As soon as I saw the news today on Flightglobal's Airlines Channel that Mexicana is going to launch a domestic CRJ regional jet operation my blood ran cold.
Now I've got a lot of respect for the team at Mexicana, but I've got a bad feeling about this. ALMA tried to do the same thing and failed because the aircraft is wrong, the network didn't work and demand isn't enough. What has changed in Mexicana's view this time?
About a decade ago, and probably even more, airlines could make a living on regional routes of this kind (in Europe and the USA but not at that point Mexico). But it was a thin living even back then when fares were higher and fuel was cheaper.
I would love to be proved wrong of course, but I can hear the chuckles at low-cost competitors Volaris and VivaAeroBus and Aeromexico. They will be only too glad to see Mexicana spending their time on a venture like this.
And this at a time of intense competition in the Mexican market, as we frequently note.
on February 8, 2009 2:32 AM | Reply
You can't have too much to do in your
life if your blood ran cold over a poxy airline start up.
on February 8, 2009 9:32 PM | Reply
Ummm, thanks Oscar. Glad you liked my turn of phrase. It's very cold and snowy here in the UK so my blood was already rather chilly - this news just took the temperature down even further.