How can you start an airline from scratch?

Question

I always wondered how airline owners can afford 20 747's and many other aircraft, and how much do they pay for all this? How can they start the business? How much money do you need to buy an aircraft?

Answer 1

these 2 guys who answered have no idea what they are talking about.

You need investors who are willing to invest in your company, simply as that.

Project your idea, how you are better then the rest of the competition airlines and pitch it towards big companies looking to invest.  

Answer 2

1. Be filthy stinking rich.

In today's world, there's pretty much no starting a new airline. No bank is going to give you a loan, fuel and airliner prices are prohibitively high, and getting the FAA to give you the green light is time-consuming and expensive.

If you're loaded like Richard Branson, then by all means, start the next Virgin Air—but given today's situation, I doubt even he would bother.

Answer 3

You can start an Airline from £3m. Many people do, but many go bust due to fuel costs, lack of customers or aircraft maintenance. I personally would start a business to fund the airline until you are established. (opps i am telling you my plan). More competition makes a better market.

Answer 4

You need about $5 billion to start a major airline.  You would lease, rather than buy the airplanes.  A typical jet airliner leases for several hundred thousand dollars a month.

A competent entrepreneurial group can raise the kind of money needed, even in today's economy.  But the risks are high, and competent people are doing other things just now.

Answer 5

besides the financial aspects there is also the initial certification process to go through with the FAA you would need procedure manuals,training programs, maintenance programs and competent people to manage these. Then qualified flight crews, ground personnel, marketing and advertising. A wage and benefit package to attract top shelf people. And you better have one h**l of a good business plan

Answer 6

Most aircrafts like the 737, 767, 747 cost millions of dollars, and the airline doesn't even buy them, they lease them for millions. If you have about 500 million dollars, then start your own company!

Answer 7

Sheezy had a good answer, but I would like to add something on to it as well. Many of the airlines in the world today do not own the Aircraft out right. A lot of the medium size and smaller size airlines, lease they're aircraft from the companies that manufacture them or other airlines that cannot afford the cost of running and maintaining all of the planes they have.