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Comment by mathattack | Hacker News Reader

I can't fathom this working. Why not just fly first class? The purpose of private jets is flexibility and privacy. If you want to pay up, NetJets is an option. But perhaps I'm not their target customer.

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No security line. More flexibility about when you go. There's nothing like flying in a private plane.

But there isn't more flexibility around when you go. You need to give 2 days notice. If you own a private jet you give 45 mins notice and roll.

Yes, I wasn't referring to this service in particular, but meant flying in private planes in general. The biggest problem with this company is that small planes don't get the economies of scale that larger aircraft get. They don't get reasonable seat costs per mile (the pilots cost the same flying 10 people vs. 100 people, you still need baggage handlers, etc.). The second you scale up to a larger plane, you're not giving the same level of service (you need security, have to corral more people, etc.).

There's a reason why Warren Buffett calls his jet "The Indefensible". There's no way you could ever rationalize the cost, other than flying private planes is freaking awesome.

I signed up for TSA Pre and haven't seen a security line since.

No, I mean NO security line. You can drive your car out onto the tarmac, hop in the plane, and have your rental car/limo waiting for you on the tarmac on the other side. You don't even have to look at a TSA agent.

This is the reason why all of the BS exists around flying commercially. If truly wealthy individuals had to suffer through that, airport security would have been dismantled years ago.

Don't tell the terrorists.

The point is the terrorists should never make it onto the tarmac, if the FBI, etc. are doing their jobs.

Arguably even into the country, if the other agencies are doing their jobs, and assuming the threat is foreign.

Or there are many fewer terrorists than would justify the Homeland Security budget.

Yes, I understand -- just saying that you can mitigate it enough that you don't need a private plane. If you fly Virgin upper class, for instance, you get pretty much what you describe. A car will pick you up and deliver you behind all the typical airport security with your boarding documents.

Right, but - Virgin upper class if you're flying out of NYC, for example, can get you to....the UK. And a limited number of times a day.

Private planes are absolutely awesome for getting between inconvenient points domestically. Have to get from San Jose to Austin on short notice? A quick skim of ITA shows coach fares of $1k and they all require a stop somewhere, with an average duration of 7-ish hours.

Or, hop on a private jet, skip security, take off pretty much whenever you're ready to take off, nad then come back when you want it.

I have TSA Pre as well but the past three times I have flown those lanes were closed. They are only open certain times.

First rule of TSA Pre: don't talk about TSA Pre. The less people that sign up the shorter the line.

Probably not the target customer indeed. Try doing 3 legs in 3 different same coast cities in a single day for in-person meetings. It's only possible with private jets as you can dictate the time to depart.

sounds like a business case for videoconference software/hardware.

Just kidding :)

Check out JetSuite of SurfAir. I think it's $3k from SFO to SEA on JetSuite. Coast to coast may be more difficult economically.

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