JSX, the public charter carrier that gives travelers a semi-private experience, will debut its first-ever ATR turboprops on flights in California in November.
Alex Wilcox, CEO of JSX, confirmed at an event hosted by ATR in Washington, D.C. on Wednesday the launch details for its ATR-42-600s without saying exactly where in the Golden State the planes will fly. The planes will fly routes up to around two hours in length and be fitted in an all-premium 30-seat layout.
“It will be another controversial one,” he said of the new airport — or airports — the ATRs will serve. The controversy he referred to are lawsuits JSX faced establishing and expanding operations in places like John Wayne Airport (SNA) in Orange County, California, and Westchester County Airport (HPN) in White Plains, New York.
As close to private as it gets: Flying JSX's new route to LAX
JSX will eventually fly the ATRs to Telluride Regional Airport (TEX) in Colorado and Truckee Tahoe Airport (TKF) in California — the latter has no commercial air service today — Wilcox added. He declined to provide more details regarding the airline’s plans for either airport.
JSX is known for nonstop flights from often smaller, more convenient airports to popular destinations — like Southern California to Las Vegas’ Harry Reid International Airport (LAS) — that are a step above flying on standard commercial airline. Flights often arrive and depart from private terminals with amenities standard in only premium airline lounges, and travelers have their choice of free premium snacks and drinks inflight.
The carrier operates under a public charter certification that allows it to operate planes with up to 30 seats at lower costs than large regional carriers, like Republic Airlines and SkyWest Airlines.
JSX counts JetBlue, Qatar Airways and United Airlines among investors, and has partnerships with JetBlue and United. The airline launched its own loyalty program, Club JSX, in July.
Currently, JSX flies an all-Embraer ERJ regional jet fleet.
Behind the scenes: Touring JSX's ultra-spacious 1-1-configured jet
ATR: ‘Half, half and double’
JSX’s new ATR-42s will open more markets at lower costs for the airline, said Wilcox.
“From my perspective the plane is half, half and double,” he said, explaining that the ATR needs half the runway, burns half the fuel and doubles the number of airports JSX can serve compared to the airline's Embraer jets. Alexis Vidal, chief commercial officer of ATR, said Wednesday that the plane maker’s turboprops are roughly 30% cheaper to operate than 50-seat regional jets.
The question is: will U.S. travelers fly on a turboprop as willingly as they do a regional jet?
Turboprops like the ATR dominated U.S. regional fleets — think the American Eagles and Delta Connections of the world — until they ceded the market to faster, larger regional jets in the 2000s. “We’ve spoiled the public with the regional jet and what it does,” Rick Leach, CEO of United Airlines affiliate GoJet Airlines, said on Wednesday.
“People still see a prop and go ‘oh, old technology,’” he added, noting that modern turboprops are often more advanced than regional jets.
Alaska Airlines’ subsidiary Horizon Air was the last regional affiliate of a major U.S. carrier to fly a turboprop, the Bombardier Dash 8-Q400. The airline retired its last Q400 in January 2023.
Asked whether JSX’s premium travelers would fly on a turboprop, Wilcox joked, “I guess [you’ve] never been to St. Barts,” referring to Gustaf III Airport (SBH) on the posh Caribbean island of St. Barthelemy, which is only served by turboprops.
JSX’s ATR plans
JSX is taking a low-risk approach to the ATR. The airline's initial commitment is for just two leased ATR-42s, previously flown by defunct Silver Airways, that will debut in November. It will add another two leased planes to its fleet in the first quarter of 2026, Wilcox said.
"We need to prove that our customers will get on a turboprop airplane," said Wilcox. "For the reasons I already outlined — because it’s going to be so much more convenient to them, because the airports we’re going to choose for it are so much closer to where they live and where they want to go — I’m supremely confident it's going to happen but we still need to prove it before we can put real money behind it."
If all goes as hoped, JSX could finalize the letter of intent for up to 25 new ATRs that was unveiled in June, said Wilcox. JSX could then spread the turboprops out to its bases across the U.S. By its own estimate, the turboprops enable air service to hundreds of more airports than it flies to today.
But, first, JSX needs to get past the debut of the ATRs — and, as Wilcox said, prove their viability in the semi-private, point-to-point market where the carrier plays.
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