Come summer, there could be a new kid in the skies with a very familiar name.
Remember People Express, the quirky, no-frills, low-fare airline that offered one-way New York-London fares of $149 back in the day?
Well, that’s the name of a Virginia-based startup carrier that hopes to sprout its wings sometime in June, pending a few critical hoops to jump, such as financing and federal approval.
It would begin service with low-fare flights to Pittsburgh; Providence, R.I.; and West Palm Beach, Fla.
The name may be the same and the fares low, but similarities end there.
Flying on the original People Express was an adventure and a headache. Travelers camped out in a decrepit hangar at Newark Airport for cheap standby seats on flights that were often overbooked. They paid extra for checked baggage, food and drinks at a time when other airlines offered those services at no charge.
The hassle factor led some to call the airline “People Distress.”
Still, it grew from its first flight on April 30, 1981, with a $23 fare to Buffalo from Newark, to become the fifth-largest airline in the U.S., measured by the number of passengers it carried.
However, rapid growth meant higher costs, more debt and more competition. By early 1987 People Express was part of aviation history. Continental acquired it, and the name was retired.
Fast forward to 2012 and the Newport News/Williamsburg Airport in southeastern Virginia, an airport served by the original carrier, where the new People Express hopes to stake its comeback.
The goal this time around is to serve secondary markets currently underserved by major carriers and to offer deeply discounted fares to compete in these markets, many of which have limited service.
The carrier filed its initial certification paperwork with the FAA and plans to file with the Department of Transportation (DOT) on or around March 1.
Pending those approvals, the carrier will then announce schedules and fares and begin taking reservations, according to COO Mike Morisi, who was a team manager with the original People Express.
That’s the plan, anyway.
However, in the absence of confirmed governmental approval and a secure financial backing, the relaunch is far from certain.
No matter. The management team is enthusiastic, optimistic and pumped.
“With the recent decline in airline service due to mergers and consolidations, we’ve all had to travel farther out of our way to get anywhere,” Morisi said. “Flying is a necessary evil these days. Flights are more expensive, and the many ancillary fees make flying a hassle.”
Recalling a golden age of aviation, he said, “Flying used to be sexy. We’re changing it back. Our goal is to make flying fun again.”
If it takes off, there’s a lot that will be fun, like free checked bags, one-way fares that start at $69, seat assignments and onboard services that include complimentary regional snacks, microbrews and four cabin personnel per flight.
The published fares do not include taxes and fees. But under the DOT’s new advertising rules, when the fares are advertised on a website and when consumers book them, the total purchase price will include all taxes and fees.
People Express will fly 737-400s with single-cabin seating for 158 passengers. The airline plans to start service with three aircraft, building to between seven and 10 by year’s end, according to Brent James, vice president of operations.
The first round of financing is complete, the second will be done by the end of February, “and the investment firm of W. R. Hambrecht & Co. will complete the financing necessary to meet our needs,” said Christine DeZarn, vice president and chief marketing officer.
Passengers will be able to book online at www.flypex.com.
“We will phase in our supplier partner programs with hotels and rental cars over time,” DeZarn said.
The carrier initially plans to start with 12 departures a day from Newport News, building to 25 over the first few years, using gates vacated by AirTran following its acquisition by Southwest.
Follow Gay Nagle Myers on Twitter @gnmtravelweekly.