connecting flights
Cyrano's calculation exemplifies very well the small scale of risk associated with such kind of business model extension if the planning is made well. Actually one can achieve more profit out of that. The handling agents? If you concentrate all such activities at just one centrally located airport (in Germany, presumably?), you can afford it. "Being flexible is what keeps you in business". Right. And many of us have "difficulty seeing where FR is going to put their vast number of on-order aircraft unless they stretch their business model in some new direction". Especially as their boss is very reluctant to accept any new airports to the network when not given the best possible terms. It takes months or years to negotiate, new planes are coming and the time is ticking out.