Former Phoenix resident hopes to launch new airline
Facing the headwinds of a global pandemic might discourage some entrepreneurs from launching a new jet service, but Patrick Dial sees now as the perfect time for his new company, AspenJet, to take flight.
Dial hopes to launch the new semi-private airline that will offer nonstop service to Aspen, Colorado, from five markets in early 2021.
A former Phoenix resident, Dial came to the Valley in 1993 to organize the Phoenix 500 Air Races at Williams Gateway Airport (now Phoenix-Mesa Gateway Airport).
With his kids grown (one of his sons is country songwriter Tyler Dial), he recently moved to Colorado to start AspenJet. He says it will offer an elevated passenger experience for those heading to the ski community.
His confidence in his new venture understandably also comes with some nervousness.
“If I wasn’t, there’d be something wrong with me. But on the other hand, I’ve gotten so much validation,” Dial said.
Dial said he stumbled across the opportunity for his new venture when he learned that the Aspen airport has a 95foot wingspan limitation on aircraft.
“That has prevented anybody in the history of Aspen from running a direct service to New York and Miami because there’s not an airline that can take off from this airport full of fuel and full of passengers,” Dial said.
He said he plans to use Embraer ERJ-175 planes. Instead of the 88 passengers the aircraft typically carries,
Dial plans to reduce the number of seats to 30. Eliminating the weight of those seats, passengers and their luggage means the plane can carry more fuel, enabling it to fly from Aspen to farther destinations.
“You would think, on one hand, boy, you’re stupid to start an airline in the middle of a hurricane,” he said. “But the reality is it’s like the best time to start up because we’re getting favorable deals on airplanes that are sitting in storage. We’re getting favorable financing.”
He also believes having fewer passengers onboard will be attractive to those avoiding crowds due to the spread of the new coronavirus.
Will AspenJet come to Phoenix?
Initially, Dial plans for AspenJet to offer service to New York, Miami, Los Angeles, San Francisco and Chicago.
The airline is still in the process of filing its paperwork with the Department of Transportation and Federal Aviation
Administration and is not selling tickets yet.
Much like semi-private jet service JSX, AspenJet will use private terminals. That saves customers time by bypassing the traditional Transportation Security Administration checkpoints and eliminating the need to get to the airport an hour or more early.
Though Phoenix is not on the list of initial offerings, Dial has a place in his heart for the Valley and is hopeful it will be in the future. Like all things in travel right now, a lot of plans beyond the initial start depend on the progress of the pandemic.
“I would love to tell you for winter next year but I don’t know that yet. But soon. It’s on my radar screen,” Dial said.