of Independence Air. The RJ looks slick as #ell and our employees are ready for battle.

F- United
F-TED
F-Mesa
F- anyone who want's to F'k- with us...

To all the doomsayers...
ACA is on top again,
sissyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyyy!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

da-da da-da dadadada-daaaaaa
da-da da-da dadaaaaaaa da............................

 

[46Driver]

General,
Thanks for the post. It will be interesting to see how many people will still drive to Baltimore. Maybe it's just me being lazy but I wold rather spend a few dollars more for the convenience of flying out of Dulles. Ahhhhhh, the great American decision: laziness vs being cheap... which one will win out in the end!

Wish I could be as confident as House_X. I will quit holding my breathe and start to breathe at Christmas after our shareholders have voted. (I believe the vote is on the 22nd.) Its not fun when your future isn't up to you, its in the hands of shareholders.....