Three local men, Alexander Robinson, Luke Hampshire and Ivan Vysotskiy, are hoping to shake up the aviation sector with Australia’s first all-you-can-fly airline.
Airly, the new start-up company launching flights in March, is the first buffet airline in Australia to offer travellers a membership and access to as many flights as they can chow down (sort of).
While the concept is new to the local market, all-you-can-fly airlines are already operating in destinations like the US and Europe and are particularly popular amongst business travellers who regularly fly to and from the same destinations.
Currently, Airly is offering guests travel from Essendon in Melbourne to Bankstown in Sydney and Canberra.
The company plans to expand into Archerfield in Brisbane, Moorabbin in Melbourne, Hobart, Adelaide, the Gold Coast over the coming months.
Ivan, Alexander and Luke
Posted by Airly on Thursday, January 7, 2016
Robinson [pictured middle] said he expects the airline will only operate on a maximum of 15 routes in Australia before looking at airports in New Zealand and Asia, News.com.au reported.
Hoping to shake up the industry, particularly the private flying sector, Robinson said that the company’s key point of difference will be avoiding major airports, which will save passengers time and offer more convenience.
Imagine a world where #airport queues were a thing of the past. That world is here. By flying from private aviation…
Posted by Airly on Wednesday, December 23, 2015
He explained that smaller air fields will allow travellers to park their cars right near the airline’s private terminal and “be in the air within minutes, not hours”.
Passengers will also be able to avoid city congestion and long check-in and baggage lines.
“Airly will save passengers about two hours for a return flight Essendon-Bankstown, over the commercial equivalent Melbourne-Sydney.”
Alexander Robinson, Airly Co-Founder
“By improving the inefficiencies of parking a car, crossing a vast terminal, queuing, checking in, security, waiting in the lounge, walking to the gate, waiting for boarding, boarding, being seated, and then doing that all at the other end.”
Another feature which sets the airline apart from its bigger competitors is the concept of membership.
Airly has three membership tiers starting from $2,550 per month for four reservation passes; and going up to $3,750 per month with six reservation passes.
The airline will use the eight-seat Beechcraft King Air 350 private aircraft on its 54 weekly flights. Every seat is an isle and window and there’s has free Wi-Fi, amenities, snacks and drinks at airport lounges.