FeedsReplying to a comment on Zeppelins, and Why they Kick Ass
My guess is that the problem with zeppelin-based transportation systems is economic productivity. This is the thing that heavy jet transports excel at. Fundamentally, a jet creates available seat miles (and therefore, revenue seat miles) at an unprecedented rate. Even obscenely high acquisition and fuel costs can be rapidly covered because the airplane can fly many legs per day. Southwest Airlines, as an extreme example, flies their 737s seven or eight legs per day, on AVERAGE.
A zeppelin, even with its lower cost of acquisition (largely guesswork on my part), and much lower per seat mile fuel costs, will still have terrible economic productivity. In essence, it may have to charge more money per ticket than the same ride on a jet. The crew costs will probably be equivalent as they are driven by regulatory requirements. I have no idea what a zeppelin's maintenance costs might look like, but the jet may well have another advantage in that there is an existing industry that does nothing but maintain, repair, and overhaul heavy jets. Their costs are quite low with respect to the amount of money that a jet makes.
Zeppelin travel as currently envisioned appears to be luxury travel only. I.e., not necessarily for the rich only, but for those for whom the amount of time required is not a problem, or is perhaps, the intent of the trip. Myself, I'd love to be able to board a zeppelin and take a long trip across country, enjoying the view, but I'm not schedule driven, unlike most people, and I can afford it.
If a young zeppelin entrepreneur were so foolish as to ask my opinion of how to start up a zeppelin airline company, I would suggest they look at the luxury and vacation market. Not the sort of vacation where you need to get to Vegas as fast as possible because the money is burning a hole in your pocket, but rather one where the flight itself is a central part of the experience, rather like ocean cruises. Generate public acceptance, begin to develop the infrastructure that will be required, and create a financial track record of success. Continued...
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