The private jet charter market has a well-established target audience, naturally led by business people in search of timely, flexible and private air transportation who are willing to pay top dollars. But there’s a new mix of clients that have been taking a piece of the pie. They’re the so called occasional private jet travelers, who experience this top-notch service as once-in-a-lifetime experience.
Especially during summer, private jet charter companies such as Monarch Air Group, based in strategic South Florida, register an interesting increase in these occasional charters; couples willing to add this experience as part of their honeymoon or in the overall costs of their wedding, by transporting guests to that very special event. And even chartering a private jet as part of bachelor and bachelorette parties has been required.
Although unusual and hardly enough to include it as a core business line for any private charter operator, in the case of Monarch Air Group, these type of services account for 8% of the total sales between June and September. “Although occasional, it would be a mistake not to acknowledge this market. We, as private jet operators, have a great opportunity to transform this volatile market into something much more constant during this time of the year. That’s a challenge we’ve been embracing during the last 5 years with some interesting results”, states David Gitman, Executive Director for the Fort Lauderdale based operator.
But there are other sources that contribute to this market. They’re the so called once-in-a-lifetime family holidays, where a large group of non-frequent private travellers hop on a jet and have the time of their life. Others, already spending an important amount of money to attend a sport event or a music concert, make an extra effort to take their leisure experience to a whole different level.
And what about the empty leg flights? Well, while there’s a need to handle them differently because they’re around all year long and used by a more diverse pool of clients; business, leisure and occasional travellers, these opportunities also experience a small increase during the summer, although numbers are too vague to determine whether this seasonal increase is due purely to the aforementioned sporadic passengers.
But one thing’s for sure, how some private jet operators have opened themselves to new audiences, in a way demystifying the private jet myths of the past; pure luxury and celebrity-esque prices, will only contribute to an increase in this market. Technology also has helped; new apps for renting a private jet whenever and wherever lead the way in this task to connect with these occasional private jet travelers.
Felipe Reisch is a communications professional with experience in the South America and U.S. aviation industry, specifically in the BizAv market. He holds a Master’s Degree in Corporate Communications and Reputation Management from The University of Manchester, and works as a Public Relations Manager for Monarch Air Group in Fort Lauderdale, U.S.A. He'll respond to questions or comments at [email protected].
