Buffet style air travel: can it get off the ground?
Travel observers are taking Surf Air seriously but some wonder whether an all-you-can fly carrier is ever going to be as popular as an all-you-can-eat dinner buffet.
Passengers pay a monthly fee for California-based Surf Air’s all-you-can fly. It’s been done before but never successfully.
JetBlue and Sun Country Airlines have both already tried offering all-you-can-fly passes, but so far no carrier has built its business model exclusively on a buffet plan, according to The Economist Magazine.
"The idea isn’t bad, but some skepticism is warranted," the magazine says.
The price is $790 a month between several California airports.
Will that enable the airline to make a profit? Some observers say probably not unless it expands its offerings. Right now, it goes between Palo Alto, Monterey, Santa Barbara and Los Angeles.
Another upcoming hurdle: it has to get regulatory approvals, according to a company press release.
Frequent flyers make up a huge portion of the business-traveler population, points out The Economist. Almost every airline relies on business travelers to get (and stay) in the black. The site concludes there are certain to be some travelers attracted to the concept but its success will almost certainly depend on how convenient it is and how quickly it can expand service into other areas.
By David Wilkening
David
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