We’ve seen three airline startups launch in the United States in recent months — Avelo Airlines, Breeze Airways, and Aha! — and it looks like a fourth airline could be launching soon. I first wrote about this airline about a year ago, and figured it was worth following up, especially in light of the other…
Continue reading: Airbahn: New SoCal-Based US Airline Startup
Share your questions, experiences, and thoughts below.
Great to see more competition!
I will say re Ontario being chosen, it probably also has to do with the fact that Ontario and the Inland Empire is booming now. Lots of people have moved from LA during the last year.
As I’ve said before, I love the local civic boosters on OMAAT after any new scheduling news!
ONT was chosen because relative to other SoCal airports it’s CHEAP, and not slot constrained (as Ben noted). Those two things are obviously correlated.
I’m also sure that never is heard a discouraging word, and the skies are not cloudy all day. But that’s also irrelevant to this decision.
It’s great to see a new airline in these crazy times. I agree there’s already a lot of competition in the West Coast market. That being said, I foresee this company getting started as a charter airline or as a 3rd party contractor for other airlines.
@lucky
Talking of new airlines what are your thoughts on Flyv? Radical new business model, what could go wrong?!
What's with the name? Why not to go all the way and make it Luftbahn? Or maybe Bahnhansa.
Is it just me, or does this seem like a copy of "OneWorld's" logo and colors? Seems like a knockoff to me.
"Those are all routes that are already served by Southwest. That seems like an absolute non-starter for launching a new carrier."
JetBlue refuses to restore most of their west coast service, and Alaska charges way too much money, so if they can get up and down the coast from San Diego to Seattle and points in between at a reasonable price, they'll fill those planes up. Not everyone likes Southwest and their cattle car mentality, not their lack of leg space.
Funny and I agree!! I wonder if their clientele will know the origin/meaning of “bhan”.
As for the business plan, seems pretty weak based on current plans (that we know of).
What about Burbank?!! In the core of LA and already the home of a successful low cost carrier. Shouldn’t it be a no brainer to start there instead of way out in Ontario, CA??!
Foreign ownership of a US airline is limited to 25% and up to 33% of the board of directors can be non-US citizens. But since Tariq Chaudhry is an American citizen, that doesn't apply in regards to Airbahn. If there were any issues in regards to the proposed airline and foreign ownership, we would have heard about it by now.
I seriously doubt the airline will last a year! Too much competition, especially with Southwest serving those cities with a standing reputation! Not a very bright idea!! Being a Flight Attendant for 41 years, they should have concentrated on more desperate, under served cities such as as Central California Corridor. Also the outer radius of more than 50 miles of the bay area. I assume the airline will not be a big hit, especially with a name it has chosen-too controversial and foreign sounding. The company will fold quickly hitting the ground like a metal safe.
Southwest has much more leg room than most, without having to pay more. As for their boarding everyone get an equal chance at a decent seat without having to pay more $$
Although I cannot comment on AirBahn’s commercial plan and routing as I’m not an expert there but I can comment on atleast it’s owner Mr. Chaudhry’s indifferent behaviour shown towards the victims families of his other airline AirBlue’s crash of 2010 in Islamabad, Pakistan. His front man (or vice versa) Mr. Shahid Khaqan Abbasi, a sitting minister then and now a senior politician was no different. Some of the families are still todate fighting for their rights to a fair compensation.
That crash was a financial bonanza for Airblue as their pocketed most of the money from hull and human loss and bought new planes, two of which are most probably being converted into AirBahn’s fleet.
Good luck AirBahn and American people. You are going into wrong hands.
Bahn in German means train. So AirTrain is actually accurate for the routes they're proposing.