Flexjet gives rich people new choices

by Tom Johansmeyer on

The wealthy feel pain, just like the rest of us. As we fight the tightening walls of a global recession, Flexjet is making things a little easier for the world’s financial elite. If you’re looking to extend the value of your private jet dollar, these two programs could be exactly what you need. If, on the other hand, you are like me, read something else, maybe the Cockpit Chronicles or Galley Gossip … this sale is too rich for your blood.

The Flexjet 25 “split-payment option” turns the obligation of one payment into two! Instead of having to pay for a 25-, 30- or 35-hour Flexjet 25 Jet Card, you can pay half up front and the other after six months – or when you have scheduled more than half of the purchased flight hours.

The other new development is that cardholders can now split their hours between two types of aircraft without incurring any additional fees. If you are among the privileged few, your choices include the Learjet 40, Learjet 45, Learjet 60, Challenger 300 and Challenger 604.

Among the capitally anointed? This is not a deal to be missed!

TSA Wants to Screen Passengers of Private Jets

by Josh Lew on

The TSA wants to expand its reach to include the 15,000 private and corporate jets and 300+ small airports that are currently outside its jurisdiction. The security agency claims that many of the jets are the same size as small commercial planes and could be used to commit acts of terrorism. They want all private jet passengers and crews to pass a background check before boarding their planes. Private plane owners, pilots and corporate fliers are crying foul. Most call the proposed plan an invasion of privacy and a waste of money.

But whose money would it be wasting? According to the TSA, 85% of the $200 million per year it would take to fund the screening will come from fees charged to the jets’ owners and operators. The proposal does not include physical screening. Passengers and crews would have to provide ID and give their name and birth date. The TSA will most likely subcontract out the work to security firms that specialize in background checks. The proposal, which is more than 200 pages long, states that frequent fliers will only have to pass the background check once.

Source

Talking travel with an insider of the personal jet industry

by Jerry Guo on

Bob Knebel is vice president of sales for Flexjet, a subsidiary of the jet-maker Bombardier which sells shares of private jets to frequent fliers. This is a relatively new trend in the marketplace. He’s here to give a glimpse into what actually goes on in the world of ultra jet-setters.

For owners of private jets, is the airport process totally different from what we commoners have to bear? Can you go straight onto the tarmac and lift off?

First, and foremost, it is important to know that security at general aviation airports is taken as seriously as it is at the larger commercial airports … and always has been. That said, a passenger will go through a brief identification/security screening process by the Fixed Base Operator (the base of operations for business jets transiting through this airport), and then again with the crew flying your aircraft. The entire process is personal, and much quicker than that at a commercial airport. And, yes, depending on the particular airport policies, in many instances you may drive your car on to the ramp, making the job of loading your luggage directly on to your aircraft just that much easier.

I’ve seen quite a bit of advertising for private jet vacations. Is this something you’re seeing–hop-scotch trips through Eastern Europe or South Asia by jet, for instance?

Flexjet recently launched a new advertising campaign and through our research we found most of our customers use their private jet primarily as a business tool and not so much a glamorous perk. It’s an investment in productivity and their most valuable asset: time. Certainly some will use their private jet to accomplish a special vacation trip that would not otherwise be possible within their time constraints, or through areas which might offer less-than-reliable commercial travel options.

Tell us a bit about the Flexjet 25 program. Does this make private jet travel accessible to previous first-class travelers? For what kind of crowd has fractional jet ownership become affordable?

Flexjet 25 jet cards offer the highest form of pain relief for travelers who have spent countless hours waiting at the airport for delayed or canceled flights. They give travelers a way to sample private aviation without assuming ownership of a plane, and offer an excellent opportunity for those interested in fractional ownership as a way to test out private aviation without the commitment. (Although, I must say, after flying private few go back to commercial travel.)

Additionally, what is unique about the Flexjet 25 Jet Card program is that it allows customers to purchase flying hours in 25-, 30- and 35-hour increments in our Bombardier Learjet 40 XR, Learjet 45 XR, Learjet 60 XR, Challenger 300 or Challenger 604 aircraft. Here are some additional key benefits:

If you could “borrow” one of the Flexjet jets, what would be your ideal around-the-world itinerary?

I would travel to the world’s most difficult to reach destinations, places which offer unique learning experiences and opportunities to create life-long memories for my family.

Do Flexjet jets come with a service staff? Do fliers still have to go through those annoying safety demonstrations? Are the flight attendants at least prettier?

All of our flight crews are selected not only for their excellent experience and strict adherence to safe operating procedures, but also for their “servant’s heart”. Our largest aircraft, the Challenger 605, includes a flight attendant as a full-time member of the crew. They are the most professional, in terms of both appearance and demeanor, in the sky. Safety demonstrations are required by the Federal Aviation Administration, and we do our best to make sure they are brief, and delivered in a respectful manner.

What are the three emerging markets you’re seeing for luxury travel?

  • Entrepreneurs who have recently sold their company.
  • Highly compensated executives who no longer have access to the corporate fleet for their personal travel.
  • Business owners looking for a safe and reliable means for creating more time with family.

For the uninitiated, would you go over the different models you guys offer? Is there a type of flier that goes with each jet?

Bombardier Aerospace, the world leader in business aviation, designs, manufactures, maintains and operates every aircraft in the Flexjet fleet including the Bombardier Learjet 40 XR, Learjet 45 XR, Learjet 60 XR; and long-range Bombardier Challenger 300 and Challenger 604 and 605 jets.

How much is the growth in private jet ownership? Are our skies going to be absolutely clogged with these air taxis in 10 years?

Despite the current economy, the fractional ownership industry is growing and, according to data from the Federal Aviation Administration, demand for Flexjet’s fractional shares is growing faster than it is for the industry as a whole. In 2003, we had 10% of the total fractional aircraft market and by 2007 that number has grown to 20%. This year Flexjet has experienced growth in revenue and flight hours of more than 15% over last year and we have seen even more significant growth in orders in that period.

As for the potential for the air taxi market clogging the skies, we believe this is not likely. Business aircraft tend to utilize smaller airports, which do not have the saturation problem found at larger commercial airports. In addition, today’s business jets are equipped with sophisticated navigation equipment which enables them to fly more directly to their destinations. And, finally, the air taxi market is still an emerging concept, and the overall acceptance of the concept by potential customers is yet to be proven.

New travel service for private jets offers one way to get places fast

by Jamie Rhein on

There is a new travel service that operates out of Albany, New York. Javian Jet Traveler doesn’t own jets, but helps connect private jets with people who are looking for rides.

Frank Figliomeni, the owner of the company, thinks, as far as he knows, that Javian Jet Traveler is the only one like it in the United States.

According to this article in the Daily Gazette, although, primarily serving people living in the central region of New York, Javian Jet Traveler’s data base includes 50 private jet companies across the country.

In a nutshell, if Figliomeni finds out that a private jet is interested in carrying passengers, he creates a flight package to connect customers to the jet.

Taking a private jet isn’t cheap, but as Figliomeni says, if people join together with others, the price is doable–kind of. Making a tidy income would help. The example he presents is three couples sharing a twin turboprop plane to Martha’s Vineyard for a weekend trip.

The total cost is $3,000. I would guess this is the cost for going from Albany to Martha’s Vineyard and back. That makes the trip $500 per person.

If you can’t afford the plane to Martha’s Vineyard, drive. My friend who lives near Albany said that you can drive there in about six hours. But, then, if you left after work on a Friday, you’d miss out on dinner while overlooking the ocean. Instead, you’d be rolling in about midnight, and stumbling into your hotel room.

Virgin Charter kicks off domestic private service

by Grant Martin on

Subsidiaries of Virgin keep manifesting like mold on bread, largely, I believe, because Richard Branson is not stupid-rich enough. Did you know that he bought his own island when he was like 30?

Branson’s new airline project, Virgin Atlantic America Blue Express Nigeria Charter is actually more of a network of private domestic airline companies. Each of the charter services are run and owned separately — Virgin just supplies the logistics to mange and load all of the planes so that they can fit the maximum number of passengers into the open charter seats. Nearly half of charters, you see, run empty because people only charter a plane one way (it wont wait while they’re there — another one will come back for the return flight).

With Virgin’s technology, those loads will be managed so that most legs should be occupied. It’s a pretty good idea and I’m surprised nobody thought of it before, I suppose Branson just had the know-how and capital to get the idea off the ground.

As far as price, don’t plan on taking a Virgin Charter any time soon. Chartered flights can run up into the thousands of dollars per leg, so they’re only really good for niche or wealthy travelers. I’m still waiting on the enquiry I posted for prices between Detroit and New York. I think they’re on to me.

[Via TechCrunch]