We were very lucky to have Julian, and we would have been even better off with YC, which is a superset. In addition to all the above, you get other startups as colleagues, and startup-specific advice.
I am not saying YC is bad - far from it - I am myself a big fan.
The only thing I was pointing out was that the YC interview rejection/acceptance should ideally have only as much importance as being rejected/accepted from probably another angel investor - which happens more often than not in the startup world and consequently should not be given a lot of importance.
The entrepreneurs who are in the trenches shouldnt really care as much about a rejection or two - its no big deal and even an acceptance might not be a big deal - but if you build something that people want and have something to show for it then feel free to jump over the moon.
Where did I say that? My point was that we were lucky to get a subset of YC.
Success in the flights industry can be lucrative but if you don't hit a home run you get zip. Solution: impress some knowledgeable, connected people who will be determined to help you if they like you. These guys passed, maybe they have reason to be happy.