U.K.-based PrivateFly.com is positioning itself as a good option for those who no longer wish to fly commercially, but still need to get from point A to point B quickly and safely. Launched in 2007, the company is a global booking service for private jet charters and aircraft hires.
PrivateFly.com is like a Global Distribution System, similar to what is used by commercial travel providers like airlines and hotels.
It uses its website and app (iPhone and Android) to connect with a worldwide network of more than 7,000 certified aircraft, offering the best available planes at competitive prices. Aircraft available include the piston Cessna 206; the Cessna Citation I light jet; the medium-range Learjet 40; the long-range Gulfstream G500; and commercial regional and large airliners.
The company is the brainchild of Adam Tidwell, a former British Royal Air Force captain and private jet pilot. it was a challenge to develop Private Fly's network of private jets, he said.
"It helped to visit with aircraft operators, and it helped that I was pilot and knew the industry well, starting with companies who already knew me," said Tidwell. "There were concerns about pricing, but we told all the companies that both customers and operators could see all prices. Customers get transparency and operators can see what the competition."
PrivateFly.com understands that it caters to a lot of first-time private jet users, said Tidwell. "We have great content and a video on the process to book a jet," he said.
"We try and answer as many questions on the site as possible."
There are many reasons to consider using a private jet, said Tidwell. "For example, the BBC wanted to do a story on the last solar eclipse from the Faroe Islands. It looked at the cost to take its presenters from Manchester, U.K.," he said.
"Not only were we cheaper than the airlines, but they could also do the trip in a day. On the airlines, it would have taken three flights to get there. It's not just cost, it's the value of time."
Another lower-priced option for travelers are empty-leg flights, said Tidwell. Empty legs are when jets are booked one way and they fly empty to pick up the next passenger.
"Empty-leg flights are the holy grail of private jet travel because they serve as a great marketing tool for potential customers," Tidwell said. "It's a volatile industry, but it can be great for customer needing to go one way. There's no guarantee a jet will be available, but if you get lucky, you can get savings of 75 percent, which is comparable with the airlines."
PrivateFly.com can be competitive with airlines in some markets, said Tidwell. "Two-thirds of our flights go to places that don't have daily flights," he said.
But there are lots of competitors out there, said Tidwell. "There's nothing stopping aircraft operators from working directly with customers," he said. "There's also a whole industry of traditional aircraft brokers and new online entrants as well. We're also seeing new subscription fee-based models the feel more like the airlines, but using private jets."
But Tidwell still sees room to grow larger and even more global. "We started in the U.K. and we're now operating across Europe. And last year, we launched in the United States with an office in Miami," he said. "My challenge is how quickly can we roll PrivateFly.com out on a global network."
No comments:
Post a Comment