Surf / Boutique Air model in the midwest?

ozziecat35

ozziecat35

4 out of 5 great lakes prefer Michigan.
I realized that there isn't much in the way of that model or even any sort of air taxi (Imagine Air / etc) in the upper midwest (ORD / MSP / IND / DTW). Demand? Weather (akin to Eagle moving the ATR's out of ORD down south after the icing accident)?

I'm sure if there was a business case for it, one of those companies would have done it by now, so I imagine there's a reason, I just don't know it.
 
I think with the slow down of Great Lakes you'll see more in the upper mid-west-->west region. We already have Air Choice One in MSP and I hear Boutique is starting service soon as well.
 
Finny said:
I think with the slow down of Great Lakes you'll see more in the upper mid-west-->west region. We already have Air Choice One in MSP and I hear Boutique is starting service soon as well.
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See Air Choice One a lot in ORD. Always wonder how those Caravans work out for them with the winters up here.
 
The problem is that many of them seem to be grossly mismanaged (see: seaport) and somehow manage to take one of the most solid, predictable, cheapest aircraft (caravan) and lose money with them.
 
SurfAir and Boutique are only similar in the fact that they operate the PC-12. Surf uses the membership model where people with a lot of money and a need/desire to fly a lot use them. Boutique is out chasing the EAS contracts. I don't pretend to know how either company is doing financially, but it seems to me that Surf wouldn't do well in the Midwest.

If the SurfAir model proves to be viable long term, I don't see them expanding beyond their current home market of California. Maybe the NE corridor but that's just a guess. I read rumors that Surf was looking at Texas but I don't know anything beyond that. I hope Boutique makes it and doesn't become another Great Lakes. I want them to be my first airline job.
 
ShyFlyer said:
SurfAir and Boutique are only similar in the fact that they operate the PC-12. Surf uses the membership model where people with a lot of money and a need/desire to fly a lot use them. Boutique is out chasing the EAS contracts. I don't pretend to know how either company is doing financially, but it seems to me that Surf wouldn't do well in the Midwest.

If the SurfAir model proves to be viable long term, I don't see them expanding beyond their current home market of California. Maybe the NE corridor but that's just a guess. I read rumors that Surf was looking at Texas but I don't know anything beyond that. I hope Boutique makes it and doesn't become another Great Lakes. I want them to be my first airline job.
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You are exactly right. The model is meant only for regions with heavily trafficked corridors and a higher per capita income level, which equates to more business commuters. There is a decent demand for the product but the economic viability remains in question.

Box hauler said:
I imagine the LA-NorCal routes do pretty well.
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They are the bread and butter of Surf Air. It is the most travelled corridor in US airspace as I understand it.
 
RamRise said:
There is a decent demand for the product but the economic viability remains in question.
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That's it, in a nutshell. There is demand for the product, but how profitable is it? Every X amount of members you sign up will require the acquisition of a new airplane, along with the associated costs. I think they're trying to play the gym membership game and count on people not using the product, but people won't treat $1500+/month like they would $30.
 
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