Originally Posted by
Icarus2001
What do you replace a Saab 340 with anyway, realistically?
If the fleet had been well managed over the last 15 years they would still be viable. Well managed being upgraded regularly with modern avionics, interiors and other real weight saving advantages. Instead cheap cosmetic changes were made to make passengers feel like the aircraft were cleaner and nothing under the skin was done. 15 years ago there was plans for refit 3 or 5 screen EFIS, with dual GPS/FMS, low weight seats and fittings, and so on, all of which would have paid itself off by now in operational efficiencies. Things like ability to carry more fuel before offloads, less need for alternates, greater reliability, would have all saved millions over the years. SAAB was very keen to work with operators to extend the life of it's aircraft, at a price of course, so new props or engine options would also be something a large operator could ask SAAB to look into as a retrofit engineering project, notice the Metros getting around with new quieter, more efficient props these days, same thing. Rex was more interested in squeezing profit now, rather than later to pay fully franked dividends, which is how management were really paid.
As for a replacement, Metro, no way, where will you get even 20 of them in reasonable condition. When Rex was on song they could operate a SAAB for only slightly more than a B1900 or Metro, but they could sell another 10-15 seats and have a toilet and flight attendant, hence why the 1900s and Metros were retired. The 20 seat market is dead space. Rex achieved profit by having scale and frequency, which the 30-36 seat SAAB was able to tap into in the Australian market.
Again if the SAAB fleet was well managed it would still have about 10 years in it of profitable service. That would have allowed Rex to vie for launch customer status on the Dornier 328 Eco, 40 seats, 300 kts, much greater fuel economy, as well as higher frequency again due to its better sector performance. The fact Rex were not involved in the Dornier program is probably the most telling sign that the company had no direction. If they were keeping it a quiet project, just as stupid, being in line for the Dornier would give customers something to look forward to and add to prestige for an airline.
As it is now, the SAAB fleet is too far gone, and stuck with fit-outs from early 2000, nothing new except some iPads. The effects of scale and frequency have been lost, as well as most of the competent staff in all areas, not just pilots, but engineers and the rest. The network is spread thin over the whole of Australia because they were chasing subsidies and rubbish pie in the sky charters that come and go, adding a lot of un-necessary cost in positioning and maintenance of multiple hub bases and resulting reduced utilization of assets sitting around as spares. The company was in decline when they forgot their mission statement that their "heart is in the country". The country referred to being country NSW, Victoria, SA and Tasmania, where they once had a fantastic network and frequency.