Beginner questions

[TheTurk80]

Hi,
I just began playing Airwaysim and liked it very much. I registered late for current scenarios and didn't do too well but am enthusiastic about the new game. So, for not making the same mistakes in the new world, I have couple of questions:
1) It seems that every advice begins with taking max loan and expand immediately with relatively big aircraft. So what kind of strategy is best? Flying with Boeing's or Airbus's immediately and dominate the international market? Or being a little more conservative and using some Fokker's till your company gets known by the public?
2) "Experts" usually promote long range flights as far as I red. So how far are we talking about here? For example Milano-London or Moscow-Chicago? It's a bit stretch, I know. But what I want to understand is: For a European based company, long range flight means moderate distance airports within continent or flights to South East asia&USA etc.?
3) If your hub is in a small country (almost all Europe), how can you balance domestic and international flights? Should you concentrate on your country or elsewhere? Is it better to send your aircraft to other countries (as these are longer flights) or should you dominate local market? If longer flights are better, why bother with short domestic flights (schedule-filler-awkward-timed 'bonus' flights are another thing)
3) As far as I understand, fleet commonality is an important issue. But how to balance that with both short and long range flights? For example why waste a big Boeing in a 250 NM domestic flight?
4) Opening as many routes as possible or concentrate on some crowded airports? I see that it's rather expensive (as you have to hire way more staff) when you open new routes. So for example is it better to schedule all your flights (I'm talking about early stages of course) to some 3-4 huge demanded routes? It can allow dominating that market. But it doesn't make sense with the "expansion" theory as if you do that, you won't be able to compete with other people dominating other destinations. And you'll be stuck with your 3-4 routes.
5) Is configuring your aircraft worth it? It takes some serious money when you begin the game. I clearly see that adding some business seats is profitable in long term if you have business class demand but what about other configurations apart from seats?
6) Choosing your main airport is important. I red advices about not setting too popular airports as your base (like Heathrow, Schiphol etc.) How do you rate Istanbul Ataturk? In current game I have Davimyca and I can't compete with them but if I begin there in the new game would it be suitable? I'm not looking to be the worlds biggest airline but a top 5 European airline as Turkish Airlines is now.
7) Any other "must" advice for a beginner? What is crucial when the new game begins?

If some experienced players will be so kind to answer these long and boring questions I'll be grateful

[TheTurk80]

Oh, one more

How do you guys set your ticket price increase timing? Is company image more important or non-competitive destinations? I red that when starting you have to set your prices 10%-20% lower than suggested. And when you increase your prices how big are the price alterations? 2-3% within short frames of time or 7-8% per increase with bigger gaps between?

[Sigma]

Virtually every point you bring up has equal merit either way you go.  There is no "right" way to play this game.  The largest airlines in the game have all started and maintained different strategies to get there.

1>  Fewer, more earning routes will generate more money quicker.  Far more shorter routes with regional jets will consume slots a lot quicker; this can be hugely important at some airports, and worthless at others.

2>  I would say that the "experts" are pretty evenly divided long-range vs. short-range for many reasons.  There's slot consumption differences, there's margin differences, there's pax count differences.  Depends if you want to move the most pax, make the most money, have the highest net value -- there's all means of playing the game and require different strategies.

3>  See the 2 points above.

3b> (you've got "3" twice ) Fleet commonality is important but different people will disagree on how important.  Some airlines start grabbing whatever they can.  Others stick to one airplane.  Regardless you can always fly at least 2 if not 3 aircraft with minimal penalty.  So you're not stuck deciding whether to fly small or large aircraft.  You can fly a regional jet and a narrow-body for longer-range for example with minimal penalty.  But throw a widebody in there and your costs go up a lot (though hopefully so do your revenues).,

4>  Each route has a cost.  It's more profitable to stick to dense routes.  But, as you mentioned, you may lose ground agaisnt other airlines that are swooping up the pax demand at the other, smaller airports.  Both are valid strategies.  You've just got to make them work for you whichever you decide.  There is no "right" way.

5>  Configuration your aircraft is generally VERY worth it.  IF you can keep it full.  Whatever class you go with, however many seats, as long as you can keep it full you'll make a ton.  You'll lose money quick if you take out 20 coach seats for 5 business seats and fly routes with no business demand though.  So make them count.

6>  I can't speak for Istanbul.  I would guess it'd be a fine starter airport though.

7>  

8>  As for pricing.  Just cut it by about 10%, then as your RI gets north of 50 or so add back in 5%, then when it gets to 100 just reset it to default.  Periodically reset all your routes to Default (you can do this on the Price Management page automatically).

[Yb]

6) Choosing your main airport is important. I red advices about not setting too popular airports as your base (like Heathrow, Schiphol etc.) How do you rate Istanbul Ataturk? In current game I have Davimyca and I can't compete with them but if I begin there in the new game would it be suitable? I'm not looking to be the worlds biggest airline but a top 5 European airline as Turkish Airlines is now.

I played Istanbul at my first game. I found it very, very good. You can make a ton of domestic routes and every single city in Europe has demand for a plane.

The problem is that the long haul is not that good (not that many F and C classes) but if you fly efficient planes, you will make it. I got in trouble later on with boeing 707-320C so avoid them and get something better as... i.e. Douglasses or something like that

More in private message if you need

Cheers!

Yb