Agency Says The Company May Be Violating Its Rules On Commercial Operation

The concept seems fairly simple. Private pilots would offer extra seats in their airplanes through AirPooler based in Cambridge, MA, and the passengers would help offset some of the expenses of making the trip, like fuel. AirPooler would calculate the shared cost, bill the passenger, and collect a small transaction fee for offering the service.

Pilots liked it, the State of Massachusetts liked it ... even accepting AirPooler into its MassChallenge entrepreneurial program ... passengers liked it ...

But the FAA doesn't.

BetaBoston.com reports that AirPooler's attorneys had asked the FAA to clarify its rules on non-commercial pilots flying passengers for shared expenses. The FAA pretty much just said 'no'.

The FAA said that by posting specific flights and costs on its website, AirPooler was helping the pilot advertise a trip, which requires an air carrier certificate. So you can invite your friends fly with you and share costs, but posting your travel plans on a website, inviting people you don't know to hop on board and pitch in a posted price for gas and expenses, is verboten.

Air AirPooler CEO and founder Steve Lewis says that about 800 pilots from Boston, San Francisco, and San Diego have registered on the website. The company has been focusing on those three cities. He said he has a meeting set with the FAA later this month, and while he doesn't know if he can move the needle in favor of his business, "we're certainly going to try."

Lewis told BetaBoston.com that there is obviously a lot of interest and demand among pilots and the general public, so he may work on tweaking his business model in light of the FAA's ruling to see if it can be made to work.

FMI: https://airpooler.com