Former United Airlines CFO introduces US LCC startup for launch in 2020

13 February, 2020

XTRA Airways CEO and former United Airlines CFO Andrew Levy plans to introduce a new US LCC into the market later in 2020 (Los Angeles Times/BNN Bloomberg/aviator.aero, 12/13-Feb-2020). The startup, Houston Air Holdings, has USD125 million invested into it and plans to operate nonstop services from secondary airports to midsize or large markets. Mr Levy said the company is "getting ready to spool up to transform this little charter airline we bought", adding: "We're going to build the company a little bit like Allegiant, slowly and steadily". Operations will be conducted by Boeing 737-800s, which will perform charter services during the summer and be configured with 189 seats for short haul services later in 2020. Mr Levy continued: "The best way to compete in the airline industry is to not compete", saying the carrier is "not looking for world domination" but rather to take the opportunity of providing to "a market where the fare structure is relatively high". As previously reported by CAPA, US LCC startup Breeze Airways also plans to serve underserved city pairs and anticipates launching services later in 2020