ATXA To Focus On Increasing Demand For Services
Air taxi providers in the US and
Europe have banded together, to formally launch the Air Taxi
Association (ATXA). The organization aims to unite the air taxi
industry, and provide services to increase demand for personal air
travel at business airline prices.
Principal air taxi companies on ATXA's board include Alpha
Airways, DayJet, Earthjet, ImagineAir, JetBird, JumpJet, Linear
Air, TaxiJet Spain, and SATSair, among other leading air taxi
providers.
Dr. Bruce Holmes, DayJet Director of Aeronautical Research, will
serve as ATXA Chairman of the Board. Described as a father of the
air taxi industry, Holmes served as a research pioneer at NASA for
over 30 years, where he led strategic development for the Langley
Research Center with investments of $700 million and over 4,000
people.
"DayJet helped inspire the formation of the Air Taxi
Association, and we applaud its launch," Holmes said. "I'm honored
to serve the Air Taxi Association and the next generation air taxi
industry as the ATXA Chairman of the Board. Together, ATXA members
will work to set industry standards that benefit all of aviation
and air taxi service worldwide."
Designed to complement
existing aviation organizations and infrastructure, the Air Taxi
Association will work with technology providers and partner
companies to create policies that will benefit the emerging
industry.
In addition, the organization plans to establish a unified focus
to improve relations with the general aviation industry, as air
taxi providers offer complementary services via underutilized,
secondary airports.
"There is such a strong need for increased market awareness of
the air taxi value proposition," said Steve Hanvey, SATSair
President and CEO. "That is why we are enthused about the Air Taxi
Association as a group to bridge the industry and focus on driving
market demand."
To drive market demand, the ATXA will also reach out with
tailored consulting services to communities and businesses, to help
them attract air taxi services to their area. The association will
analyze the tangible economic development and profitability
benefits of additional direct service. Targeted sales and marketing
services will also be provided to ATXA members and related
organizations.
"The Air Taxi Association represents the next evolution in air
travel, one that is complementary to our incredible worldwide
aviation infrastructure," said ATXA President Joe Leader. "This is
about getting people off crowded roadways and into our open skies
on direct flights. Away from major hubs, secondary airports allow
air taxi passengers to arrive 15 minutes before departure and
quickly take off to their end destination."