ImagineAir
{{short description|American airline}}
{{Infobox airline
| airline = ImagineAir
| logo = IA Logo Official - 2010.png
| fleet_size =
| destinations = 900+ in the Southern and Eastern U.S.
| IATA = -
| ICAO = IMG
| callsign = IMAGINE
| parent =
| founded = {{Start date and age|2005}}
| ceased = {{End date and age|2018|05}}
| headquarters = Atlanta, Georgia, United States
| key_people = Benjamin Hamilton, Haroon Qureshi, Ryan Rodd
| secondary_hubs = Charleston, South Carolina, Raleigh, North Carolina, Allentown, Pennsylvania{{cite web|author=ImagineAir |url=http://www.prlog.org/10914367-air-taxi-company-imagineair-announces-expansion-in-charleston-sc.html |title=Air Taxi Company ImagineAir Announces Expansion in Charleston, SC |publisher=PRLog |date=2010-09-08 |access-date=2012-12-05}}
| focus_cities =
| frequent_flyer = Flight Card Program
| lounge =
| alliance =
| subsidiaries =
| website = {{url|http://www.imagineair.com}}
}}
ImagineAir was an air taxi service headquartered in metro Atlanta, Georgia. With a service area that covered a majority of the southeastern US, the company operated an average of 5000 flights annually.{{Cite web|url=https://www.flightglobal.com/news/articles/imagineair-plots-expansion-with-new-platinum-members-417495/|title=ImagineAir plots expansion with new Platinum Membership initiative|last=Sarsfield|first=Kate|date=2015-10-07|website=Flightglobal.com|language=en-GB|access-date=2019-07-02}} ImagineAir was often noted for its young management; as founders Aaron Sohacki and Benjamin Hamilton were 19 and 21 respectively when the company was founded,{{Cite news|url = http://airtaxiflights.com/imagineair-not-your-typical-mixed-fleet-air-taxi-operator2.php|title = ImagineAir: Not Your Typical Mixed-Fleet Air-Taxi Operator|access-date = 25 January 2011|last = Borin|first = Elliot|year = 2009|work = Air Taxi Flights|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20080609210320/http://airtaxiflights.com/imagineair-not-your-typical-mixed-fleet-air-taxi-operator2.php|archive-date = 9 June 2008|url-status = dead}} as well as its innovative online aircraft booking system, providing the familiarity of buying an airline seat on a charter.{{cite web|url = http://www.jetwhine.com/2009/03/imagineair-brings-sats-to-life-in-southeast/|title = ImagineAir Brings SATS to Life in Southeast|year = 2009}}
ImagineAir's business model was based on an industry study of the Small Aircraft Transportation System (SATS), developed by NASA. Implementing a uniform fleet of aircraft and utilizing technology enabled strategies. ImagineAir was a founding member of the Air Taxi Association (ATXA).{{cite web|url = http://www.atxa.com/?June212007|title = ATXA Launches with the Backing of Major Air Taxi Providers|year = 2011|access-date = 2011-01-25|archive-url = https://archive.today/20130117092427/http://www.atxa.com/?June212007|archive-date = 2013-01-17|url-status = dead}} In 2008, the company reported revenues of US$800,000.{{Cite news |last=Pew |first=Glenn |date=March 2009 |title=Startup Air Taxi ImagineAir More Than Optimistic |work=AvWeb |url=http://www.avweb.com/avwebflash/news/imagineair_air_taxi_atlanta_cirrus_sr22_199924-1.html |access-date=25 January 2011}} In 2015, it had grown to $2.8 million, securing a spot on that year's Inc. 500.{{Cite news|url=https://www.inc.com/skyler-inman/2016-inc5000-this-company-is-reimagining-how-america-travels.html|title=The Uber for Air Travel? Meet ImagineAir|date=27 September 2016|work=Inc.com|access-date=2017-07-16}}
History
ImagineAir was founded in November 2005 as ImagineAir Jet Services LLC by Paul Fischer, Aaron Sohacki and Benjamin Hamilton and headquartered at the Gwinnett County Airport near Atlanta, Georgia.{{cite web|url = http://www.flyimagineair.com/team.php|title = Team Members|access-date = 2009-11-04|last = Imagine Air Jet Services |year = 2005}} From the beginning it was the intention of the company's founders to fly a network of the Eclipse 500 VLJs; however, delivery delays led ImagineAir to begin operating with Cirrus SR22s. From 2007 through 2012 the company has reported steady quarter over quarter growth, tripling its number of Cirrus aircraft and establishing bases in Charleston, South Carolina, and Raleigh, North Carolina.{{cite web|url = http://www.prlog.org/10914367-air-taxi-company-imagineair-announces-expansion-in-charleston-sc.html|title = Air Taxi Company ImagineAir Announces Expansion in Charleston, SC|access-date = 25 January 2011|last = ImagineAir Press Release|date=September 2010}}
In March 2014, ImagineAir announced a merger with the Danbury, Connecticut-based operator Kavoo in an effort to become the first nationwide air taxi carrier. The merger widened ImagineAir's service area to include the entire east coast of the United States and created the largest part 135 air carrier by flight volume.{{cite web|url=http://www.ajc.com/news/business/imagineair-merging-with-kavoo-air-taxi-service/ndWSt/|title=ImagineAir Merging with Kavoo Air Taxi Service|date=February 2014}}{{cite web|url=https://www.prnewswire.com/news-releases/merger-creates-the-nations-largest-air-taxi-service-246223331.html|title=ImagineAir Merging with Kavoo Air Taxi Service|date=February 2014}}
In May 2018, ImagineAir suspended operations as the company’s leadership and advisors were unable to secure the necessary short-term funding to continue operations, nor the long-term funding to scale the company to profitable scale.{{Cite web|url=https://www.forbes.com/sites/douggollan/2018/05/30/does-imagineairs-shutdown-sound-a-warning-bell-for-private-aviation-consumers/?sh=46869914422c|title = Exclusive: Regional jet card and private charter operator ImagineAir suspends operations|date = 28 May 2018}}
Fleet
File:ImagineAir IMG103 In Flight.jpg]]
ImagineAir operated a uniform fleet of Cirrus SR22 aircraft.{{Cite web|url=https://www.ainonline.com/aviation-news/business-aviation/2017-11-21/imagineair-eyeing-fleet-expansion-more-bases|title=ImagineAir Eyeing Fleet Expansion, More Bases|last=Lynch|first=Kerry|website=Aviation International News|language=en|access-date=2019-07-02}} The Cirrus SR22 is a single-engine, originally four and later five-seat, composite aircraft, built by Cirrus Aircraft. The aircraft is perhaps best known for being equipped with the Cirrus Airframe Parachute System (CAPS), an emergency parachute capable of lowering the entire aircraft (and occupants) to the ground in an emergency.{{Cite web|url=https://www.businessaircraftcenter.com/articles/small-aircraft-safety-crash-prevention-danbury-airport-art0313.htm|title=Small {{!}} Aircraft {{!}} Safety {{!}} Crash {{!}} Parachutes{{!}} Danbury {{!}} Airport{{!}} BusinessAircraftCenter.com|website=www.businessaircraftcenter.com|access-date=2019-07-02}}
- Cirrus SR-22-GTS{{cite web|url = http://www.flyimagineair.com/background.php|title = Company Background|access-date = 24 October 2011|last = Imagine Air Jet Services|year = 2005|archive-url = https://web.archive.org/web/20091115114413/http://www.flyimagineair.com/background.php|archive-date = 15 November 2009|url-status = dead}}
References
{{Reflist}}
External links
- {{Official website|http://www.flyimagineair.com }}
- [https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wTUcVxlWpSg ImagineAir on CNN]
{{Airlines of the United States}}
Category:Defunct airlines of the United States
Category:Defunct companies based in Georgia (U.S. state)
Category:Companies based in Atlanta
Category:Airlines established in 2005
Category:Airlines disestablished in 2018