"AIRLY" subscription air travel

[astrosly]

Airly - airline by membership

An interesting idea: Start-up Airly aims to disrupt how you fly from Sydney to Melbourne

Pay $1K to join and about $30K p.a. for unlimited flights between SYD/MEL/CBR, with ADL and BNE later down the track, using an 8-seater Beechcraft turboprop. Target for 54 flights per week on start up, fly when you want in the schedule with no cancellations and will operate with only one person on the flight.

Just a quick look at the numbers, if you fly on $90 tickets 3x weekly return then you would spend close to that much yearly. Is there any appeal to those sky warriors on AFF?!

 

[russ]

Re: Airly - airline by membership

No appeal to me because it's about half the speed of a jet and noisier.
Having a pilot as a chief executive doesn't bode well - they are completely different skill-sets.

 

[flying_duck]

Re: Airly - airline by membership

Sounds very similar to Jetsmarter which is US based private jet charter. They do free helicopter runs NYC - Hamptons during the summer, same with LA - LAS via jet, and any jet with a spare seat going where you want to go is yours for $8K a year. Also much cheaper private charter if you need to go somewhere specific with a specific number of people.
Personally I'm not sure theres the money here to support it. The US is a very different airline environment, let alone small jet charter environment.

 

[Mattg]

Re: Airly - airline by membership

My initial thoughts:

1. Who wants to fly to Melbourne or Canberra from Bankstown Airport?
2. They say that they'll take off even if there is only one passenger. But what would happen if more than 8 people turn up wanting to take the same flight?
3. Sounds like an interesting business idea. Good luck to them.

 

[astrosly]

Re: Airly - airline by membership

Yes I'm thinking the prop aircraft would be a turn off. It says the model is based on that of Surf Air which operates only in California so the distances involved would most likely be serviced by small props anyway - SYD-CBR could certainly work, but SYD to MEL is a different proposition. As FIFOSuit said the U.S. is a very different airline environment.

I was curious as to what clientele would be attracted to this model in Australia. If you did fly that much to warrant the expense then compared to equivalent gained status on the regular airlines it is less appealing. You have fly forward and priority boarding (albeit from secondary airports!) but no lounge access (what if there is a delay due to weather) and no status for international travel.

If they secured a partnership where you could get associate status with some FF programme as part of the membership then that could be more appealing.

 

[emeline]

Re: Airly - airline by membership

If only they were offering the same deal in a gulfsteam jet...

 

[boomy]

Re: Airly - airline by membership

Interesting business idea, the pricing is fair if indeed they can guarantee any-time availability (how they are going to do that on Mondays and Thursdays is anyone's guess).

Some issues: BWU location. Most potential customers will commute to/from SYD CBD.
The planes they ordered don't really provide the most comfortable flying experience, especially in bad weather.
Unlike in the US, we barely have any major delays here apart from flights to CBR.

I spend more than 30K yearly on Dom travel so this business model can be something to consider in the future, assuming they will improve the planes and fly to BNE or ACF.
Meanwhile QF Y with all the advantages and disadvantages still looks more appealing.

 

[Deleted member]

Has anyone seen this ?
Start-up Airly aims to disrupt how you fly from Sydney to Melbourne | smh.com.au

I'm not sure if this hadn't already been tried before.
You would need to be doing a shed load of flying to make this worthwhile I would have thought.

 

[marki]

Yep I have read about it for some people time is important I guess and willing to pay for it. Apparently it's worked in the US

 

[russ]

Has anyone seen this ?

Yes, http://www.australianfrequentflyer....ussion/airly-airline-by-membership-73263.html

 

[cmon0005]

I have doubts it will work here... Will end up like 'ozjet'.

 

[Homer]

It's a long schlep out to Bankstown...

 

[JohnK]

Interesting to see if this idea succeeds.

 

[travelislife]

Re: Airly - airline by membership

No appeal to me because it's about half the speed of a jet and noisier.
Having a pilot as a chief executive doesn't bode well - they are completely different skill-sets.

Speed is a funny one, these days the scheduled gate to gate flight time Melbourne to Sydney is about half an hour longer than about 30 years ago. All caused by air traffic and queues on the tarmac. So they might actually get the time saving they pitch. Noise though I agree with.