Averitt Air to base taxi jet in city

Air taxi operator Averitt Air has started jet service from Chattanooga Metropolitan Airport as it seeks to capture the business executive market.

Jay Garrett, Averitt's operations director, said the company has based an eight-passenger Lear 31 at Lovell Field.

He said Averitt can go into 5,000 airports, many of which aren't serviced by passenger airlines.

The cost is $2,300 an hour, Mr. Garrett said, adding clients typically get their business done and return the same day.

"Time is money," Mr. Garrett said.

He said Averitt had been serving Chattanooga from its Nashville headquarters, but officials figured that locating a plane in the Scenic City could bolster business.

Mike Landguth, the airport's president, said Averitt's operation is a complement to passenger airline service.

"It's a good one-two punch," he said. Crystal Air also offers air taxi service at the airport, the official said.

Mr. Landguth said the airport receives 2 percent of sales of activity since Averitt is basing a jet in the city.

"If they're flying from Nashville, we don't get any of that activity," he said.

Mr. Garrett said while Volkswagen executives in the city might use a corporate jet, suppliers to the auto company's planned Chattanooga plant and others in for VW business would make good prospects for Averitt.

"There are a couple of other things stimulating industrial-type growth, and we may get a lift out of that," he said.

Mr. Garrett said the plane's maintenance will be done out of Nashville. In Chattanooga, the jet will operate out of Choo Choo Aero's facilities, Mr. Landguth said.