With so many business travelers flying by charter jet these days, the industry is adding more and more flexible options to keep rates competitive. Gone are the days when chartering a flight meant paying full price. Several business models have emerged in recent years that are making private charter jet options more accessible and affordable for the average business traveler.
Aircraft Management Services
The global economic crisis has put pressure on companies to get rid of their corporate jets, but it hasn’t eliminated the need for private jetaservices. For companies who haven’t yet abandoned their corporate fleets, but want to stabilize the costs of maintaining their aircraft, there are aircraft management services. These companies provide the personnel, aircraft hangers, and maintenance facilities to corporate owners.
Partial Ownership Programs
Instead of outright ownership of corporate fleets, some companies are opting for partial aircraft ownership. It works kind of like an airplane timeshare. They still have some upfront costs, but they enjoy low rates for air time. On the other hand, they must pay certain maintenance costs or membership fees, and have to coordinate travel with other participants.
Jet Card Membership Programs
One highly flexible service is a private jet membership card program. Usually run by charter jet brokers, these programs allow members to purchase airtime on a particular class of aircraft at flat rates. Typically, the airtime can be bought in increments of 25 hours and up, with no blackout dates and no expiration. For companies in frequent need of private jets, these jet cards can offer great savings.
Ride Sharing
Are you going my way? A new program offered by WannaJet offers a kind of charter jet on-demand service for certain limited areas. WannaJet allows travelers to post an itinerary on its website, or join a charter already scheduled. It makes the trip affordable by splitting the costs among four to six passengers. Travelers can expect to save up to 20% off of standard charter jet rates, making the ticket price comparable to flying business class, in some cases.
WannaJet is currently servicing 25 flight paths, limited to three-hour distances. They charge no membership fees, and offer perks for frequent customers.
