Advanced Air Takes Over Surf Air Flying

Surf Air, the Santa Monica, California broker of all-you-can-fly charter flights in California, Texas, and Europe, has ended its alliance with Encompass Aviation, which had been operating the flights since March. They are now being operated by charter/management provider Advanced Air. 

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Surf Air Acquires Dallas-based Competitor Rise

Under the transition to the Surf Air brand, Rise will phase out its current fleet of Beechcraft King Air 350s and replace it with Pilatus PC-12s.

Surf Air owns 12 Pilatus PC-12 turboprop singles, and in 2015 placed an order for 15 plus options for an additional 50. “Four of the aircraft were transferred and leased to Tradewind Aviation, our third-party flight operator in Texas,” Surf Air chairman and CEO Sudhin Shahani told BJT sister publication Aviation International News. “The balance of the aircraft are expected to transition to Advanced Air.”

Advanced Air is based at Hawthorne Municipal Airport in southern California, where it operates the JetCenter Los Angeles FBO, and it will fly Surf Air members, who pay a monthly fee to fly as often as they wish, in Advanced and Surf Air airplanes. “Surf Air preferred members will also benefit from favored price access to Advanced Air’s charter fleet, including the King Air 350, Pilatus PC-12, and Learjet 45,” according to Surf Air.

Surf Air is facing liens imposed by the U.S. Internal Revenue Service for more than $2.3 million in unpaid taxes, according to documents filed with the California Secretary of State’s office. The taxes were assessed quarterly and cover periods through the end of 2016 and all of 2017. Asked for confirmation that Surf Air is subject to IRS liens for unpaid excise taxes, Shahani said, “This matter is under review and we cannot comment at this time.”

Surf Air’s flights serve San Francisco, Los Angeles, San Diego, Santa Barbara, Monterey, and Napa, California, as well as Las Vegas. In Europe, the company does not own any of the aircraft flown for its customers. “We have a partnership with JetClass that provides members with service to 10 city pairs in Europe,” Shahani said.