Melia,
I'm with you on that one, but let's be fair, there aren't many on here who have met, or worked with me. I'd quite happilly forego the undeserved legend status believe me.
I'm not altogether sure your description of our Op is quite up to date or correct, but nevertheless, as my wife keeps telling me, size isn't everything, and it could be viewed that a small Op with a good reputation, owned aircraft and profits is better than a loss making ramp of shiny metal, but I digress.
This is supposed to be an area that we can swap ideas and opinions, most threads I have no opinion on at all, but I spent 3 months of my life looking at the VLJ / Low-Cost type market (not to be confused with a more traditional approach such as LEA), and in my opinion it isn't a money maker in the currently available formats of Blink and Jetbird's fleet projections and mindsets.
Some people share my opinion, some people think I'm wrong, and at this stage nobody knows who is right, time will tell.
If I have an opinion that is not positive, it does not mean I am a pessimist (who could work in aviation expecting one day to make some money if they were a pessimist) if I had no knowledge I wouldn't have an opinion.
If someone can explain to me how to make money from a VLJ start-up with straight from factory airframes, I'd be really happy to listen, I wouldn't turn into Captain "My Opinion on VLJ's count coz I've steared a Jumbo", or assume that these thoroughly nice fellows (Slattery?) are pouring money into aviation because they like giving pilots jobs in these hard times!
Let's be 100% clear here, they want a monopoly - so they can reduce costs A La Debonair / Easyjet / Ryanair / Directline Insurance. No Brokers, no competition, so for those of you who work in Bizjets because you didn't want to fly for EZE / RYR, think again!
In order to get a monopoly, they will lose money to put existing light jet Ops out of business if the depth of their pockets last.
F&**K me, that was a long one.