Optimizing the air transport network for summer travel

Nick Copley, president of SherpaReport, does the heavy lifting when it comes to defining what you need to know about access to business aviation, whether full ownership, fractional, jet cards or charters.

This week he explores the summer trends in private aircraft leisure travel.

The summer months bring an increase in leisure travel on private aircraft as executive passengers maximize the opportunity to spend quality time travelling with family and friends in the privacy of their own cabin.

Indeed, private aviation excels at transitioning from discretely, efficiently, and directly conveying corporate passengers on arduous business trips, to transporting families conveniently and directly from home to their vacation destination.

The ability to arrive at a small private airport, drive straight to the aircraft stairs and board a jet that has been prepared as per the customer's wishes is highly appealing. Even when one must pass through a private terminal for immigration or security, the flow is designed to give passengers and crew their own efficient space prior to boarding. Once in flight, the level of interaction between crew and passengers can be tailored and the cabin becomes a private space where families have the privilege to spend valuable time together.

Image courtesy Sentient Jet

On arrival at the destination, passengers are guided through a calm private terminal where ground transportation whisks them off to their final location. In a post-pandemic world, with a commercial aviation structure still struggling to meet its full potential, the benefits of flying privately remain strong. Among other benefits, health risks are mitigated and stress-free travel is assured.

A recent SherpaReport survey of over 230 members confirms that the pull of business aviation is strong for leisure travellers: the data shows that 68% of members use private aviation for leisure – or a combination of leisure and business – and over 90% travel with family or friends. Our members are smart, experienced travellers who tend to be wealthy and research their travel options.

Respondents cited the familiar advantages of private aviation as motivations for using executive travel: saving time, taking advantage of custom schedules and reducing airport waits; gaining access to airports closer to destinations; and the flexibility to organize or change flights at short notice. Many respondents added that it made travelling with the family pet (seemingly usually a dog) possible, easier and more convenient. Flying privately also allows time with family and friends, permits all aboard to optimise inflight connectivity for fun, yet still provides executives a productive environment if business needs to be taken care of. For those with medical necessities that require complex equipment, a private cabin reduces unwanted attention and increases comfort as well.

A yet under-appreciated trend shows that many of our members also incorporate commercial flights into their longer journeys. Their tendency to interline - connect a commercial flight with a private leg - debunks the myth that those who fly private only fly private. Our survey found that 40% of respondents use a combination of private and commercial aviation, and looking ahead, 60% of respondents plan to use both private and commercial aviation. The most common examples are families and friends flying trans-oceanic using a commercial carrier, then transitioning to a private solution for internal/national/shorter routes. For example, flying into Africa commercially and transferring to a private aircraft to reach a safari lodge, or flying to Miami and moving on to a Caribbean island on a smaller aircraft.

Indisputably private aviation is a necessary part of the air transport network and it is interesting to note that more airlines are acquiring business jets. Qatar Executive led the way with its fleet of Gulfstream G650s and Bombardier Global airframes. Delta and Wheels Up teamed up to offer the combined benefits of commercial flights with last leg transport options. Emirates just announced in July that passengers now have access to on-demand charters connecting passengers from Dubai’s Al Maktoum International Airport (DWC) with local Gulf Cooperation Council destinations. Business and commercial flying are no longer mutually exclusive, and we anticipate more of this type of partnership will follow.

Our survey also reinforces that the appetite for private aviation is not waning any time soon. 30% of respondents said that in the future, they intend to use private aviation roughly the same amount as they do now, while a significant 44% said they intend to increase their use of private aviation. While most respondents use jet cards (45%) or charter aircraft (37%) to access private aviation, 19% are fractional aircraft owners, 9% use shared or semi-private flights and 9% own their own aircraft. Looking into the future, 24% said they intend to become a fractional aircraft owner – a percentage reflecting the current surge in fractional fleets.

For over 15 years, SherpaReport.com has been a comprehensive, independent source for in-depth information about the burgeoning shared luxury travel market. It is a constantly updated online hub for those seeking news, analysis, and directories to help them make informed decisions about whether buying a private aircraft or investing in alternatives such as fractional ownership, jet cards and/or charters are right for them, their families, and their companies.

SherpaReport.com also offers guidance on other luxury travel options such as destination clubs. Its team of editors and market analysts conduct extensive research, constantly monitor the market, and interview the industry's senior executives to keep on top of the latest trends and issues offering information to educate readers that can be found nowhere else.

sherpareport.com

BlueSky Business Aviation News | 3rd August 2023 | Issue #711