ULTIMATE AIR 1/23/13 METRO
Rick Pawlak, Ultimate Air Shuttle Managing Director, is photographed on the company's hangar.
Ultimate Air Shuttle, the public-charter service popular among the region’s business travelers, is working toward a major expansion of flight operations this year.
The Lunken-based shuttle service has requested federal approval for commuter status, which would allow it to double its 12 weekday flights to Chicago, Charlotte and the New York City region.
“It would be a game-changer for them,” said Jay Ratliff, local aviation expert and former Northwest Airlines general manager.
Business travelers drive almost 85 percent of Ultimate Air’s passenger traffic, managing director Rick Pawlak said.
Fifth Third Bank and Cintas Corp. are Ultimate Air’s top business clients. DunnhumbyUSA, Ashland Oil and Johnson & Johnson also are among the more than 75 regular customers.
Many business fliers find Ultimate Air a convenient alternative to flying from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber recruited the charter service to Lunken in July 2009 to address significant downsizing at CVG, mostly by dominant carrier Delta Air Lines.
Today, the public charter service offers round-trip service on its 30-seat jets to Chicago’s Midway International Airport each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Ultimate Air would first look to add service on Wednesday and launch an additional round-trip flight on Monday and Thursday. If the Chicago expansion were to reach full capacity, the charter then would look to expand service to Morristown, N.J., near New York City, Pawlak said.
All flights would continue to operate as public charters. Ultimate Air’s current designation limits it to flying to each city a maximum of four days a week. Commuter status would allow flights to each city every day.
The company does not plan to pursue becoming a commercial airline, Pawlak said. That would require a move from general-aviation airports such as Lunken to commercial airports that have more security, gate and ticket-counter infrastructure.
Ultimate Air officially made its request to the U.S. Department of Transportation in July. It could receive approval any day.
Ultimate Air Shuttle, the public-charter service popular among the region’s business travelers, is working toward a major expansion of flight operations this year.
The Lunken-based shuttle service has requested federal approval for commuter status, which would allow it to double its 12 weekday flights to Chicago, Charlotte and the New York City region.
“It would be a game-changer for them,” said Jay Ratliff, local aviation expert and former Northwest Airlines general manager.
Business travelers drive almost 85 percent of Ultimate Air’s passenger traffic, managing director Rick Pawlak said.
Fifth Third Bank and Cintas Corp. are Ultimate Air’s top business clients. DunnhumbyUSA, Ashland Oil and Johnson & Johnson also are among the more than 75 regular customers.
Many business fliers find Ultimate Air a convenient alternative to flying from Cincinnati/Northern Kentucky International Airport. The Cincinnati USA Regional Chamber recruited the charter service to Lunken in July 2009 to address significant downsizing at CVG, mostly by dominant carrier Delta Air Lines.
Today, the public charter service offers round-trip service on its 30-seat jets to Chicago’s Midway International Airport each Monday, Tuesday, Thursday and Friday.
Ultimate Air would first look to add service on Wednesday and launch an additional round-trip flight on Monday and Thursday. If the Chicago expansion were to reach full capacity, the charter then would look to expand service to Morristown, N.J., near New York City, Pawlak said.
All flights would continue to operate as public charters. Ultimate Air’s current designation limits it to flying to each city a maximum of four days a week. Commuter status would allow flights to each city every day.
The company does not plan to pursue becoming a commercial airline, Pawlak said. That would require a move from general-aviation airports such as Lunken to commercial airports that have more security, gate and ticket-counter infrastructure.
Ultimate Air officially made its request to the U.S. Department of Transportation in July. It could receive approval any day.
Ultimate Air at a glance
• Flights: Weekday round-trip, direct-flight service to Chicago (no Wednesday service), New York City region (no Wednesday service) and Charlotte, N.C. (no Friday service).
• Round-trip costs: Chicago ($575), New York City region ($695), Charlotte ($595 if customer books ticket 10 or fewer days before scheduled departure; $449 if books flight more than 10 days in advance). All ticket prices include taxes, fees, parking, baggage, food and drinks (non-alcoholic and alcoholic).
• Jets: The company has eight, 30-seat Dornier 328 jets.
• Convenience: Passengers can arrive 15 minutes before scheduled departure time. Ultimate Air has been known to hold flights for a few minutes if a passenger calls ahead and notifies that he or she is running late. Passengers are pre-screened by the Transportation Security Administration.
• Concierge service: Customer service will arrange ground transportation in each city at the customer’s request. In Chicago, Ultimate Air offers free shuttle service to a train station with direct access to downtown.
• Book a flight: Call 1-800-437-3931 or go to www.ultimateairshuttle.com. Flights can be booked up to 30 minutes before departure time.
https://www.ultimateairshuttle.com
Source: http://news.cincinnati.com
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