By COSBY WOODRUFF
Montgomery Advertiser
Published on: 01/11/08

Regional air taxi services are expressing an interest in flying to or from Montgomery because they say their services can be a better deal for the business traveler than commercial flights.

DayJet, a Florida-based company, added Montgomery, along with Selma and Auburn, as destination cities -- called DayStops -- for its flights. ImagineAir, based in Georgia, offers a similar approach to Montgomery's passengers.

DayJet uses Eclipse 500 Jets to carry passengers between its gateways, called DayPorts, and other cities it serves. DayJet has seven DayPorts in Florida and Georgia.

That means that anyone using the services on-demand per-seat service to or from Montgomery would have to include one of those destinations on their agenda.

DayJet customers, the company says it has about 1,000 members, pay for each seat on an airplane or can charter the entire plane, according to spokeswoman Vicky Harris.

ImagineAir uses Cirrus SR22-GTS propeller aircraft and operates its system a little differently.

Customers can select from any of up to 600 destinations in the South, and the charge is per-mile for the entire plane for up to three passengers.

Montgomery Regional Airport is among the cities served by ImagineAir, and the company visited the airport authority meeting Tuesday to market its services.

Both companies say their pricing plans can save travelers money, especially business travelers.

"We want to change the way people think about travel," said ImagineAir President Ben Hamilton in a release given to the airport authority. "By the time you add up the expense of hotels, meals and lost productivity associated with most business travel, it makes good sense financially to take advantage of ImagineAir's affordable, efficient air service."

Both companies say they have plenty of room for growth, and Montgomery is in their plans if the services are received well here.

Aaron Sohacki, ImagineAir CEO, told the airport authority that his company would like to base a plane in Montgomery if there is enough demand for its services.

That, he said, would drop the price Montgomery passengers pay for ImagineAir flights.

DayJet also is looking at an expanded presence in central Alabama.

Harris said the company is always looking for new DayPort locations -- it added two this week. Becoming a DayPort means additional destinations and lower prices for customers.

"All of our destinations are candidates to become DayPorts," she said.

She said customer demand, market evaluation and community support would determine whether Montgomery becomes a DayPort.

ImagineAir and Let your Imagination Fly are trademarks of Imagine Air Jet Services, LLC. All other trademarks are registered trademarks are property of their respective owners.