Bingo. This was exactly what I was going to say.

Those seem like nice, round numbers:

30 levels to Mount. (30 level diff.)
55 levels to Epic Mount. (25 level diff.)
70 levels to Flying Mount. (15 level diff.)

When you take into consideration the relative difficulty of each of those level ranges, then revisions to the Mount system make a lot of sense. Earning a Mount after each closing each of those level 'brackets' strikes me as a just reward.

Nah, seriously, how long would it take to do 5 levels? C'mon

weren't passenger mounts announced at one point? That could take any level of character

In that case I want a shark mount with frickin' laser beams on its head.

Can't remember where but I've read something about mounts with passengers in Wrath.

Why would the naturally next step from "flying" be "passengers?"

As far as i've heard the passenger mechanic was involved in a quest where you are a passenger on the back of an npc ridden mount and there's some speculation that maybe it'll be possible to bunk up on someone else mount by why would you need a new riding skill for that?

Additionally why would the "passenger" riding skill be "required" for any reason like flying is required for Tempest keep for example?

Not like that. It stated that you will be able to buy a mount that can take passengers, and that mount can be used in 'old world' also.
Alliance SM run comes in mind... You can just take your lowbie to the SM and run him through. Or wait! Mounts at 30... :S

That is a new type of mount however and not a new skill and, furthermore, there is no element to it that suggests that it's "Neede," as in you'll need it progress in the game in the same way you HAD to have a flapper mount to get into tempest keep which is why they made the the epic ground mount skill cheaper, to help make tempest keep more accessible.

I can't see Passenger mounts being "needed" just possibly expensive and so there is no justification to lowering the epic flapper skill if the original statement is to believed then it shouldn't be.

Uhhh... actually, I'd totally take a 400% speed boat. It would mean less reliance on flight paths and harbor towns in Azeroth, not to mention new areas to explore.

In fact, if we ever get an expansion focusing on the Maelstrom and its nearby islands, something like this would make a lot of sense. If they never introduce flying mounts in Azeroth, I could certainly picture them introducing watercraft of some kind, though it's likely an expansion or two away.

Hey rosen, what's up? What guild are you in nowadays?

Anyways, yes, it was either leaked or announced about the passenger mounts being able to carry other players.

Alliance Onyxia attunement is the most fun quest in game atm. It would be horrible if it'd be removed.
Naxx attunement is stupid and should be removed, but with Naxx moving this won't be an issue...

that's what's up on Wowhead right now.

Belfs are known for riding the Dragonhawks. I've never seen draenei riding moths and not seen a glimpse of a Nether Ray on Azeroth not even from the crashed bits of the Exodar.

No reason to assume the Skyguard are at the Exodar really and the Hypogryph's make far more sense considering where the Draenei are.

@rosencratz: I only suggest that because they don't have a history of riding anything other than nether rays, and there are moths in abundance on the islands (and only on the islands). So I kinda assume they brought the moths with them like the ravagers.

If anything the night elf's reticence to even talk to Draenei (EREDAR!) makes them less likely to lend them Hippogryphs. Unless the argument is that they found themselves next to Night Elf lands and decided to take the available transports. Though that doesn't work because Hippogryphs are intelligent and capable of speaking Darnassian.

I'd be pro a Draenei-specific intra-island flying transport. Any thoughts on what it might be, if not a moth or ray?