gcomeau wrote:cthia wrote:The US version was going to hold more seats to assist in being profitable. I certainly see the concern regarding being able to fill the seats as often as a regular commercial flight to be practical from passenger to airline, but I believe that if you build it they will come.
They did build it. They didn't come. That was kind of the problem.
And I assure you if they could have charged more they would have. Sure if they increased the prices *some* people would have paid, but not enough to make up the revenue loss from all the people who would tell them to go screw themselves and taken a regular flight instead.
Not quite the it I had in mind.
Build a joint SST which eliminates the problem of sonic booms which negates flying over land. Someone has already mentioned certain companies were working on that - and had been for some time. Then, a greatly extended service route could be offered - bringing practicality full circle.
Build that and they will come. People can't come if the service is virtually impotent and if an airport near me cannot achieve an erection of a runway then the service is. It's the same with riding the train. People can't ride the train to a destination if that destination is not offered, or even the originating depot.
Then, just solve the emissions problem and fuel efficiency. It'll happen sooner or later. I'd just rather more sooner, than later.
http://www.wired.com/2010/07/aerospace- ... lent-boom/