DayJet plans to revolutionize charter with 239 Eclipse jets that it already has on order. Somebody has been revolutionizing charter since the Wright Brothers first charged for a sightseeing ride, but I’m still a sucker for a new idea.
DayJet is another of those aviation companies formed by smart business people with past successes in other industries. I'd laugh, but I remember laughing at FedEx, so I restrain myself.
DayJet has several new—or almost new—ideas. First, the company spent much time and money on a unique computer program that will supposedly work miracles. I don’t understand that program, so will not discuss it. Â
Second, DayJet has those 239 Eclipse VLJs on order, and VLJs have been much heralded as being the future of the charter business. I still have doubts, but many people with money and brains are betting on it.
Third, DayJet is going to sell charter by the seat. You can buy a seat for a trip instead of an entire airplane and will share an airplane with others who bought individual seats. This reminds me of the old round piston engines; when looking at the diagram I can understand how the master cylinder works, but not when you take the diagram away. Likewise, when I read the news stories on DayJet—in every publication from The Wall Street Journal down—this on-demand charter by the seat makes sense to me. When I try to explain it, however, I get confused.
Finally, DayJet has the one new idea that truly fascinates me: They plan to operate on short legs between only a few cities that are, as they say, "underserved" by the airlines. Now that might make the difference. DayJet will start with only five such "DayPorts," in Florida: Pensacola, Tallahassee, Gainesville, Lakeland, and Boca Raton. Expansion is planned into other southern cities.
I wonder—has aviation ever had so many new ideas to watch at once?
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