Airlines Want to Stop Upstart JSX From Luring Rich Flyers Away

Alex Wilcox’s furious rivals say he’s exploiting a loophole. Wilcox counters that they’re just annoyed he’s treading on their turf.

At the heart of their dispute is JSX, a Dallas-based carrier beloved by work travelers for offering convenience like a chartered plane at near business class prices.

Wilcox got the idea for the service in what’s possibly the least glamorous business origin story of all time. Combing through US Federal Aviation Administration regulations, he learned that while scheduled flights with more than nine seats have to meet onerous safety and security requirements, on-demand public charters have separate, less stringent rules. Though, they can’t specify flight times or ...