I don't really care for PTVs but they seem to have more 'marketability'/novelty value. Give me legroom any day.
Airlines claiming to have more comfort seem to have as much credibility as politicians' promises =) If AN does put more legroom (I think a Y+ is best, an AA MRTC increases seat mile costs) in Y, it will have to start offering a real C, not this funny convertible business. I know many at AN don't love NZ, but NZ has the best C cabin in a 737, with probably the best product in the world on a 737, quite frankly. You can't put 36" in Y+, and then put 38-40" in C - why bother fly C, then?
Why are people concerned about AN's backers? They aren't the management. If they were, I'd sure as hell hope Solly Lew has cleaned up his act.
Ansett Dude, if you want to tar Howard again. Just remember who allowed AN to be sold to NZ =) I'd concede one thing re. CASA - the QF744 didn't have all of its slides inoperative (unlike from what I heard about the AN762).
Although the QF tactic was a stalling one (especially the so called "A320 deal"), I don't know whether it made much of a difference at the end of the day.
As for costs, well consider the fact that this is not just AN with newer planes and shrunk. I know some people that have taken fairly significant pay cuts. They'll never approach DJ costs though, and I don't think they're trying - how the hell can you match DJ's seat mile costs, when they pack so many pax into a 737!
As for the Midwest option. Are there that many corporates ready to jump back onboard AN now? QF has snared most of the really important travellers, and locked them into contracts, I thought. AN just needs time to prove itself - when it does, then people will start to really return. That's why it's nonsense that QF will just sit there with 70-80% of the market for the rest of eternity. I think AN can work. Old AN had a sound product, it just was poorly managed and had ridiculous costs.
AN just has to take the right steps now, to begin its recovery. If they don't, some in management really deserve a slap in the face, and too many people will have to go through the same hell post September 14 2001.
To Any AN staff out there,
Don't worry, do your best. You're the underdogs, and I'm sure you won't let complacency get to you. I'll be back to support you!
Cheers,
Justin
BTW: Richard, Are you basically saying there is no room for AN at all. It seems that way.