Originally Posted by
NoOneOfImportance
If the E-190s are going to stay with Frontier, one would think they would get Frontier liveries, even if they stay with Republic/Midwest crews.
The E-190 flights were to: Spokane, Omaha (2), Seattle, San Diego (2), Milwaukee, Akron/Canton (2), and San Jose.
I think it's safe to say though that people who could have originally flown to Spokane, Omaha, Seattle, San Diego, Milwaukee, Akron/Canton, and San Jose on Frontier with the Airbus jets would be displeased that they no longer have LiveTV available to them. Maybe people weren't watching it, but for those that chose to watch LiveTV (be they Class/Classic Plus fares, Ascent and Summit members, or people willing to pay the fee) would be displeased with not having that available to them. If the only departure time that works for them is now on a jungle jet as opposed to an Airbus as it used to be I think they have the right to be unhappy, as the in-flight experience has changed drastically. It's one thing to book a ticket on say Southwest, knowing there is no in-flight entertainment on any of their planes, as opposed to booking with Frontier and having been accustomed to having the LiveTV available.
If I were a Frontier employee I'd be disheartened knowing that Republic has brought in their own method of running an airline that seems much less customer oriented and in the long run is likely to alienate many loyal Frontier fliers. When something works, why try and change it? Sure you can try and bring costs down but if what it takes to lower costs also lowers revenue then there's no upside to having lowered costs in the first place.
Originally Posted by
MikeFromMKE
They had the same issue with the Lynx Q400 not having Direct TV.
They understand that it is imperative that they provide a consistent onboard product but if LiveTV is too heavy for the EJets then they have to decide if it makes sense to have it on the Airbus too. They don't have infinite money to just replace all of the ejets with A320s and the airbus is simply too much capacity for certain routes.
The difference with Lynx compared to the routes as mentioned earlier being flown by the jungle jets is the stage length. I think most people would pass on LiveTV for a 30 minute flight to COS, that's common sense and therefor the lack of LiveTV doesn't hold back customers, according to Republic it's the fact that the flights aren't operated by jets.
If the LiveTV system is too heavy for the jungle jets leave the jungle jets in Milwaukee where people seem to be so enamored with the product provided by the quasi Midwest/Republic forgotten step-child that the airline has become. When given the choice of flying from Florida to Denver I think many customers would be thankful for the LiveTV product, but when that ceases to exist it may send customers over to other airlines, who guess what, happen to be installing IFE on their planes as they've determined it to be worth the cost and customers seem to like it.