There's a concept called the "$100-dollar hamburger" in aviation, which is where one takes an otherwise-unnecessary trip for aviation reasons (i.e. maintaining minimum flight time for qualifications, shaking down a plane after maintenance, etc.).
Atlanta -> Savannah -> Atlanta with a 2-hour turnaround could be hundred-dollar hamburger. It might also be two different people using the jet. But... TBH, it might also be that she owns a jet and wants to take a day-trip.
They are selling transportation from location A to location B via an airplane. The specific airplane, assuming it has the features the customer paid for, is more of a technicality.
"Fantasy flights are charity flights operated by a host airline for locally disadvantaged and terminally ill children to fly to a fictitious destination."
I'm still mulling this over, but my initial reaction is very mixed/slightly negative.
FWIW, you can rent a Cessna 172 for less than $200 per hour, and take it in a trip where you agree to fly at least say one or two hours per day, depending on location and season etc.
So, that’s only a few times more expensive than a car, and quite a bit more fun.
If I'm not flying for business, I'm intentionally not spending money in the airport as much as possible. I'd rather time my travels to get a decent meal for a good price before I get to the airport.
I remember reading of a businessman flying his own Cessna from Atlanta to Houston every day, which seemed like a fine way to combine a hobby, living with family and friends, and an otherwise unbearable commute through a commercial airline.
So Jim in Vermont is going to New Haven, CT tomorrow to see his sister. Jeff has a business meeting in the same city and figures he can save some time waiting around in airports if he flies with Jim and pays half the costs.
At takeoff time, weather around the CT coast looks iffy. Jim would rather stay home and see his sister next weekend instead. Jeff can't get a flight on such short order, and tells Jim he really needs to make the meeting or a big contract is lost. He offers to pay Jim 2x the full flight costs to make his meeting.
What Jim will do in this situation is likely very different than if he hadn't agreed to take Jeff along.
To me this is just another reason (of many) that travelers should consider general aviation (charter, etc.) as an alternative to commercial airline travel.
The straight financial cost may be higher but avoiding all of this sort of nonsense has its rewards, and remember that most GA operators are locally-owned smallish businesses that appreciate your support and treat their passengers like customers and not like prisoners (or worse).
Atlanta -> Savannah -> Atlanta with a 2-hour turnaround could be hundred-dollar hamburger. It might also be two different people using the jet. But... TBH, it might also be that she owns a jet and wants to take a day-trip.
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