The Quick Descent of Surf Air

The prevailing theory among loyalty wonks these days is that the next generation of travelers cares less about loyalty and more about brand and personalization. But last week, that logic faltered. Surf Air is a subscription-based airline that operates flights out of a handful of West Coast cities. The concept is great: Pay a monthly subscription fee and fly anywhere in the airline's network as much as you want. But the concept also relies on reaching a critical mass of travelers and earning their business — which is to say, convincing wealthy travelers to defect from mainstream air carriers. Last week, Surf Air got into hot water with a former flight operator that alleged that it owed the company $3.1 million. This follows news that the carrier recently switched partners and is now on its third co