Let’s be realistic: these are difficult times when it comes to travel. Only the concept of cleanliness, alone, is one that the hospitality industry is doing in charge and the center. I am sure that we have all seen the photos of travelers in airplanes, which are dressed in security shields. So, here is something to consider: why not fly in a private jet? Air Charter Service, based on the outskirts of London, is the world’s largest private aircraft company. I spoke extensively with his CEO, Justin Bowman, who pointed out all the advantages of flying privately.

DK: When did your company start?

JB: He started in the basement of a house 30 years ago. We now operate in 27 offices worldwide, in 17 countries. We have an office on all continents in the world. Last year, our annual global sales were $ 650 million. We organize trips in private airplanes, large commercial airplanes for groups and cargo aircraft. The three facets of aviation. Last year, we organize 23,000 charter flights, each rented by a person or a company. We are the largest global player: the industry is approximately $ 25 billion per year. Air Charter Service is the biggest player in that space.

DK: What are some of the advantages of private jet trips?

JB: There are so many that I could get bored for hours. At this current moment, health and hygiene are the factors that will boost people to take their own planes. This is not precedent, since people try to reduce contact with other people. With commercial flights, since it leaves your car to enter the terminal, to the other end, it will come into contact with a maximum with approximately 20 different people on a trip. In my opinion, private planes are like time machines: they are linked in all the places where you want to fly, from where you are. The plane is waiting for you the moment you want to leave, to take where you want to go, not through a center, compared to conventional flights. And it is not as expensive as most people think.

Think of private airplanes such as flying taxis: there are 96 different types of private aircraft. All charge a slightly different amount of money. Our smaller jet is a Cessna Citation Mustang, a four -seat plane, costs $ 1,500 per hour to work. At the other end, there is a plane like a Gulfstream G 600, which is the Rolls-Royce of Private Aviation: it will cost around $ 13,000 to $ 15,000 to run an hour.

We have already begun to see in the last weeks that the activity is almost the same, but greater than last year. The new customers are reaching the market that have not used private aviation before. They want to continue traveling, but they want to control their surroundings. I hope the demand will increase during the rest of 2020 and beyond. What we saw in the months prior to June: the Earth’s borders were closed, but in reality we saw an increase of 70% more people “window purchases” and asking. Many of our letters travel to Bermudas, Bahamas, Jamaica, Santa Lucía and Hawaii, and the Caribbean in general. One of the drivers: airlines have stopped flying so many places now that having a direct link to these places is no longer a commercial possibility.

DK: What are some of the destinations that private airplanes can fly to the largest aircraft cannot?

JB: The length of the track affects the size of the plane that can land, places like Martha’s Vineyard, some of the Caribbean islands with short tracks such as St. Kitts or Catalina Island in California, and ski places that are high of a mountain. , where commercial airplanes cannot land. Private aircraft: Save time. If your vacation house is in the middle of nowhere, it can be there in a shorter time. We can often make arrangements to let him leave it almost precisely where he wants to be. There are thousands of airfields in which private airplanes can be entered, that large commercial airlines cannot. The convenience is to go wherever he goes when he wants to go, land on a runway near where he wants to be. You can land and be at home for 10 minutes. They are like time machines: they save you a lot of time.

DK: Tell us about safety and cleaning aboard private planes. Is it cleaned better than the commercial?

JB: They are definitely closed by hand after each flight, and are tarnished to completely clean and kill any possible bacteria. Instead of being cleaned. It is a cleaner way to travel. Each surface is absolutely clean.

DK: Will luxury trips do faster than recovery than other sectors?

JB: The first indications for us is that it seems to be bouncing very quickly. Humans like to travel, and people have stayed at home for so long. Commercial airlines have reduced in reality, so these luxury destinations can only be reached by a very small number of scheduled flights. Maybe there were 10 flights a day for a beautiful destination, now there are only two flights there per day. The beauty of private aviation (people are in bubbles, family members, family and friends who want to spend time together. Beauty: you can travel with your little gang without spending time with other people.

We believe it will do a strong and fast recovery. People have moved to experimental trips, for memories. If you can pay it and it is demonstrably safer, why would you not fly privately?

DK: Who is flying privately?

JB: It is incredibly diverse: from entrepreneurs, companies, corporations and high -level individuals. We see sports professionals and musicians, because they do not want to be bothered by the public. Now we are seeing many more passengers who just want to stay away from all. Go from California to Hawaii, take a G-4, is a long flight, you would be looking at $ 90,000 to Hawaii and back. Miami to Jamaica takes less time, using a smaller plane, it would cost around $ 40,000 to $ 50,000 round trip.

Private aviation is a great sector: if it observes business aviation, pilots and engineers, builders, is a fantastic industry. During the crisis we could help repatriate people to many places: it is such undervalued resource.

DK: Do private planes have hostesses?

JB: smaller airplanes do not have a hostess: the small four seats. It begins to obtain flight assistants when it reaches medium airplanes, six or eight seats. You can go to 10 different countries in 10 days, so it is a really interesting life. Each letter is “ad hoc”, one off, and on each flight the client has the opportunity to customize it. We can organize the food and wine that the client wants, food prepared from a favorite restaurant to enjoy in flight and a jacket of white gloves. We are giving them everything they want while they move safely from A B.

Food requests range from restaurants with Michelin stars to Burger King and KFC. You would be surprised by the number of people who only want fast food. A famous American lady singer, flying from Europe to the Middle East, with money like no object, wanted a three -legged dinner and kfc fried papers. The flight can cost $ 60,000 with a $ 10 meal. But it is our work to deliver what the client wants.

For more information about my trips of passion for travel, follow me on Instagram in @Debbikickham.