Fokker Sale

[kirkpatrick]

MONTREAL, Feb 5 (Reuters) - Canadian discount airline Jetsgo said on Thursday it will buy 18 used Fokker 100s from American Airlines (AMR) in a bid to more than double its fleet and steal more passengers away from Air Canada (AC) and WestJet Airlines Ltd. (WJA).

Jetsgo will take delivery of seven of the 105-seats aircraft immediately. The others will be delivered over the next year.

The Montreal-based airline did not disclose financial details, but said the purchase of the first seven plans would be financed with its own cash reserves.

The privately held carrier, launched two years ago, said the expansion will include the hiring of 650 new employees, which should bring its total workforce to around 1,300.

Jetsgo, which already operates 14 160-seat MD-83s, said the new planes would fly on its existing routes as well as new ones to be announced before June. The airline currently flies to 11 Canadian cities and 6 U.S. cities.

"Even though we are introducing a second aircraft type into our fleet, we will maintain the same low seat-mile cost, which is the best in the Canadian industry," Jetsgo president Michel Leblanc said in a release.

 

[jimntx]

As far as I'm concerned, good riddance to bad rubbish. But what's that about 105 seats on the Fokkers???!!! The AA configuration has 6 seats in F/C and 79 in coach. Considering how cramped that plane is with that many seats, I truly feel sorry for the Jetsgo passengers with an additional 20 seats on the plane.

But then I read about their 160 seat, MD-80!!!! Good lord have mercy. AA only has 129 seats on that plane, and we have the big model. Is it possible for seats to be cheap enough to put up with that kind of torture?

 

[TWAnr]

I truly feel sorry for the Jetsgo passengers with an additional 20 seats on the plane.

Wait until you see some of the routes they intend to operate with this aircraft.

The Fokker 100 is a full-size jet offering the economies of a regional
jet. It has a 2,250 km-range, allowing it to fly existing Jetsgo routes such
as Montreal-Orlando, Toronto-Sydney and Toronto-Fort Lauderdale. New routes
and destinations will be announced closer to the Fokkers' first anticipated
flights in June.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive...4/05/c7051.html

I sure hope that the Sydney mentioned is not the one in Australia. B)

 

[FA Mikey]

The before MRTC was 8 and 88, take out the treee f/c closets and the f/c seating and you get to 120 quite fast.

 

[funguy2]

I sure hope that the Sydney mentioned is not the one in Australia. B)

I think the Sydney they are refering to is in Nova Scotia north of Halifax.

 

[FrugalFlyerv2.0]

But then I read about their 160 seat, MD-80!!!! Good lord have mercy. AA only has 129 seats on that plane, and we have the big model. Is it possible for seats to be cheap enough to put up with that kind of torture?

A year or so ago I think Jetsgo was offering seats between YYZ and YUL at something like $39 one way (plus taxes and airport improvement fees, etc.). Way way way below the cost of a train and / or a bus ticket between the two cities.

As far as comfort - you must assume fetal position once in your seat.

 

[jimntx]

Wait until you see some of the routes they intend to operate with this aircraft.

The Fokker 100 is a full-size jet offering the economies of a regional
jet. It has a 2,250 km-range, allowing it to fly existing Jetsgo routes such
as Montreal-Orlando, Toronto-Sydney and Toronto-Fort Lauderdale. New routes
and destinations will be announced closer to the Fokkers' first anticipated
flights in June.

http://www.newswire.ca/en/releases/archive...4/05/c7051.html

I sure hope that the Sydney mentioned is not the one in Australia. B)

Montreal-Orlando??? Toronto-Ft. Lauderdale??? On a Fokker??? I think not. Unless I was medicated heavily. Just the thought of doing it conscious makes me want to open a vein.

That sounds as awful as our NW Arkansas to LAX on an RJ. The spirit of Dr. Mengele lives!

 

[ss278]

I have a good friend who lives in Canada. He flew Jetsgo.

Once.

Threw the return ticket away.

 

[mga707]

As far as I'm concerned, good riddance to bad rubbish. But what's that about 105 seats on the Fokkers???!!! The AA configuration has 6 seats in F/C and 79 in coach. Considering how cramped that plane is with that many seats, I truly feel sorry for the Jetsgo passengers with an additional 20 seats on the plane.

When Ryanair was starting out a decade or more ago thye flew secondhand BAC-111-500s (the stretched model designed for BEA) crammed with 109 seats. The two aircraft are very similar in size, with 5-abreast seating.
So, it ain't comfy, but it can be done.

 

[TWAnr]

I think the Sydney they are referring to is in Nova Scotia north of Halifax.

I was kidding about Australia.

The Sydney is question is Sydney, Cape Breton Island, Nova Scotia, Canada.