ASpilot2be
Qbicle seat warmer
Bogerto?
Surf / Boutique Air model in the midwest?
- Thread starter ozziecat35
- Start date
Tommay85
Well-Known Member
I grew up in Eastern Iowa. Not representative of the entire Midwest of course, but that particular area had mainline only service back in the day, from Des Moines, Quad Cities, and Cedar Rapids. Now it's a mix in Des Moines and Cedar Rapids, and pretty much regional service only from the Quad Cities due to it's proximity to Chicago I imagine.
On the West side of Iowa, You've got Omaha and Sioux Falls and can go direct or one stop to almost anywhere, same on the east side. Traffic has never sucked in the Midwest, ever.
I just don't see how short-haul flying could ever be appealing or profitable. Air Choice One flies to Dekalb from O'hare. I'd, and most, would rather drive the 45 minutes to Ohare or Midway. In a pinch, I'd rather drive myself from the Quad Cities to Ohare. It would take almost the exact same amount of time as showing up early for a Van in Dekalb. Someone from Dekalb would be thinking that even more strongly.
I could see the model working with something faster than a PC-12 out in the Dakotas and Montana, maybe, just to shorten the travel time, but the central part of the Midwest is within a painless 1.5-2 hour drive, at most, for a non-stop or one stop flight to almost anywhere, vs about the same amount of time to jump on a van or PC-12 to accoplish the same thing, for probably more cost. It works on the West Coast I imagine, because the traffic is god awful. Botique probably works because the distance/driving time is much greater to gain access to a inter/intra-national airport.
Correct me if I'm wrong though. Is Air Choice One profitable? Surf Air and Botique?
On the West side of Iowa, You've got Omaha and Sioux Falls and can go direct or one stop to almost anywhere, same on the east side. Traffic has never sucked in the Midwest, ever.
I just don't see how short-haul flying could ever be appealing or profitable. Air Choice One flies to Dekalb from O'hare. I'd, and most, would rather drive the 45 minutes to Ohare or Midway. In a pinch, I'd rather drive myself from the Quad Cities to Ohare. It would take almost the exact same amount of time as showing up early for a Van in Dekalb. Someone from Dekalb would be thinking that even more strongly.
I could see the model working with something faster than a PC-12 out in the Dakotas and Montana, maybe, just to shorten the travel time, but the central part of the Midwest is within a painless 1.5-2 hour drive, at most, for a non-stop or one stop flight to almost anywhere, vs about the same amount of time to jump on a van or PC-12 to accoplish the same thing, for probably more cost. It works on the West Coast I imagine, because the traffic is god awful. Botique probably works because the distance/driving time is much greater to gain access to a inter/intra-national airport.
Correct me if I'm wrong though. Is Air Choice One profitable? Surf Air and Botique?
Last edited:
BobDDuck
Island Bus Driver
Possibly.
Van_Hoolio
Well-Known Member
There's a membership-model startup advertising on social media own here in Texas:
http://iflyrise.com/
King Airs. Dallas/Austin/Houston
http://iflyrise.com/
King Airs. Dallas/Austin/Houston