06 Aug Can the “All You Can Fly” Airline Fly?

The New York Times reports today about a fascinating entrepreneur with a very novel idea: pay a monthly fee to fly as often as you want on his airline. Wade Eyerly thinks this idea can soar with new SurfAir. He gets you on 6-passenger single engine propeller planes going to different stops on the California coast for a $500 membership and a $1650 monthly fee. You avoid the regular airport and leave from smaller regional places.

The airline has raised $11 million in venture money and is currently servicing 3 small airports near Los Angeles and San Francisco but hopes to expand if things work out. With no tickets or security to go through, the convenience alone seems worth it for many. Of course the challenge will be to see if Everly can make money doing this. He obviously won’t if his bet doesn’t work and people overuse the privilege. He is trying to create a mystique – this will be the Netflix or Groupon of the sky, etc.

Personally I’m not a big lover of single engine planes, though two props is ok with me. But he may be on to something here. Both the cost and convenience seem to hit a nerve. Let’s hope he makes it!