https://onemileatatime.com/judah-1-christian-airline/
EXCERPTS: Over the years we’ve seen a few religious airlines emerge. They’ve almost all failed. The reason they’ve failed seems obvious enough — most religious people don’t have needs so specific that it’s worth tailoring an airline to them while alienating a large percentage of your potential customer base. [...] we haven’t yet seen a Christian one (unless we’re talking about all the prosperity gospel ministers with private jets).
About two years ago, in late 2018, plans were announced for the world’s first Christian airline, and it looks like that’s now closer to becoming a reality. [...] Judah 1, the world’s first Christian airline, with the slogan “Your Hands, God’s LOVE, Our Wings.” ... Judah 1 has already operated some private flights for small groups of missionaries to disaster areas and mission fields, but in 2021 Judah 1 plans on becoming a “real” airline.
Judah 1 is allegedly in the process of applying to become a Part 121 carrier, meaning that it could operate commercial flights. While the airline was initially going to be based at North Texas Regional Airport, the plan is now for the airline to be based at Shreveport Regional Airport in Louisiana. ... For the past couple of years Judah 1 has had an MD-80.
[...] What’s going to set Judah 1 apart? The airline won’t charge luggage fees. Per the CEO: “We will have to charge regular ticket prices just like you do for the [other] airlines. This is not available for just the general public, you have to be part of a mission team. It will be very competitive with the airlines. The advantage is there’s no luggage fees. Absolutely none. All your cargo travels with you as well. So that’s the biggest thing. About 50 percent of missionaries lose their cargo when it travels via container and that’s one of the problems we have. I know some of the trips we have been on ourselves with other missionary groups traveling, they ship their stuff via container and medical supplies and stuff either get tied up in customs, food spoils, some things it just gets lost.”
That’s truly strange — 50% of cargo that missionaries send is lost? And what exactly is the limit on how much luggage people can bring? If this airline does get approved, it sounds like it would primarily offer charter service, and perhaps even scheduled charter service, where different mission and church groups can book the same flight. [...] Personally I can’t make sense of the business model. The airline is only targeting Christian travelers, and there seem to be two things that set the airline apart: First of all, the airline will have no luggage fees. Second of all, the airline may sell individual seats or group tickets on scheduled flights to destinations that may be popular with missionaries.
I guess we’ll find out soon enough how this works out. The airline is significantly delayed though ... I’m not going to lie, I sure would love to fly an ex-American Airlines MD-80… What do you make of Judah 1? (MORE - details, images)
Sept 23, 2020: JUDAH 1 (Delivering Life)
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/afrmM64n870
Nov 22, 2019: Judah 1 World's First Christian Missionary Airline to Carry God's People all over the World
https://www.youtube-nocookie.com/embed/aLRDEScQpvY
EXCERPTS: Over the years we’ve seen a few religious airlines emerge. They’ve almost all failed. The reason they’ve failed seems obvious enough — most religious people don’t have needs so specific that it’s worth tailoring an airline to them while alienating a large percentage of your potential customer base. [...] we haven’t yet seen a Christian one (unless we’re talking about all the prosperity gospel ministers with private jets).
About two years ago, in late 2018, plans were announced for the world’s first Christian airline, and it looks like that’s now closer to becoming a reality. [...] Judah 1, the world’s first Christian airline, with the slogan “Your Hands, God’s LOVE, Our Wings.” ... Judah 1 has already operated some private flights for small groups of missionaries to disaster areas and mission fields, but in 2021 Judah 1 plans on becoming a “real” airline.
Judah 1 is allegedly in the process of applying to become a Part 121 carrier, meaning that it could operate commercial flights. While the airline was initially going to be based at North Texas Regional Airport, the plan is now for the airline to be based at Shreveport Regional Airport in Louisiana. ... For the past couple of years Judah 1 has had an MD-80.
[...] What’s going to set Judah 1 apart? The airline won’t charge luggage fees. Per the CEO: “We will have to charge regular ticket prices just like you do for the [other] airlines. This is not available for just the general public, you have to be part of a mission team. It will be very competitive with the airlines. The advantage is there’s no luggage fees. Absolutely none. All your cargo travels with you as well. So that’s the biggest thing. About 50 percent of missionaries lose their cargo when it travels via container and that’s one of the problems we have. I know some of the trips we have been on ourselves with other missionary groups traveling, they ship their stuff via container and medical supplies and stuff either get tied up in customs, food spoils, some things it just gets lost.”
That’s truly strange — 50% of cargo that missionaries send is lost? And what exactly is the limit on how much luggage people can bring? If this airline does get approved, it sounds like it would primarily offer charter service, and perhaps even scheduled charter service, where different mission and church groups can book the same flight. [...] Personally I can’t make sense of the business model. The airline is only targeting Christian travelers, and there seem to be two things that set the airline apart: First of all, the airline will have no luggage fees. Second of all, the airline may sell individual seats or group tickets on scheduled flights to destinations that may be popular with missionaries.
I guess we’ll find out soon enough how this works out. The airline is significantly delayed though ... I’m not going to lie, I sure would love to fly an ex-American Airlines MD-80… What do you make of Judah 1? (MORE - details, images)
Sept 23, 2020: JUDAH 1 (Delivering Life)
Nov 22, 2019: Judah 1 World's First Christian Missionary Airline to Carry God's People all over the World