Flyers Turn to Charter Service

While commercial carriers continue to suffer, charter airlines, once a symbol of luxury, are reporting new interest -- and some new business.

"Flyers are very concerned with commercial travel and not knowing who's sitting in 10A or 15B," according to Michael Foliot, president of Waltham, Mass.-based FlightTime. Firms are reevaluating setting up a commercial shuttle, either for their employees or with another company in their area, he said.

FlightTime experienced a 15 to 20 percent spike in business and an additional 20 to 25 inquiries in all since Sept. 11, said Foliot.

Cincinnati-based Delta AirElite also saw an increase in demand, particularly for its smaller regional aircraft, said company president Michael Green. Security concerns were a tangential part of the boost in business, he added.

The Houston-based charter division of Continental Airlines, which maintains 10 aircraft, reported a surge in telephone inquiries, but not necessarily more business, said Frank Kyzar, managing director of schedule administration and charters.

Meanwhile, some major carriers, in the midst of staggering financial losses, are looking to grow their charter operations. In October, Delta Air Lines announced it would continue with plans to rebrand and expand its charter service. And United Airlines, which suffered a record third-quarter loss of $1.16 billion, said it would designate 250 more planes for charter service.