Really cheap airline tickets

Regional airlines really get the short end of the stick. The crews are in different unions with different contracts than their mainline cousins- and universally with lower pay and weaker benefits. Many of the mainline airlines are now overtly using their regional partners as "problem absorbers"- they have the regional service certain routes or schedules that are notorious for weather delays or inefficient block timing where the crew is more likely to fatigue out, requiring a relief crew (delay or outright cancellation)

This is done entirely to improve their mainline run statistics at the expense of the regional, despite the same logos painted on all the tails.

 

The crews do get the short end of the stick, but I was talking more about the planes. Pretty much every time I board a CRJ I hear someone complain about it being the smallest thing they've ever been on, and their giant bag doesn't fit into the tiny slidey-drawer cupboards, etc. Not to mention lots of those planes can't take off or land in high winds which is basically my entire area, and you get a flight that has an on-time rating of less than half.

And generally the regionals don't have huge lots of extra planes so when one gets grounded for an issue, you can't just swap in a new plane that was sitting over there. And again in most of those cases they have no to minimal presence at the airport. So even when they do want or need to make a change, they're waiting on a part to be flown in on another of their flights, or a mechanic, or whatever. It's just a hassle and I avoid it.

 

I had a flight from DFW to ORD on a regional jet. Never again! The plane was somewhat claustrophobic, and American's "rack 'em, pack 'em, stack 'em" mentality made it a real drudge.

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I tolerate lots of flights on regionals, and I gladly accept multiple connections on my itineraries so that I can avoid starting or ending my trips at the biggest airports.

I won't miss the CRJs when they are retired. I quite enjoy traveling on the Embraer 170/190 and I have high hopes for the upcoming Mitsubishi MRJ.

 

You both make valid points. And fuel costs for take-off and landing are certainly more significant per mile on very short trips. (But that said, a couple of years ago I paid £9 (US$13) for a 30-minute flight from Liverpool to Dublin. On a cost-per-mile flight, this worked out to not much more than that bargain Sydney-Manila-Heathrow flight. Mum and Dad have done Blackpool-Barcelona and Liverpool-Barcelona for £1 a few times.)

Another important factor is airport taxes. I think I mentioned the other day that I've been buying Auckland-Sydney flights for a friend. I bought her another flight this weekend. The AKL-SYD-AKL return flight cost A$440 in total. A$210 of that - almost half the total fare - was airport taxes. So these distort prices massively.

 

Cheapoair often has great deals. I got a flight from Prague to Barcelona and Barcelona to Geneva for $100 last night. I didn't feel like spending 12 hours taking a train instead of 5 hours (counting the short layover in Barcelona). That will save me money on a Eurail Pass, because I can get the 4 country deal.

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