California-based Surf Air is in discussions with Cessna and Embraer over a light-jet fleet order as the company lays the groundwork to launch its membership-based all-you-can-fly charter service in Europe early next year. Surf Air, which announced plans this past summer to expand to Europe, has established an office in London, begun to build up its staff there and partnered with TAG Aviation (UK), which will operate its aircraft in the region.

“We plan to bring the success that we experienced with Surf Air in California to Europe,” said Simon Talling-Smith, CEO of Surf Air’s European operation. “We believe Europe is a wonderful opportunity because Surf Air does really well in markets where there are a large number of people traveling frequently between relatively close points and commercial service is frustrating.”

The company is planning two tiers of services—one involving PC-12 single-turboprop operations between closer niche markets and another involving light-jet operations between longer-haul markets, Talling-Smith said.

Surf Air has begun offering the services at an introductory tiered pricing system ranging from £1,450 ($1,800) per month for the turboprop flights and £2,950 ($3,680) per month for the jets. The services have had a strong reception so far, he said, noting that hundreds already have signed up for membership in the European program.

Surf Air is not yet ready to detail which jet aircraft or how many it plans to take. But it does expect that the initial operation, between London Luton and Zurich International Airports, will involve the jet. Talling-Smith did confirm that the talks are with Cessna and Embraer for a “substantial” fleet order that would span five years. Reportedly, the company is considering either the CJ4 or Embraer Phenom 300. Surf Air already has a long-term agreement in place for delivery of the PC-12s, which it also uses in California, he noted.

Target launch will be in the first quarter of 2017, Talling-Smith said. Initial service will be with a couple of regular flights daily, building up additional flights as the service becomes more established. “We expect runs a number of times a day,” he said. Following launch of London and Zurich, Surf Air is planning to “very quickly” add routes to Cannes Mandelieu and Geneva International, and other yet-to-be-disclosed locations, he added.

As it builds up its jet routes, Surf Air is hoping to capitalize on changing regulations in Europe to facilitate commercial single-engine turbine operations in IMC, Talling-Smith said, adding he believes the single-turbine PC-12 is well suited for the niche markets that are not well served by commercial carriers. “We are expecting dramatic growth over the next four years,” he said.

For Surf Air, Europe is only the beginning of the expansion. “We see Europe as the next step of the Surf Air journey,” Talling Smith said. “But we believe that model can work in many markets of the world.” He listed the Middle East, South Africa, Mexico, Brazil and Southeast Asia among the potential areas for opportunity. “The list goes on and on,” he said. “We would expect in the next five years to be growing Surf Air’s footprint in markets around the world.”