Surf Air 'Airline'? What Passengers Need To Know Before They Sign-Up

Forbes 

John Goglia, Contributor,
Airline industry and aviation safety

With all the media hoopla surrounding Surf Air’s all-you-can fly business model and comparisons to Netflix there seems to be some basic information missing that passengers need to be aware of before they decide to spend thousands of dollars – between membership fees and a three-month commitment – to join up. That basic information is that Surf Air does not hold the same FAA air carrier certificate, and is not required to meet the same safety standards, as most scheduled airlines, including commuter or regional airlines.

Surf Air holds an FAA certificate issued under Part 135 of the Federal Aviation Regulations. While most commuter airlines were required to upgrade to Part 121 standards – after a series of accidents in the 1990s – scheduled operations using aircraft with 9 or less seats were allowed to continue to operate under Part 135. Since Surf Air operates three Pilatus aircraft – with less than 9 passenger seats –it is legally allowed to operate as a commuter under Part 135.

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