Air Travel: The Game's About to Change

Did you see that South Park episode, where they invent a new flying machine? When you use it, it does terrible things to you. But everyone who uses it says, "Well, it's still better than flying commercial."

Well, Business 2.0 has an article that shows exactly how air travel is going to change. And when there's a game changer, there's a huge marketing/branding opportunity. Basically, we have a bunch of factors coinciding at once:

• Air travel is increasingly onerous and, until something changes, it will only get worse;
• Flights on airlines cost more and more, and the pricing is nuts, so nobody can figure out what they should pay; and
• These new airplanes make "air taxis" financial practical for the first time.

These won't be for everyone. But three people going on a business trip? It will be either cheaper, or about the same, to take one of these flights. Minus two hours of nonsense on either end.

Who will be the Cingular/Starbucks/Coke of this business?

~Jim Tobin