JSX Inc., a small carrier that offers private-jet service at close to commercial-jet prices, will cut nearly all of its flights out of Austin after losing access to one of its original operating facilities.
Starting Oct. 1, the carrier will drop as many as three flights a day between Austin and Dallas, according to Ben Kaufman, a spokesman for JetSuite Inc.’s JSX. It will also cut flights out of the Texas capital to Las Vegas, and seasonal flights to Gunnison/Crested Butte, Colorado. Seasonal winter flights four times a week to Taos, New Mexico, won’t be affected.
The change will be a blow to travelers and commuters who use the service to save time and eliminate hassle. JSX passengers board in private hangars, skipping long security lines and crowds. The carrier caters to people who want a better flight experience than with commercial airlines, but can’t afford the normally high price tag of flying private.
“It just saves so much time,” said Taylor Green, 31, who works for a commercial construction company and has flown JSX about 10 times. “No security — you literally show up, get on.”
JSX was operating out of a Signature Aviation facility with a customer lounge at Austin-Bergstrom International Airport. Kaufman said recently Signature told JSX it “would no longer agree to accommodate” the carrier in its main facility. The private-jet company moved to another location “more akin to an unfinished garage” that has ramp limitations and is too small to maintain its current flight schedule, he said.
Signature didn’t explain its rationale for the move, according to Kaufman, who said it wasn’t related to changes in flight demand. A spokeswoman for Signature Aviation didn’t immediately respond to requests for comment.
“We certainly plan to return to the market with gusto once we can locate a more suitable place from which to operate,” Kaufman said in an email.
JSX has attracted attention recently as part of a brewing regulatory battle involving small charter carriers, which operate under less-stringent safety and pilot-training standards than larger airlines. Federal regulators said last month that they’re considering imposing stricter regulatory standards on such carriers.
Green, who was on the Austin-Dallas JSX flight Tuesday, said about 90% of the people in her office take JSX flights, and she isn’t concerned about the less-stringent security. To board, passengers must go through metal detectors and their bags are scanned.
Passengers can book some JSX flights on JetBlue Airways Corp.’s website. The carrier, an early investor in JetSuite which also maintains a seat on its board, and United Airlines Holdings Inc. allow members of their loyalty programs to earn credit for flights with JSX.
JSX is also moving its operations from Miami International Airport to Miami-Opa Locka Executive Airport starting Sept. 26, and from San Diego International to McClellan-Palomar Airport in Carlsbad, California, on Oct. 5. The company didn’t provide a reason for the moves.
--With assistance from Julie Fine.