January 31, 2007

Express Jet

Add this one to the "airlines to watch"--Express Jet.

Here is part of a story from the Daily Report:


Within the next week, ExpressJet Holdings Inc., a regional airline once wholly owned by Continental Airlines Inc., is expected to launch a new carrier under its own name that will focus on point-to-point service — direct flights without herding planes and passengers through hub airports — using 50-seat jets. ExpressJet will go to 24 cities and fly only where there isn't currently any nonstop service — routes like San Diego to Omaha, Austin to Albuquerque, Sacramento to Tucson, Kansas City to Raleigh and New Orleans to Jacksonville.

Ontario, Calif., near Los Angeles, will be the new airline's busiest city, with nonstop flights to 14 cities. Officials say exact schedules will be loaded in computer-reservation systems later this week. Flights will actually begin in April, with the full route network rolled out roughly west to east by May before the start of the summer travel season.

ExpressJet is pursuing a Goldilocks strategy — it wants markets that are not too small to leave planes empty, not too big to attract nonstop competition, but just right for a couple of flights a day with its small jets.

It hopes to connect dots that Southwest Airlines Co. and other major airlines can't afford to serve directly, thus making it easier for business travelers and leisure passengers to reach second-tier cities without the hassle and time of a connection at a hub. "Seat availability has become harder and harder for many communities," says James B. Ream, chief executive of ExpressJet.

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Looks like a good fit for ORH. I would think if Massport was going to take over this would be a great airline to get.

Bill Randell said...

Right now they are not in our area yet but like Allegiant when they started in Vegas, they will spread out if successful.. Again lets put them on the radar screen.

Their business strategy sounds alot like Allegiant except targeted at the business traveler with smaller planes.