A former high-ranking executive at United Airlines is heading an effort to launch a new ultra-low-cost airline, WBUR reports.
Xtra Airways could be flying by late 2019, according to CEO Andrew Levy, formerly United’s chief financial officer.
“There’s a lot of room for more airplane seats in the United States,” said Levy, who co-founded low-cost airline Allegiant Air before working at United.
The business plan for the new airline focuses on low prices, good customer service, utilising secondary airports, and targeting currently underserved markets. The airline anticipates having five aircraft flying in 2019 and 45 by 2023, according to documents distributed to investors.
“Doing the same thing as everyone else, but trying to do it better, hasn’t worked, historically, very well in the airline industry,” Levy said.
“So that’s certainly not what we’re trying to do, is out-Spirit Spirit or out-Allegiant Allegiant or anybody else like that. We aim to do something that’s different.”
If all goes according to plan, Xtra Airways would launch about a year sooner than the previously announced Moxy, a low-cost carrier being planned by Jetblue founder David Neeleman.
