Unless something has changed the original Dash 8 had a break even load factor in the low thirty percents.
Mach E
You seem to have a chip on your shoulder about people making money out of aviation. Gouging, reasonably affordable fares whatever that means, directors new boats and cars paid for bt our taxes. Whatever are you smoking.
It s the the wannabes who have driven the price/revenue to where it is.
The dumb****s who bid for the previously subsidised routes by racing every one else to the bottom by convincing Govt, as if they need convimcing they can do it without subsidy. Once it's gone it's gone and ultimately usually the service as well. Then the bottom feeders scrape Zoe dollars together and buy an old heap of crap, put pay for job FOs
in the RH seat and convince themselves they have a business. The only people asking money out of that scenario are the MROs.