I have -- since I flew my first flight on SATSair -- been a significant proponent of the company. Serving primarily the Southeast and based in my home state of South Carolina, SATSair has just released a press release of some rather impressive numbers for 2007 and the first quarter of this year. I attribute that success to a number of factors: reliability, excellent customer service, a fleet of Cirrus aircraft, a simple "air cab" pricing model, and a geographic reach in the weather-favorable Southeast. Ironically, while today's headline article entitled "Rising Costs Reshaping Air Travel Across the USA" in USA Today lamented the probable decrease in availability of commercial flights,especially to smaller airports, and noted how fuel prices continue to add to the commercial air travel woes, the SATSAir press release states they are actually seeing more use as a replacement of traditional hub and spoke service. Here are some quotes and highlights from the press release:
- "SATSair experienced more than 60% growth in the number of flights from 2006 to 2007."
- The air cab operation flew more than 16,000 flights and landed in 27 states in 2007.
- SATSair ended the year with over six million passenger miles flown since the company's inception in November 2004.
- The most noteworthy year-to-year growth took place in Florida, which saw a 314% increase in flights over 2006.
- Though Florida showed the most notable growth, every state SATSair flew to in 2007 saw an increase in flights from the previous year, including considerable growth in the company's core six-state region.
- SATSair's headquarters is located in South Carolina which had an average of 3 flights per day into all the major economic centers such as: Greenville, Anderson, Spartanburg, Charleston, Beaufort, Hilton Head, Columbia, and Myrtle Beach.
- Just as importantly, of 60 public use airports in South Carolina, SATSair landed in 47 of them, providing the start of an effective South Carolina Intrastate Air Network.
- Traditionally, the use of the air cab service has been a remedy for driving trips of 2-5 hours, not a replacement for other forms of air travel. However, 2007 saw a shift with a significant number of new SATSair customers using the point-to-point air cab operation as a solution to their hub-and-spoke airline frustrations and woes, in fact decreasing the door to door travel times.
- Nearly 90% of the company's business for 2007 was in a six-state region, comprised of Alabama, Florida, Georgia, North Carolina, South Carolina and Virginia.
- SATSair currently serves more than 600 airports throughout the Southeast.
- SATSair's mission is to provide safe, convenient, economical air travel and top-notch customer service.
This is an incredibly tough time for anyone in the aviation business. However, SATSair's success is an affirmation of a simple business precept that if you reliably provide a quality product, you will grow and experience repeat business. It also is an affirmation that the SATSair air taxi - or "air cab" model as CEO Steve Hanvey insists it be called -- is growing at rather significant rates while the traditional air carriers are likely merging, consolidating and shrinking.
