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Before COVID were there any plans to expand to NE/mid-Atlantic ops?

jcool734

With them posting that they are hiring again are they going to be expanding. Does anyone know the game plan.


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luke3

Unfortunately I'm just a pilot that takes the plane where they ask me to so I don't know the plan. They haven't told us the post COVID spooling up details yet. I'm sure there will be some more info at the next pilot call in June, also pending to see how loads and bookings are for the capacity added back. For what it's worth we are adding a good amount of flights back for June, but aside from that I don't know how rapidly they plan to come back. We still have about 2/3 of the pilot group on reduced pay "no-fly" lines or UTO, some routes are still suspended, new airplane acquisitions are still on hold, and the last class of new hires that finished sims in late February still hasn't gone through IOE, and probably won't until the fall. I believe the latest requisition is just to screen into a pool that will be called as the growth restarts, but before that happens all the current pilots need to be back in the seat and all current planes need to get flying again.

Just my speculation is that for that to happen they will first build back our network as it was in early February, then open the originally announced new destinations PDX, RNO and MRY, and then see from there. Unless they're able to get some new deal or partnership out of this new situation that originally wasn't planned, but we won't know if anything happens until it actually does.

jonnyjetprop

And what company has tried the Part 380 model before?

CFM/Buzz Airways/Contour/Glo Airlines
Via Airlines/Charter Air Transport
Legacy Airlines

Just to name a few

majorpilot

GLO was a “paper” airline, it depended on CFM for aircraft and crews. Not clear if it operated out of TSA-121 terminals, both are key differences from JSX. So was Buzz.

Contour flies out of 121 terminals AFAIK (at least where JSX flies on West Coast) while JSX has its own, non-121 (hence positive customer experience).

Via had roots in EAS (doesn’t CFM as well?) which is a different focus than the “luxury/private flying to the public” experience that JSX has built.

Never heard of “Legacy Airlines” but if you mean existing Part 121 carriers, they operate under part 121...very different and - especially post 9/11 - focus and business model.

Trying to compare “apples to apples”—there have been lots of small airlines, EAS-based and Part 135 operators...but where is the one that’s pitched its own terminals (featuring no TSA germ distribution shared bins and body prodding) and luxury private jet experience to the public?

Maybe there has been one, I’ve not seen it nor has anyone identified one. Can you?

Ticon

Ultimate Jet Charters? Are they still operating?

majorpilot

There’s an outfit with that name but their website indicate straight on-demand Part 135, not scheduled Part 380.

Anyone can go to JSX’s website and just buy a ticket on a scheduled flight, just like a 121 airline. Then just “hop on” and fly, screening but not TSA prodding and germ-bomb shared bins. Unique model as far as I can see that has special appeal now.

Ticon

I suppose it is Ultimate Air Shuttle then.

majorpilot

Ah, had not heard of them. Thanks for pointing them out.

Yes they seem much closer, same selling points, 30 seat jets, scheduled. And been around more than a decade, too. So the model seems to have merit.

Ticon

I think what JPs point was that they were all 380 Public charter on technicality with a different business model, mostly EAS.

I have not really thought much about the equivocation between EAS and the business travler model on the same 380 concept, just different markets. The JSX or UAS style seems to be doing better.

I believe there was another operating Beechjets between a few airports, then 135s, then I believe Contour acquired them. Not sure if they are still utilizing those routes.