I've noticed there are a few fairly open airports for new players in Riem. Players who want to start out in an established game world often waste their time in highly competitive cities. Here are a few that might enable you to grow without being quashed early on, either because there are no other airlines hubbing there, or the competition is weak. Apologies to anyone who doesn't want attention drawn to their market, but I am also going to be pointing out opportunities in my home market (the US):
TAIWAN: there are currently no passenger airlines based in Taipei (TPE). It's a 9 bar airport for pax and cargo, although some cargo carriers already have a big presence there.
MALAYSIA: KUL has two very new airlines there, so it's not too late to start and be competitive. It's a 10 bar pax airport.
UNITED STATES: Portland (PDX - 7 bars), Houston Hobby (HOU - 6 bars), Pittsburgh (PIT - 7 bars) and, juicily, Miami (MIA - 9 bars pax, 10 bars cargo) are all wide open. PHL & EWR also have just one main competitor who is not very active, and PHX is still fairly open. All these are potential entry points in the US market. Just don't compete with me too much if you make it!
JORDAN: AMM is 6 bars with no competition.
RUSSIA: DME is wide open! LED is 7 bars with no airline based there. SVO also does not have a major carrier there although a couple of other airlines have a lot of departures.
INDIA: GoGo Fly is a formidable competitor (and very valued IL partner) but in the Indian market is also huge with many high-demand airports, so there is plenty of room for additional players.
ITALY: Milan (MXP - 8 bars) appears to only have no carriers with over 900 departures, and high slot a/v.
This is only what I've noticed. If you have any more to add please feel free.
It's especially funny to see that SVO and LED have fairly open playground these days on Riem. One year ago there was quite a competition at both airports (about 10 airlines - all with a decent fleet/route network). Until one airline from a neighboring country stepped in and decided to schedule flights with E-Jets from his hub to SVO, DME, VKO and LED - in 10 minute intervals to each of these airports. His efforts paid off: Sucking the Russian market dry - paired together with a falling AGEX - led to a mass exodus of all airlines back then. This "attacking" airline in the neighboring country isn't on Riem anymore. So the area sits quiet for the moment.
What seats do you offer and how many flight attendants. I have played in MIA and the caribbean and the market is pretty good if your connection system is good. In that region the loads are only as good as your connection system.
As already pointed out, slots are often not the problem but the lower demand is. You might want to start with smaller but one or two more aircraft. Those are easier to fill. Also you'll get more connections from your Hub which are as mentioned above the key to success.
MIA might be a good hub if you are an established airline and want to establish a new hub. For a start up airline, a midcontinent hub would work best. Miami, after all, is on the south-east edge and therefore limits your domestic USA connections.
On Riem, I would start in ORD (46% slots free) or ATL (43% slots free) instead of MIA. Also one key of success in the USA on a running server is interlining.
I would also explore MSP, DFW, DEN, MDW, SLC, ATL (all have enough slots) before even looking at Miami.
And I would definitely start with CR7 or CR9 instead of 737-800s, and would make it ATL or ORD as a start, because they have a high O/D demand (and as a startup airline, you will initially primarily depend on OD until you start building your fleet).
Brazil only has one airline! It is quite unbelievable, although I must add that the current operator probably won't appreciate the publicity! Airline is growing leaps and bounds because there is no competition however the country is huge and I am sure that opportunities there remain immense.
Brazil only has one airline! It is quite unbelievable, although I must add that the current operator probably won't appreciate the publicity! Airline is growing leaps and bounds because there is no competition however the country is huge and I am sure that opportunities there remain immense.
I thought I would add my two cents here.
Brazil was a fierce fight between Tab and Brasil Airlines. Tab put up a great fight but decided to throw in the towel and closed up shop leaving Brasil Airlines all alone.
I doubt anyone wants to fight it out in Brazil, even if you could somehow gain some traction, Brasil Airlines would put a stop to it.
It seems the players playing on Riem is growing smaller and smaller each week.
Just want to add Washington IAD. It has 8 bars and 84% slots empty. Washington DCA also is quite free but Shamiym Int. Airlines has a lot of departures from there.
Lot of people are afraid of Riem because its low demand. Anyway, after playing on both Otto and Quimby i decided to move onto a permanent server so i took the challenge of this particular one, Riem .
If there is anyone in the US market willing to help someone at the beginning , at least with interlining please do so. I hope to survive in this bussiness.
Main hub is PIT. Company name LG Airline Transport.
For any other advices or help, i am constantly reading the forum or PM in game.