There are a number of cargo airlines in Riem that are significantly larger than any other passenger airlines in terms of fleet size. All of these airlines are members of the same alliance. It does not appear that they are cheating, but they are exploiting aspects of having an all cargo airline that gives them an un-fair advantage over passenger airlines.
For example, cargo airlines have unlimited rights to fly between any airports anywhere regardless of which country their company is based in. This is because it is apparently more difficult to run a cargo airline (as the AS team describes it), but obviously this is not the case in Riem or they wouldn’t have been able to grow so large so quickly.
I also noticed that with start of Ellinikon, that default cargo prices were raised considerably to almost equal that of economy prices. I’m not sure why this was changed, but it also gives perhaps another un-fair advantage to all cargo airlines.
My airline is a passenger airline, so perhaps I shouldn’t care about cargo airlines, BUT any of these airlines can easily start up a subsidiary passenger airline anywhere in the world with all the money they’re making from their cargo operations and completely dominate the passenger market out of nowhere. I am sure that this is in fact the long-term strategy of these users, I highly doubt they will just remain in the cargo market.
I also must add that this specific alliance seems to have similar users that were once part of another well known alliance that caused many issues in other game worlds . . . so effectively the ‘usual suspects’ have found yet another loophole to exploit, perhaps not technically cheating, but nevertheless getting quite close.
I do not see any cargo companies larger than any passenger companies? The overall fleetsize seems to be in harmony between passenger and cargo airlines.
Cargo operations has an advantage, as there is less competition. That’s just being smart chosing something else!
There is one cargo airline with 15 767-300F and another with 10 777-200F. When you consider the value of these aircraft in terms of security deposits, they are both more than twice as large as the largest passenger airline that I can find (and that passenger airliner is by far much larger than any other passenger airline).
When all these cargo airlines are in the same alliance, it suggests the implementation of a specific pre-planned strategy. They know very well that having an all cargo airline will give them an un-fair advantage over passenger airlines and they are exploiting this.
Of course they have chosen the better strategy by starting an all cargo airline as opposed to a passenger one, but like I said in my post before it is actually SUPPOSED to be harder to run a cargo airline in AS (i.e. why they are allowed the extra traffic rights) not easier !!!
So I guess in the next world if I want to have any chance to compete against these players I HAVE to start a cargo airline, just like how in Ellinikon I should have snapped up second hand 747-400’s instead, or how in Aspern I should have configured my planes in all business class with slimline seats from the very beginning . . .
I haven't looked, but if what you say is true than it appears these people have found another loophole. As far as your overall theory, I guess we will just have to wait and see.
This is why I don't play on new servers. The usual suspects end up doing something which skates the edge of cheating or just outright doing so. Something bothers me about not having a fair chance from the get go. But the server is 1200/1200 so I don't think everyone else feels the same way =)
. . . and I am one of those 1200 players of course. But soon enough, one of these huge cargo airlines will probably start up a huge passenger subsidiary in my main hub and that will be the end of it for me. Already happened to me in Ellinikon, was having fun building up a hub when a user who had taken advantage of the ridiculously cheap leasing rates of used 747-400’s came in and just dominated that airport overnight. I cancelled my account right then and gave AS no more of my money (until now of course). I’ve tried starting up airlines in old game worlds but always get frustrated too quickly, I prefer new worlds, but only for a few weeks until the ‘cheats’ start to dominate again . . .
So I’m still having fun, but let’s see how long it lasts !!! Should I start buying cargo planes now to have a chance against some of these players ? Don’t really want to, but to remain competitive, what choice do I have ?
Riem is initially supposed to be a low demand world. The default price for cargo on that route is $582, yet a cargo airline is flying that route about 3 times a day with 777-200F and is charging $1163, they also have 2 competitors on that route (who surprise, surprise are all in the same alliance!), but yet all those flights are still selling out for ridiculous prices. Yes they are offering connections, but once gain Reim = low demand. So what is going on ? It shouldn’t be this easy for these airlines.
Even though these players may not in fact be technically cheating, they belong to an alliance which has users who are/were part of another notorious alliance under another name that caused all sorts of problems in other game worlds. Many players in this other alliance have in fact had their accounts deleted previously by the AS Team, so I would assume it was determined that were cheating or exploiting the rules in some way to give themselves an unfair advantage over other players. Make of that what you will . . . where there’s smoke there’s usually fire.
In short, these cargo airlines are just too big already compared to almost every other player in Riem, and they will only continue their ridiculous exponential growth to the great disadvantage of everyone else.
So good for them, they’ve won !!! They found the goose that laid the golden egg i.e. cargo routes out of ANC etc. Now it’s time for them to go away and let the rest of enjoy ourselves in Riem, something that will be increasingly difficult to do if they are allowed to remain . . .
. . . returning to the point that all three airlines on the HKG-ANC route are in the same alliance (and of course all inter-line with each other as well), it makes me suspicious that it could just be one person with 3 usernames or perhaps even more . . .
There definitely is something suspicious going on, maybe the cheaters are just getting really good at looking like they’re not cheating anymore. Either that or I’m just starting to get way too paranoid !!! Which could in fact be a distinct possibility . . .
. . . returning to the point that all three airlines on the HKG-ANC route are in the same alliance (and of course all inter-line with each other as well), it makes me suspicious that it could just be one person with 3 usernames or perhaps even more . . .
Seems the AS crew allows one person running multiple airlines interlining with himself…
I reported two such airlines run by user with username “jerryasim2” and “jerryasim3” basically has to be the same guy, but no longer reported and still IL between the two airlines :S
Seems the AS crew allows one person running multiple airlines interlining with himself…
It seems that the mentioned user has at least 4 accounts. Especially the similarities of the airline names is suspicious. Other than reporting them and let the team handle it, there's nothing we can do.
PS: And don't forget. There's no point in cheating. If you get caught your AS$ millions will be taken away from you.
I don’t think the names of the airlines/usernames reported look the same either, but then if someone is trying to cheat, they want everything to look as different as possible. Even though all the airlines are in the same alliance and interline with each other at the same hubs, they are all based in completely different countries i.e. North Korea, Hong Kong, Saudi Arabia, USA and the Netherlands. Perhaps they really are 5 seperate players who have succesfully co-ordinated their efforts, but I still think it looks suspicious . . . is there a way to determine that they are definitely not multi-user accounts ?
I have review the airlines and the names are not similar at all... they are as similar as spelling of France, Germany, and Norway.
I don't think the names of the airlines/usernames reported look the same either, but then if someone is trying to cheat, they want everything to look as different as possible.
Seems legitimate game-play to me and smart too.
To clarify. I wasn't speaking about the Cargo airlines. I was speaking about a specific user mentioned by alex_brunius. There four subsequent accounts that have similar airline names (SD Air, SD worldwide, Sakura Transocean and Sakura Air). The airlines are either Chinese or Japanese and have IL and the airlines of the same nationality share alliances.
Concerning the big cargo airlines in specific now, I don't see any irregularities so far. Sure asking +200% of the default price might be considered cheating by some, but it isn't. They were just more careful when picking their routes and are able to ask those prices as a result. So yes legitimate and smart game-play to me as well.
I am sure AS can check that out
Yes. I'm sure aswell. They make the game. They make the rules and they'll enforce their rules.
. . . but we don't know if it is legitimate game-play. Like I have said many times before, all these airlines could just be one person using different accounts, which is definitely cheating.
Even if this is legitimate, and these airlines are all run by seperate people who have co-ordinated their efforts, schedules, hubs and interlined with each other to boost each others traffic, unless you can find a number of other players to co-ordinate with you as well like they have, your airline will be nowhere near as succesful.
Also, Riem is supposed to be a low demand server initially. The fact that these airlines are each running multiple daily flights with large cargo aircraft on routes such as HKG-ANC and are able sell all their cargo capacity for more than twice the default cargo price means that cargo demand has been set too high. It shouldn't be this easy for these airlines to get so big so quick, the largest has about $110 million in security deposits if looking at their fleet size. The largest passenger airline that I can find isn't even twice as large.
If these airlines were to remain in the cargo market exclusively, I would not care in the slightest as I am running a passenger airline. But these airlines can easily start flying passenger routes or start up passenger airline subsidiaries. Other players may have worked very hard to set up a decent hub operation in their home airport, and these massive cargo airlines with all their money can easily come in and completely dominate the market overnight with better planes, better seats, better service and cheaper prices. This happened to me before, and it made me give up on my airline very quickly, I had worked quite hard to build up a hub but I was very quickly outcompeted and there wasn't much I could do about it.
Even if this is legitimate, ... , your airline will be nowhere near as successful.
Says who? I only see airlines that bother taking the risk of getting one 77F from the start and ask hefty premiums on their flight prices, thus increasing generously their margins.
Also, Riem is supposed to be a low demand server initially. The fact that these airlines are each running multiple daily flights with large cargo aircraft on routes such as HKG-ANC and are able sell all their cargo capacity for more than twice the default cargo price means that cargo demand has been set too high.
I don't think so. The problem is that right now, only few can afford to do Long haul and even fewer can afford to fly those routes on a daily basis. This means, that offer on those routes is extremely low compared to the demand on those routes. Give a little time and let the long haul business develop.
If these airlines were to remain in the cargo market exclusively, I would not care in the slightest as I am running a passenger airline. But these airlines can easily start flying passenger routes or start up passenger airline subsidiaries.
Yet, I wouldn't consider their game play (unless they were colluding) as cheating. Dirty playing? Maybe. But that applies to the RL airlines as well.
!!! Which could in fact be a distinct possibility . . .