The Tyrant Billionaire

Chapter 226: Chapter 226 HD Airlines Take Off

"Haha, with ABC already here, I dare say the new TV station won't develop at all, and NBC and CBS will be left behind," Hardy said.

"Are you that confident?"

"I've done so many businesses, have you seen me fail?" Hardy said.

Hardy was a professional at persuading people and drawing in powerful partners to quickly become strong and earn a lot of money.

"Alright, Hardy, we'll talk about this later." Mayer still felt the price Hardy offered was too high.

"Mr. Mayer, my airline is opening in a few days. I invite you to attend. I will have someone send an invitation over," Hardy said.

"I will definitely attend," Mayer said.

After two months of preparation, HD Airlines was ready to officially open today. In fact, it had started trial operations a month ago. After a month of adjustments, it is running smoothly now.

Los Angeles Airport.

HD Airlines held a simple yet grand opening ceremony.

It was simple because it was just a basic ceremony at the airport with guests witnessing it and not much else planned.

It was grand, mainly because of the prominent guests who attended today.

California Senator Nixon, the mayor of Los Angeles, the president of Wells Fargo, and MGM's big boss Mayer.

But these people were just the beginning.

There was also a group of Hollywood stars, including Gary Grant, Clark Gable, Ava Gardner, Elizabeth Taylor, Hedy Lamarr, and dozens of other stars.

Any one of these stars could draw a crowd, and now dozens of them were here, causing the airport to be packed with people who rushed over upon hearing the news. Some passengers who just got off the plane were standing in the hall with their luggage, and some even canceled their flights just to see the stars.

About three to four thousand people gathered in the hall. Fortunately, HD security personnel were responsible for the venue's safety, so no disturbances occurred.

Hardy, Nixon, the mayor of Los Angeles, the president of Wells Fargo, and Mayer went on stage to cut the ribbon, receiving a round of applause.

After the ribbon cutting, HD Airlines president Franklin went on stage to loudly introduce the status of HD Airlines.

HD Airlines is headquartered in Los Angeles, with three airline hubs in Los Angeles, New York, and Kansas in the central United States. It serves cities including San Francisco, Chicago, Las Vegas, Denver, and more than twenty other cities.

It includes both passenger and cargo services.

"The company plans to add 50 more aircraft in the next five years and connect to over 50 cities nationwide."

"HD Airlines concept is to create an 'air bus,' making travel as convenient as taking a bus. To save customers money, starting today, the airline will offer discounts across the board, with ticket prices 30% off the regulated price, making it affordable for everyone. You can also earn points with each flight, which can be used to purchase tickets for future flights with HD Airlines."

At first, people were drawn to the star studded event. But thinking about it, it made sense since HD Airlines is Hardy's industry, and Hardy is a Hollywood big shot. Even if he didn't invite them, these stars would likely come on their own.

Next, people were shocked by the discounts offered by HD Airlines.

The discount was 30% off.

This seemed like a loss making deal. Could the airline still make money at 30% off?

And the points system.

It was very attractive to frequent flyers, offering more savings on top of the discounts.

Many realized that a price war in the airline industry was likely to start, with HD Airlines firing the first shot. If other airlines didn't follow suit, HD would probably take a significant share of the traffic.

However, the public would certainly welcome this since it benefited the customers.

Of course, there were some complaints about HD Airlines during its trial run. Passengers described the experience with one word: stingy.

HD Airlines was too stingy.

The plane provided no meals, not even water. The most annoying part was that there were no flight attendants, only male servers. The only facility on the plane was the bathroom.

"Creating an air bus indeed feels like a long distance bus," some complained about the narrow seats. Large people felt squeezed in. Some calculated that HD Airlines had eight or nine more seats than other airlines, making the space narrower and less comfortable.

Despite many complaints, HD Airlines was fully booked every day since its official opening. Passengers only chose other airlines when HD was fully booked.

Passengers on HD Airlines laughed and said, "I don't care about the service. I'm not flying to relax or to see flight attendants. My only goal is to reach my destination, which HD Airlines can do perfectly."

"People list many shortcomings, but it has one huge advantage: it's cheap. The ticket I bought was half the price of other airlines, saving me $50 on a $100 ticket. Earning $50 for enduring three or four hours is the best deal, judging by how hard it is to get HD Airlines tickets now."

People were willing to fly cheaper planes to save some money. Who cares if there's no in flight service? They could bring their own food and drinks. No flight attendants? The savings were better than any flight attendant's looks.

The rich might say HD Airlines is trash, but let them fly with other airlines. HD Airlines tickets were hard to get, so let us poor people have those seats.

As for the slight discomfort, they could bear it for a short time.

That day, ABC Television's directors Fox and Irina came to Hardy to report on the progress of the broadcasting company.

"The TV station structure is complete, all departments are staffed, several studios are renovated and ready for news, makeup, and talk shows. One large studio, still under construction, can accommodate over a hundred audience members for large productions."

"The puppet actor show and the addition of star Elizabeth Taylor have produced high quality programs, which we believe children will love. The show will air daily, each episode lasting 45 minutes."

"I've already interviewed the hosts, and they're all good."