With airline companies still deliberating on how to keep the business running and the passengers safe, there is a trend towards looking for alternate ways to keep clients moving this summer, including the chartering of private planes
PrivateFly, a booking platform for on-demand private jet charter services, has reported an increase in the number of enquiries, from travel trade partners in the past two weeks.
According to the report, enquiries via travel trade partners in the last couple of weeks are up by 85% compared to the same time last year. This is despite the fact that most people in Europe are unable to fly right now, due to border restrictions.
More travel companies will be arranging for private jets for their clients in the coming months, Private Fly revealed.
There have been requests from new and existing travel trade partners, including consortia such as Virtuoso and Advantage Travel, as well as direct agency and concierge services.
Hannah Needs, PrivateFly?s head of partnerships commented: ?With travel restrictions easing in much of Europe from June 15, we are very busy with enquiries from travel agents, concierges and yacht brokers. They are telling us that their clients are desperate to get away, but are reluctant to fly on airlines, until the risk of COVID-19 has reduced significantly; particularly those with families, or older people, and those in higher risk groups. Agents are increasingly looking at private aviation as a solution, so holidays can still happen, without the risk of contamination.?
?Private jet travel is obviously more expensive than airlines, but for clients who are prepared to spend more, it offers greater control over your environment, both in the air and on the ground. You share the cabin only with your own group; and avoid the busy main airport, moving through a small and uncrowded private terminal instead. Additional measures are in place, to protect private jet passengers even further, including deep cleaning and disinfection before every flight, and new service protocols, to do away with handshakes,? she added.
The fares for PrivateFly?s services start at around ?6,500 and can cost anywhere up to ?7,000 for a one-way six-seater light jet, such as the Nextant 400XTi; for a short trip, from London to Nice, or around ?18,500 for a 13-seat Legacy 600, for a trip to Ibiza from London. The company offers on-demand private flights from a wide range of accredited aircraft operators from all over the world, and preferred access to a family fleet, by its parent company Directional Aviation.
?We work mainly with travel companies serving the luxury and corporate segments, but recent enquiries are coming from those who have not booked private jets before, and are now keen to opt for it. With airline commission rates declining in recent years, it is also an attractive revenue opportunity at a challenging time,? Ms Needs explained. ?We are predicting a growing proportion of our flights to be referred by travel partners in the months ahead. With travel now a more complex consideration for many, the role of the travel agent as a trusted adviser has never been more important.?
