MOR,
Many who use the term that you did are, in fact, just wannabes who think that because they have delivered a loadsheet to a flight deck a few times, they know how things work. They don't, of course.
OK, understood, and I'm not about to argue there, very true and very valid, and it extends right through the handling side of the industry, as I found out the hard way
In fact, any knowledge of aviation would be an improvement for the vast majority of ramp handlers and their managers
, I've seen rampers blow up Dash 8's electronics because they didn't even know why they were supposed to use a dedicated GPU for the aircraft, and the management at DUB were as bad, they didn't understand it either, so to them, while it wasn't funny, it was no big deal. I just hope that FLyBE managed to educate them and extract the appropriate financial penalties!!
It wasn't just Gulf that screwed the plans, I was self employed at the time, and as well as Gulf war screwing airline recruitment, ( and unfortunately, Ireland is a very small aviation community, and I'd already not long prior moved the family once, (from UK to Ireland) and to do so again so soon would have screwed up their education big time), there were other work related hassles that made it impossible at the time to do what I really wanted.
Life gets like that sometimes, hard descisions have to be made, and it was the problems of not being able to get into "real" flying that got me into the simulation world instead, and it's been "interesting", for all sorts of reasons.
Age was a factor as well, I'm sure you've read the threads here recently, and by the time things got back to sanity airline and cash flow wise, I was the wrong side of 40, which is an obstacle that is not easily overcome, regardless of any legislation.
Back to the thread.
Agree with you about the choices, they're not going to be easy, and probably now not quick. whichever route they take, it's going to require large sums of money, and they don't happen in a hurry any more, though I am encouraged by the results that are happening now, it's a far cry from a lonely SD360 operating from DUB to EXT, while I personally actually liked the 360, I did a lot of jump seat hours on them when EI operated them from BRS, I can well understand the lack of passenger appeal.
In that respect, and going back to the original theme, from a SLF aspect, when comparing like with like, which is always an issue, the 400 IS a good aircraft, it's reasonably comfortable, quiet, and better than some, and it carries enough people to make it worth while, and seems to be economic to operate, which is unfortunately a very important factor these days. I'd certainly choose a 400 over an EM145 any day, the cabin and locker space on the 145 is so cramped, it's not funny. OK, the 145 is a jet, but that's not the be all and end all of air travel on short routes.
If FlyBE can operate enough of the 400's on the "skinny" routes that people like Ryanair, Easyjet etc can't or won't operate, and can do it profitably, then that's as valid a business plan as any. I did a lot of work a few years ago on a new start up that was going to operate GWY-LTN with ATR's, and if they'd got their AOC when they needed it, life would have been very different. It wasn't going to be making the money that some of the LoCo operators are making, but as a niche operation, it would have worked, as Aer Arran have subsequently proved. Such is life.