Sun Jet International Sales, not to be confused with Sun Jet International Airlines, is founded by tour operator World Technology Systems in the late summer of 1993 to promote low-cost charter service (provided by other carriers) between the New York area and Florida. The company is a charter travel company and not an operating airline; therefore, the FAA does not monitor its activities. The government will, however, monitor the carriers contracting with Sun Jet and via this regulatory responsibility will ultimately have some impact on the WTS subsidiary’s fate. Charter flights are launched in October from Newark to Tampa/St. Petersburg and Fort Lauderdale. Great American Airways is the principle carrier to fly WTS passengers this year and in 1994.
During the summer of 1995, World Technology Systems contracts with the city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and Great American Airways, to provide charter service that supplements regular flight schedules. The operation will be known as “Myrtle Beach Jet Express.” Like SJIS, MBJE is also not an actual airline.
Beginning in September 1996 and continuing through the following February, tour operator World Technology Systems sponsors a promotion in which every “Myrtle Beach Jet Express” passenger purchasing a ticket will receive two free rounds of championship golf at a selected course.
Citing numerous falsifications of records and documents, the FAA pulls the operating certificate of Great American Airways in April
1997. The Reno-based airline files for Chapter XI bankruptcy protection and appeals the government action. The company’s certification problems are eventually resolved, but, in the meantime, WTS moves its “Myrtle Beach Jet Express” charters, including its popular golf-for-ticket promotion, to the new Sun Pacific International Airlines and TransMeridian Airlines.
Early in January 1998, World Travel System enters into a one-year commercial agreement with Trans World Airlines (TWA). Beginning on February 20, the major undertakes daily, nonstop, $99, one-way through-fares in partnership with “Myrtle Beach Jet Express” between Myrtle Beach and many other destinations via connections at St. Louis and New York. Also during the month, capacity is expanded when SJIS contracts for lift with the start-up carrier Winair.
By mid-April, President/CEO Kent Elsbree’s company offers daily flights from Orlando and Tampa/St. Petersburg to Newark and twice-daily roundtrips to Newark from Fort Lauderdale. These flights are operated by Sun Pacific International, TransMeridian Airlines, and the start-up Winair.
On June 20, twice-daily (except Tuesday) roundtrips begin from Fort Lauderdale to New York (JFK), along with daily return flights between Fort Lauderdale and Long Island MacArthur Airport at Islip, New York. Daily (except Tuesdays) roundtrips simultaneously commence from Is-lip to Orlando. The service is also subcontracted to Sun Pacific International, TransMeridian Airlines, and Winair.
For the third consecutive year, the popular New York-Myrtle Beach air service gives away free golf play for every ticket purchased. Each passenger receives two rounds of championship golf at a choice of five courses from September 9 through February 28. Courses participating in this year’s promotion are Angels Trace, Deer Track, Raccoon Run, Toski Links, and Wicked Stick.
On January 21, 1999, Casino Airlink, a division of Integrated Marketing Professionals, contracts with Sunjet to offer 42 monthly DC-9-51 inclusive tour charter flights from Fort Lauderdale and St. Petersburg to the new gambling center at Tunica, Mississippi.
By the first quarter, SJIS has flown over 1,000,000 passengers on its “Myrtle Beach Jet Express.” A second daily roundtrip “Myrtle Beach Jet Express” service is inaugurated on March 4.
A new nonstop service is inaugurated, also on March 4, from West Palm Beach and Orlando to Newark. The flight brings the total number of daily flights from Florida to New York to seven, including six daily (except Tuesday) roundtrips simultaneously reinstated from Fort Lauderdale to New York (JFK) and Islip. Once more, the actual service is provided by aircraft operated by Sun Pacific International, TransMeridian Airlines, or Winair.
The company’s contracted capacity is reduced on April 16 when the FAA issues an emergency order suspending the operating certificate of Sun Pacific International due to continuing maintenance problems. Winair also encounters regulatory problems; it, too, will fail, on July 6. The lack of capacity forces a suspension of flights to Florida from New York (JFK).
Preparing for an April 16 departure from Newark to Florida, a Sun Jet International Sales flight, operated by TransMeridian Airlines, must be evacuated after a bomb threat is received. No explosive device is found and the service eventually departs.
The loss of two of its three contracting carriers and problems at the third force the airline to incur significant additional operating expenses for replacement aircraft and revamped scheduling, travel protection for passengers, and hotel and meal costs. Unable to continue, Sun Jet shuts down at 3 p. m. on June 25, leaving some 2,500 ticket-holders for its flights and those of “Myrtle Beach Jet Express” stranded in Newark, Myrtle Beach, Tampa/St. Petersburg, Fort Lauderdale, and West Palm Beach. With passenger funds protected in escrow by the DOT regulation, refunds are promised within a week. Meanwhile, Continental Airlines offers low fares to those SJIS travelers without lift who waive certain restrictions that would normally be imposed.
SUN LAND AIRLINES: United States (1980-1981). The nonsched-uled charter operator SLA is established in the summer of 1980 to offer passenger charters to destinations in the U. S. and the Caribbean. Flights between Cleveland, Las Vegas, and Reno commence on October 1 with a pair of Douglas DC-8-31s leased from Overseas National Airlines.
During the winter and into the spring of 1981, the company adds Atlantic City and the Bahamas to its holiday tour destinations, while also adding contract service flights between Las Vegas and Reno, Portland, and Seattle. A Frontier Airlines (1) B-737-291 is leased and employed to turn the Las Vegas to Reno segment into a scheduled route on May 29. Nonscheduled service is simultaneously initiated from Seattle to Spokane.
Traffic does not bring in sufficient revenue to maintain viability and the company ceases operation in August.
SUN PACIFIC AIRLINES: United States (1987-1988). Miguel Avila organizes this air taxi service at Long Beach, California, in the summer of 1987. Employing an Embraer EMB-110P1 Bandeirante, the carrier opens scheduled flights to Capexico and Brownfield. Operations cease a year later in 1988.
SUN PACIFIC INTERNATIONAL: 2502 East Benson Highway, Tucson, Arizona 85706, United States; Phone (520) 295-0455; Fax (520) 295-1125; Code SNP; Year Founded 1995. SPI is established at Tucson, Arizona, in late 1995 by former Viscount Air Service CEO Robert Fleming to offer domestic and international charter services, including flights for professional athletic teams, as well as subservices for scheduled carriers. Two Boeing 727s, a Dash-221A and a Dash-227A, are leased and the company is granted its FAA Part 121 certification on March 1, 1996. The first service is a replacement flight for Cayman Airways, Ltd.
A chartered B-727-89 and B-727-243A are purchased by Star Air Tours during the spring from the assets of bankrupt Viscount Air Services. Both are expressly dedicated to the transport of pro sports teams, though neither wears team identification, and are contracted to Sun Pacific for operation.
Star, meanwhile, arranges for the Boeings to be operated on behalf of the New York Yankees and Baltimore Orioles professional baseball teams as well as the Sabres, Whalers, and Flyers of the National Hockey League.
On August 15, Sun Pacific agrees to pay a fine of up to $4,000 to the DOT for flying two international charters without authority to Mexico earlier in the year; $2,000 must be paid immediately and the remainder will be forgiven in a year if no other violations are committed. On November 28, the company is authorized by DOT to increase its trijet fleet strength to five.
A contract is signed with Valujet Airlines on December 26 under which Sun Pacific will operate charter flights from Atlanta to Dallas and to Fort Myers and West Palm Beach, Florida, through January 6. The flights will carry passengers who booked with Valujet when it advertised the service before it received FAA approval.
Enplanements by December 31 total 181,000. Start-up and associated costs exceed the $11 million in generated in revenues and leave losses: $971,000 (operating) and $826,000 (net).
The company enjoys a beneficial 1997. When Great American Airways encounters regulatory problems, Sun Pacific contracts with the city of Myrtle Beach, South Carolina, and tour operator World Technology Systems, to provide charter service that supplements regular flight schedules. The WTS charter operation is known as Sun Jet International Sales and the South Carolina service as “Myrtle Beach Jet Express.”
Beginning in September and continuing through the following February, tour operator World Technology Systems sponsors a promotion in which every passenger purchasing a “Myrtle Beach Jet Express” ticket will receive two free rounds of championship golf at a selected course.
Passenger boardings accelerate 35.4% to 245,000. Operating revenues skyrocket 98.8% to $25.88 million, while expenses are up 81.9% to $24.78 million. The previous year’s losses become profits: $1.09 million (operating) and $871,000 (net).
Early in January 1998, the company enters into a one-year commercial agreement with Trans World Airlines (TWA). Beginning on February 20, the major undertakes daily, nonstop, $99, one-way through-fares in partnership with “Myrtle Beach Jet Express” between Myrtle Beach and many other destinations via connections at St. Louis and New York.
In March, bankrupt Sun Jet International Airlines files a reorganization plan. By mid-April, President/CEO Kent Elsbree’s Sun Jet International Sales offers daily flights from Orlando and Tampa/St. Petersburg to Newark and twice-daily roundtrips to Newark from Fort Lauderdale. These flights are operated by Sun Pacific, TransMeridian Airlines, and the start-up Winair.
On June 20, twice-daily (except Tuesday) roundtrips begin from Fort Lauderdale to New York (JFK), along with daily return flights between Fort Lauderdale and Long Island MacArthur Airport at Islip, New York. Daily (except Tuesdays) roundtrips simultaneously commence from Is-lip to Orlando. The service is also subcontracted to Sun Pacific, TransMeridian Airlines, and Winair.
When Hurricane Bonnie threatens Myrtle Beach on August 25, the company employs one of the trijets committed to “Myrtle Beach Jet Express” service to evacuate passengers to Newark. Two first-come-first-serve flights are operated in the early evening.
For the third consecutive year, the popular New York-Myrtle Beach air service gives away free golf play for every ticket purchased. Each passenger receives two rounds of championship golf at a choice of five courses from September 9 through February 28. Courses participating in this year’s promotion are Angels Trace, Deer Track, Raccoon Run, Toski Links, and Wicked Stick.
During the 12 months, customer bookings jump 46.9% to 360,000. Revenues drop 8.5% to $22.53 million, while expenses dip 5.1% to $23.54 million. The operating loss increases to $1 million, while the net loss “improves” to $485,000.
On takeoff from Montego Bay on January 2, 1999, an Air Jamaica, Ltd. (2) A310-324 blows a tire and thus becomes unavailable for service. The scheduled flight to Atlanta is cancelled. In Georgia the next day, a B-727-227A is leased from Sun Pacific International to operate the return flight to Jamaica.
While en route from Atlanta as Flight 56, the trijet, with 110 passengers, is forced to divert to Jacksonville when passengers report smelling smoke. No problems are found and the flight to Jamaica is completed.
By the first quarter, Sun Jet International Sales has flown over
1,000,000 passengers on its “Myrtle Beach Jet Express.” A second daily roundtrip “Myrtle Beach Jet Express” service is inaugurated on March 4.
A new nonstop service is inaugurated by Sun Jet International Sales, also on March 4, from West Palm Beach and Orlando to Newark. The flight brings the total number of daily flights from Florida to New York to seven, including six daily (except Tuesday) roundtrips simultaneously reinstated from Fort Lauderdale to New York (JFK) and Islip. Once more, the actual service is provided by aircraft operated by Sun Pacific, TransMeridian Airlines, or Winair.
On April 16, due to continuing maintenance and record-keeping problems, the FAA issues an emergency order suspending the carrier’s operating certificate. Indicating that the airline had been made aware of these difficulties and had failed to correct them, the government regulators conclude that the airline is suffering from “systemic failures.” It is given 10 days to appeal the order to the NTSB, during which time the order remains in effect.
Although the certificate is maintained, the company remains grounded into the summer.
Customer bookings plunge 85.2% this year to 83,000. Revenues total $6.6 million, but expenses are $11.86 million. The operating loss is $5.6 million, while the net loss is $5.7 million.
Service is maintained in 2000 with a pair of B-727-227As.
SUN VALLEY AIRLINES: United States (1966-1975). On January 27, 1966, Janes Airways (1) is renamed Sun Valley Airlines. The company’s Beech 18s and Piper lightplanes continue to provide service linking Salt Lake City with Sun Valley, Boise, Burley, and Hailey. There are no untoward incidents until 1972, On February 20 of that year, a Beech 80 Queen Air crashes at Fairfield, Idaho, killing all five people aboard.
Service continues unabated until August 1975, when the company is merged with Ogden (Utah)-based Key Airlines (1), which is owned by Johns-Manville Company, to form Sun Valley Key Airlines. In November, the name reverts to Key Airlines (1).
World History
