Joking aside, it was often a serious problem for the operator if an engine did go u/s at an outstation.
With the 146 it was sometimes possible to ferry back to somewhere sensible and do an engine change in comfort, but in general if you were stuck at a difficult airfield (and Sod's Law says you would be), only another 146 could bring spare engine modules in. However it could do that, which most of the opposition couldn't.
You didn't have that problem with mainliners connecting "proper" aerodromes.