Innovative air taxi operator DayJet stops flying

DayJet, a Florida-based air taxi company that billed itself as “the world’s first operator of per-seat, on-demand jet service,” has stopped flying and laid off most of its employees. Company president and CEO Ed Iacobucci has stepped down from those positions but remains chairman. In a statement, DayJet said its closure was “a direct consequence of the company’s inability to arrange critical financing in the midst of the current global financial crisis.” It also laid some of the blame on Eclipse Aviation, the manufacturer of the next-generation “very light jets” used by DayJet. The company said Eclipse failed to install missing equipment and to make repairs specified in its aircraft purchase contract. Founded in 2002, DayJet started flying its on-demand jet air taxis last October, and grew from serving five destinations to more than 60 secondary airports around the southeast. It has served more than 2,400 customers and flew more than 9,000 segments.