Foxtrotter,
Yes the Metro maybe pressurised and faster but that only helps if you are doing 250-300nm routes. The route the Metro will replace the Bandit on is about 220nm. The Metro will do it in about 55-60 mins and the Bandit would do it in about 65-70 mins. I have flown both types and the Bandit is much more of a pilots plane than the Metro. From a passenger point of view lets compare.
The Bandit from memory is around 5.3 feet high and about the same wide. The Sunshine aircraft have 15 high back seats with tray tables and armrests.
The Metro is is 4.8 feet high and about 5 feet wide. Has you can see there is a few inches difference with the Bandit holding the advantage. When I was flying the Bandit many passengers comment how much better it was than those "pencil shaped aircraft" (thats how most passengers remember the Metro).
rpt2,
Yes it would have been a logical step to purchase at least 1 other shed, but this company does not operate with logic. From what I've seen they have a very good product but they do not take advantage of it.
I think we will find this Metro that Sunshine will operate was the one that Aeromil (the company that owns Sunshine) advertised For Sale a few weeks back. This small airline will now have 3 types in their fleet and only 2 routes. They should be called "Mini Ansett".
In their defence, Sunshine Express like the other Ansett regionals was hurt when Ansett collapsed in September. From what I hear this company is waiting on a miracle. They are waiting to see if they have a future with Qantas.