Private jet service launching between Seattle and Bay Area

[CHamilton]

http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/geekwire/~3/tu9Y7jvonmY/

Meet Arrow: New private jet club looks to launch service between Seattle and Bay Area
http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/geekwire/~3/tu9Y7jvonmY/
Here comes Arrow, a new private jet club that’s looking to connect busy professionals in Seattle and the San Francisco Bay Area.



Let’s just call it … the nerd bird.



Founded by aviation geek Russell Belden and backed by Seattle entrepreneur Andy Liu, Arrow is looking to fill a gap in the airline travel business by catering to folks who aren’t quite rich enough to own a personal jet themselves, but also can’t afford to sit in airport lobbies or stand in security lines.

...

Belden thinks the private club will appeal to busy professionals who make frequent trips between Seattle and the Bay Area, many of whom work in the tech industry. Attorneys, bankers and venture capitalists who conduct business in the two tech hubs are prime candidates for membership, as are executives at tech giants like Facebook, Google, Zillow and Microsoft, which have large workforces in both places.

...

He believes flying Arrow will reduce travel times by as much as two hours between the Bay Area and Seattle — when factoring in things such as security lines and airport parking. Arrow will fly from Seattle’s Boeing Field where Transportation Security Administration is not required. The plane will be equipped with Wi-Fi.

...

Corporate memberships start at $500 per month, which allows a business to choose five people who can fly on Arrow’s scheduled flights between Seattle and the Bay Area. (It plans to fly at yet-to-be-determined times to both Oakland International and San Jose International, utilizing the facilities for private aircraft at both airports). After a company designates members, each individual round-trip ticket between Seattle and California will cost $1,000.

 

[KrazyKoala]

What is the screening process to get membership? Or can we say welcome back to hijackings...

 

[Blackwolf]

What is the screening process to get membership? Or can we say welcome back to hijackings...

If you really think that the world of flying is an insulated bubble that is completely secure and safe, I've got beachfront property in Nebraska I'd love to sell you.

Really, with all the security theater that you and everyone else so wonderfully enjoys when going to a commercial airport, you can still walk right through a gate and onto the tarmac of most regional and small airports without so much as a second glance from a single security officer or surveillance camera. Not loosing a wink of sleep over a few rich corporate-types getting a free pass by the TSA.

 

[Bob Dylan]

Interesting Concept and Business Plan! Austin USED to have "The Nerd Bird" that American Airlines flew between AUS and San Jose, it was well Patronized until the Crash of '08 and then Business dropped Off so it became Unprofitable and it was Cancelled!

With First Class and Biz Class Fares having gotten so High it may be Feasible? I know SEA-TAC is a Fairly Busy Airport but not sure if the Seattle to California Market is that Busy???

I'm just wondering if Microsoft/Apple/Facebook etc.(Boeing left for CHI several years ago) dont already have their own Corporate Jets and also Hi Tech Companies have gotten Heavily into Tele-Conferencing and Skype so I wonder if this can be Profitable, maybe it's a Tax Writeoff for the Wealthy which Seems to Continue to Grow despite all the Political BS about "Tax Loopholes" etc,??

 

[Texan Eagle]

Hi Tech Companies have gotten Heavily into Tele-Conferencing and Skype so I wonder if this can be Profitable, maybe it's a Tax Writeoff for the Wealthy which Seems to Continue to Grow despite all the Political BS about "Tax Loopholes" etc,??

In spite of all the technologies available, you'll be surprised to see how much the executives travel even today. I work in a medium sized tech company in Bay Area (not the Googles and Apples size) and we also have offices in Seattle, Boston and Bangalore (India). I see some or the other executive, starting from my immediate boss, to team director all the way up to CEO keep traveling between these offices (even the occasional long haul to Bangalore) a few times a month in spite of having 24x7 video links between all the offices.

 

[Anderson]

There's some stuff you have to handle in person, or that works better in person. It might be stuff you need people physically present for (board meetings, signing documents, etc.), but in a lot of case it's a matter of preference rather than absolute necessity.

What's more interesting to me is the idea of a niche high-end-only air service.

 

[CHamilton]

A review:

Joining the jet set: My first time flying on Arrow’s new private jet service

 

[Devil's Advocate]

Hi Tech Companies have gotten Heavily into Tele-Conferencing and Skype so I wonder if this can be Profitable, maybe it's a Tax Writeoff for the Wealthy which Seems to Continue to Grow despite all the Political BS about "Tax Loopholes" etc,??

In spite of all the technologies available, you'll be surprised to see how much the executives travel even today. I work in a medium sized tech company in Bay Area (not the Googles and Apples size) and we also have offices in Seattle, Boston and Bangalore (India). I see some or the other executive, starting from my immediate boss, to team director all the way up to CEO keep traveling between these offices (even the occasional long haul to Bangalore) a few times a month in spite of having 24x7 video links between all the offices.

The company I work for is owned by another company that previously maintained a fleet of private aircraft and their own hanger. When the Great Recession hit they spun off the private fleet and started flying on commercial airliners, but they still kept flying. As for tech support it's absolutely much simpler than in the past. The network guys still have to fly out and get everything stood up, but after that when things go wrong there's remote assistance for software issues and overnight shipping for hardware issues. Between that and phones, email, faxes, and FedEx you can accomplish most day-to-day business tasks without having to fly anywhere. If the job is very large and/or very close to the home office then they may get special onsite treatment. Otherwise virtually everything is usually done remotely until the day the job ends or the remote office closes.