"On-demand" airline DayJet launches

BOCA RATON, Fla. – DayJet Corp. officially launched Wednesday its on-demand business airline that uses very light jets to shuttle people to five of Florida's regional airports.

DayJet began direct service to airports in Boca Raton, Gainesville, Lakeland, Pensacola and Tallahassee, selling individual seats to time-strapped business travelers who need to travel to smaller Florida airports and want to customize their flight itinerary.

The company, founded by chief executive Ed Iacobucci, has drawn the interest of state politicians including Gov. Charlie Crist and Lt. Gov. Jeff Kottkamp.

"We applaud DayJet, whose launch begins by connecting five important cities throughout Florida, sparking a revolution in business travel that will bring major economic benefits to our state," Kottkamp said.

With direct flights on three-passenger Eclipse 500 jets, DayJet says it can deliver people to destinations faster, and have them home the same day — without the hassle of changing planes at larger, busier airports or driving several hours each way.

The airline has an "on-demand" online reservation system, which has no set flight schedule. DayJet's customers tell the airline where they want to fly and how much time they have to get there, and the company responds with a price.

One way flights can range anywhere from roughly a few hundred dollars to more than $1,000.

Computers, using complicated math formulas and algorithms, also determine where the company can best position its planes and schedule flights to make the most money.

DayJet has generated interest with its business model, though some observers wonder if demand will be sufficient and if the flights are going to be affordable.

Also Wednesday, DayJet confirmed plans to expand service within the next two years to locations across the Southeast, including Alabama, Georgia, Mississippi, North Carolina, South Carolina and Tennessee.