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MaxJet Adds New London Route
MaxJet chief executive Gary Rogliano with flight attendants Kimberly Harrison, Brandy Croft and Lynn Gullie, from left
(Photos By Tracy A. Woodward -- The Washington Post)
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But the problem, according to Boyd, is that business-class passengers of major airlines are hooked into frequent-flier programs and corporate contracts with major airlines. Meanwhile, it has been historically challenging to persuade coach passengers to buy more expensive tickets, regardless of the enhanced service.
"It's very difficult for a new brand to break into the marketplace, and I don't think there are enough people out there to fill enough seats to make this worthwhile," Boyd said.
The inaugural Dulles-to-Stansted flight scheduled for today is a little more than half full, with seats reserved mostly by employees and media. The company would not provide information on its reservations for the rest of the week.
The Dulles-Stansted route will operate five days a week, departing Dulles at 7:30 p.m. and arriving in Stansted at 8:30 a.m. the following day. The return flight will leave London at 1 p.m. and arrive at Dulles at 4:30 p.m. the same day.
Rogliano, who came to the company 13 months ago, spearheaded the budget business-class strategy. He noticed that major airlines were getting rid of staple services like food. Discount services were sprouting that departed from traditions like seating assignments and business- and first-class cabins. Yet he knew there was a demand for premium services, he said.
The company remodeled their two leased Boeing 767 airplanes, reducing the number of seats from 220 to 102 and equipping each with a personal entertainment system. Passengers who want to sleep can order a cold beef tenderloin steak to be delivered right away.
The airline industry has seen a handful of niche players move into the market, with varied success. English entrepreneur Freddy Laker pioneered discount air travel in 1977 with flights between New York and London for as low as $135 one-way. Laker Airways collapsed into bankruptcy in 1982.
Yet as the sole business-class-only carrier, MaxJet may have captured an overlooked but growing market, said Darryl Jenkins, an aviation analyst.
"There's an awful lot of international traffic out of Dulles and there will be a lot of future growth at Stansted, the low-cost carrier capital of Europe," Jenkins said. "This is a great business plan and there's enough room in the market for a boutique airline like MaxJet to be successful."
