Originally Posted by
oc2005
I looked through the schedule and there aren't many of those long (600-1000 mile), thin routes left just served by CRJs. The ones I found were:
SEA-LGB 967 miles (2 CRJs daily)
SEA-SBA 910 miles (1 CRJ daily)
PDX-ONT 840 miles (3 CRJs daily)
PDX-BUR 819 miles (3 CRJs daily)
They've already completely cut several other routes like that the last few years (GEG-LAX, GEG-SAN, SBA-PDX, LGB-PDX). It's hard to imagine them getting a new sub-carrier or type of plane just for those handful of remaining routes. My guess is those will stay until the final CRJs are removed from service while they cut the CRJs on the other routes that are also currently served by Q400s or 737s as well first. Eventually, I wouldn't be surprised if those last LGB and SBA routes just end (since those are the only AS/QX flights there at all) and maybe ONT and BUR will go to 2 737-700s daily (a similar number of seats to 3 CRJs).
Oh please.....don't take away the SBA route. My guess was that it would go to something like a SEA-SJC-SBA routing. I have taken the SEA-SBA quite a few times on varying days, Thur-Sun/Mon and as I have said before I never have seen an "empty" flight and many times it has been sold out where I had to change dates. I have absolutely no idea about the economics of this route but I have to believe there is a market in that south-central coastal area that serves from Santa Maria to Ventura/Oxnard (assuming folks there do not want to drive through LA). It also wasn't a cheap flight as well. I don't know as my experience is anecdotal and RASMguy has the facts. I would really hate to see this route go away.