Regional, Multi-National Carriers

[RushmoreAir]

Here is a feature I would like to see:

In DOTM, I am running a small 26 a/c airline out of Papau New Guinea.  I have fun with it, but my expansion options are limited.  PNG is a small country, and I have pretty much maxed out most of the demand.  Meanwhile, the Solomon Islands, a nearby country, has no active airline, but is also approximately the size of PNG in terms of air traffic.  I could double my airline's size if I expanded into the Solomons to become their only carrier as well.

What I am requesting is the opportunity to base in multiple countries, provided they are small enough, and don't have existing service.  This is realistic, as many airlines do this already.  TACA, COPA, LAN, SAS, etc.  I know they do so with different IATA codes, and are technically different "airlines", but they are all marketed as one.  This could be an opportunity to make regional airlines in small countries more attractive, and might help solve the US/EU overcrowding in pretty much every game.

It would work like this:  If your airline is based in Country A no bigger than size X - size X being an arbitrary limit determined by the largest airport in that country - and a neighboring Country B also smaller than size X doesn't have an existing air carrier, you can apply to be allowed to open a base in that country.  The application process could be an in-game market.  Once you have applied for base rights in Country B, other air carriers in a similar situation have 1 year to also apply, and at the end of that year, one airline that applied is randomly selected to receive rights to open bases in Country B.  Regular base limits - no more than 3, and 100 A/C max at each - would also apply to bases in Country B.

This system is fair, and allows more currently untapped markets to be served, and also allows those wanting to build a regional airline to expand to a larger size.

[L1011fan]

I know exactly what you are talking about, but I don't think sami has that set up in AWS. I had a base In Guatamala, which was rather large, but only one airport in that country in the game. I couldn't go anywhere else unless it was in Guatamala and with only one airport, albeit large and busy, no where else to go. I have never ever seen multi-national airlines in AWS, but it might bare looking at. Another example could be what alot of people know as Benelux. One airline for Belgium, Luxembourg and the Netherlands, but national pride probably won't allow for it. And, in any case, I would limit it to three countries that must border each other.
Very interesting idea! 

[Lazybee]

I've come across this problem countless times. I much prefer setting up smaller airlines in countries which aren't served by many international airlines but have plenty of domestic potnential. eg Vanuatu but expanision is very much limited and therefore operating a small domestic airline is not as fun as could be. Another possible way of doing this would be to have small nations to allow for foreign investment. A carrier operating in one country being allowed to set up a base in a country that allows for foreign investment and serve destinations within that country. I wouldn't think it would be to hard to implement either

+1 to your idea

[LeoDario]

Yes I support also. Take Scandinavian Air Systems ( SAS ) as an example.

[samrnpage]

im new to this , so you cannot open new bases in a different country ??

[RushmoreAir]

im new to this , so you cannot open new bases in a different country ??

Not unless the countries have existing air freedom agreements, such as the EU and some country/former territory combinations.

[moberg]

Not unless the countries have existing air freedom agreements, such as the EU and some country/former territory combinations.

Are these combinations listed anywhere?

[Aus380]

How about GCC and allowing airlines that operate out of the Gulf to open a base in another GCC country as many of them have only one international airport (Kuwait, Bahrain, Doha)

[Sami]

How about GCC and allowing airlines that operate out of the Gulf to open a base in another GCC country as many of them have only one international airport (Kuwait, Bahrain, Doha)

Thr basing rules are and will be absolutely by real world rules only, no exceptions shall be made.

[Monk Xion]

In terms of TACA and Copa...

Taca is Based in El Salvador and Copa in Panama.

Both fly flights in an out of every Central American Country (except Belize)

I know there is an openskies between all of the central american countries and the usa... but Idk if they are between each other. Which frustrates and confuses me as to why TACA has hubs in SJO,MGA,GUA,SAL,PTY,TGU,etc...

If i remember correctly, TACA has US registrations on their planes. Copa does not , but Continental (Now United) has a stake in the carrier.

Idk if the USA connections (corporate or political, who knows) allow the carriers to operate regionally or if it is a little known document or something. Bugs me so much.

A side note- Taca is basically the national airlines for each central america country (except Belize again) merged together under one name. Only one national carrier still has a a "name". That is Lasca, the former Costa Rican National carrier.

From Wikipedia, the five airlines :

Mainline/International
TACA International (TA) (El Salvador)
Lacsa (LR) (Costa Rica)
Lacsa is the only airline of the group that still operates international flights with its own flight numbers. Its hub is at Juan Santamaría International Airport in San José, Costa Rica.
Nicaragüense de Aviación (6Y) (Nicaragua)
Aviateca (GU) (Guatemala)

Regional
Regional (GU) - Formerly Inter, it operates under Aviateca's code.
SANSA (Costa Rica) (RZ)
Isleña Airlines (WC) (Honduras)
La Costeña (Nicaragua)

And of course, they are merged with Avianca too. The branding is different but the FF programs and booking are tided together (Trust me IK i have a FF card with them  )

TACA is sucha complicated airline its not even funny 

Copa is totally different. They are one company, with the exception of CopaAirlines Colombia, which is a totally separate carrier but it is under the same holdings company as Copa.

[ekaneti]

I second this:

I have noticed there is a fair amount of demand in the South Pacific and I think aside from airlines based in Aus and NZ, if you had an airline in say Fiji you could have bases anywhere in the SoPac except NZ and Aus.

[Sami]

Thr basing rules are and will be absolutely by real world rules only, no exceptions shall be made.

[omaster]

I do see Sami's point on this

But then you also open yourself to the real world arguments on that a lot of the small countries e.g. pacific airlines are partially owned by the bigger airlines. Therfore maybe the solution is not base openings but a function called subsidary airlines. It could be similar to the mentor functionality. With limited control but basicly how it would work is instead of reaping benefits directly from any airline you would only get dividends on profit for these little subsidaries. The thing would be that an airline could donate aircraft or pump in money that would not count towards profit but only make money on any actual profit in terms of a dividend. I think this would be a much fairer way and allow smaller airlines in small countries a potential way to grow. Guess it would be a little hard to write but it is a more realistic option is it not?