A teenager who admits having a "bit of a gob" after he dropped out of school before sitting his A-levels is poised to unveil his own airline.
18-year-old Martin Halstead is to officially launch Alpha 1 Airways on April 18, as a passenger service that will fly people between the university cities of Oxford and Cambridge.
Speaking to the Times about his brainchild project, Halstead said prices would start at £49 for a one-way trip, taking about 20 minutes.
The service, which is the first of its kind in the UK since the 1930s, is likely to include a 10-minute check-in time for a journey between the two cities that normally takes about three hours by road.
There is also a shuttle service that will drop Alpha passengers at their desired City location.
The young entrepreneur, Halstead, believes his airline will be popular with those businessmen and academics that currently face the three-hour trip over a motorway 118 miles long.
Already Halstead has his customer policy firmly in place, saying he noted the success of airline entrepreneur, Richard Branson, who proved the key was to treat customers "like absolute gods."
He also believes he possesses a 'can-do' attitude that make him ideal to face the tough challenges that lie ahead in getting Alpha 1 Airways to take flight successfully.
"There's an incredible amount of resistance," he explained to T2. "A day doesn't go by when you don't hit some kind of wall and you've got to rethink what you're doing."
Meanwhile, he attributes some of his success to the support gained from his parents, and has recently moved back home so he can concentrate on the business, while having "people around me to keep my feet on the ground."
According to Halstead, Alpha 1 is not his debut venture as he recalled how he successfully sold his share in his first business, which designed and sold flight simulators.
With the proceeds of the sale and with a modest inheritance, Halstead was able to set up his second venture entirely independently and without needing to borrow any finances for start-up. He already has a fully developed website detailing special prices, FAQs and the spec of the likely aircraft for the flight.
Setting up was somewhat simple, he indicated in interview, because Halstead knew what career he wanted from just six years old.
"From the minute I stepped on that BA 757 I knew it was something I wanted to do. It was strange because I was petrified of taking off, I absolutely hated it but loved it at the same time," he said.
"The business of the airport- whatever the weather is like down there you're above it all, you're always in the sunshine, no one can hurt you apart from yourself."
He added: "I can't think of anything better in the world."
To book your flight on Alpha 1 Airways, please visit:
http://www.flyalpha1.com
Mar 24, 2005
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