Karl Lagerfeld's private jet-themed show at Paris Fashion Week 2012
Yesterday’s Chanel show by Karl Lagerfeld at Paris Fashion Week demonstrated the enduring appeal and glamour of private aviation for the fashion industry.
Chanel’s Haute Couture show at the Grand Palais in Paris was transformed into a ‘Chanel Air’ private jet, with numbered seats, strip lighting, emergency exits and of course, a bar.
Despite his unrivalled reputation for hosting lavish shows, Lagerfeld’s design was in fact far less lavish than the interiors of many real private jets. A real private aircraft would never have numbered seats – passengers can sit, recline or even sleep wherever they like. In fact some aircraft interiors have fully-fitted bedrooms and bathrooms, not to mention meeting rooms and spacious seating.
The interior of a Boeing Business Jet
The Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) is one larger private charter aircraft that offers a large, luxury interior that is suitable for the most discerning of fashionistas. The 5,390 cubic feet of cabin can be designed almost any way desired. Most configurations divide the cabin into four compartments. The four compartments generally consist of a board room, a lounge, a VIP bedroom, a business office, and two lavatories with showers. Separate galley, washroom and luggage storage are also included.
Other haute couture interiors in the sky are offered by the new Gulfstream G650 – which will be available for private charter later this year – and Embraer’s Lineage.
This is one of the questions I am frequently asked. Many people who have not flown by private jet have no idea how much it costs to charter an aircraft. Even those who have used private jets before often find it difficult to understand how private jet pricing works.
One of PrivateFly.com’s key objectives is to be completely transparent to our members about private jet charter pricing. Since the recession, private jet customers have become more cost-conscious and more demanding in securing the best deal and we believe the industry must respond by providing more transparency and choice.
We aim to make private jet pricing simple and you can find instant estimate prices for any private jet flight using our private jet hire cost calculator. The cost of a private charter can vary considerably. From £2,000 for a short trip on a turboprop aircraft to £500,000 for a round-the-world trip on one of the biggest and most luxurious aircraft available. Of course most charters are somewhere between these extremes, with a two-day return flight on a small or medium jet within Europe ranging from around £4,000 to around £12,000.
The flight price depends on a number of factors including aircraft type, locations, timings and the distance of the flight. However the private jet charter price is for the whole aircraft so, for larger groups on some journeys, the cost per head can be comparable with business class airline fares.
Airport positioning
Unlike airlines, private jets can operate from a large number of airports and the aircraft is often located in a different place to where the flight will start. Like a taxi, it will need to reposition itself (often empty) into the departure airport prior to the flight. The cost of chartering the jet will take into account the cost of these positioning flights (which are often called empty sectors or empty legs). Empty legs can sometimes be sold as one-way charters to other customers, often at a substantial discount.
Return times On a return trip, the length of time between the outward and return flights will also determine what extra costs are incurred for example airport parking charges and hotel costs for your crew.
Translating private jet charter costs Here is a list of the costs involved in private jet charter and what they mean:
Flight Time: The hourly rate of the aircraft multiplies by the airborne flight time for the entire trip.
Airport Landing Fees: Each airport charges a unique landing fee for an aircraft. This will depend on its weight.
Airport Handling Fees: Most airports require an aircraft to be managed on the ground by a Fixed Based Operator (FBO) or Aircraft Handling Company. The charges incurred will cover the cost of arranging fuel, toilet servicing, passenger transport to and from the terminal, crew rest facilities and other handling requirements.
Passenger Taxes: Depending on the route many countries now charge a passenger departure tax.
Crew Salaries: Most private jets have 2 pilots but smaller propeller aircraft can operate with only one captain. Larger cabin aircraft such a Gulfstream will also have a flight attendant on-board.
Crew Expenses: When working, the crew’s meals will be provided by the company.
Hotel Costs: Overnight hotel costs are always paid for by the aircraft operator and billed to the charterer.
Ground Transport: Costs of taxis for the crew and any requested cars for the passengers will be added into the charter price.
Here’s a working example of private jet charter pricing
Let’s take a simple example of a return flight between London City Airport and Frankfurt Airport. You can follow this example using our online private jet cost calculator.
For this flight we’re using one of our most popular aircraft available for charter – a Citation XLS, which in this case is based in London Biggin Hill.
Flight Schedule: 1 Jan – Depart Airport London City Airport: 09:00hrs local
Arrive Airport Frankfurt Main
Passengers: 5
2 Jan – Depart Airport Frankfurt Main: 12:00hrs local
Arrive Airport London City Airport
Passengers: 5
Cost calculation
Outbound
London Biggin Hill to London City (positioning)
11 (nm)
London City to Frankfurt Main
334 (nm)
Total Distance
345 (nm)
Flying Hours
1 Hrs 18 Min
Flying Cost for 1 Hr
£2,936
Flying Charge (Flying Cost for 1 Hr x Flying Hours)
£3,818
Landing Fee in LONDON CITY and FRANKFURT MAIN INTL
£1,600 + £273 = £1873
Number of Fuel stops
0
Total Fuel stop Cost
0
Total cost Leg 1
£5,691
Inbound
Frankfurt Main to London City
334 (nm)
London City to London Biggin Hill (positioning back to home base)
11 (nm)
Total Distance
345 (nm)
Flying Hours
1 Hrs 18 Min
Flying Cost for 1 Hr
£2,936
Flying Charge (Flying Cost for 1 Hr x Flying Hours)
Aircraft manufacturer Airbus has unveiled a new ‘concept’ aircraft with a see-through cabin, which will allow air travellers of the future a thrilling, uninterrupted view while they fly.
Airbus states that the concept could become reality by 2050.
In what reads like a script from a James Bond film, the company describes how at a touch of a button, the cabin walls and ceiling will become fully transparent, allowing incredible 360 degree views.
As with most aviation developments, PrivateFly predicts that the military will bring in the technology first, closely followed by the private aviation industry.
Fully transparent cockpits already exist in military aircraft, with pilots of F16 fighter aircraft sitting in a bubble-style cockpit, giving a staggering panoramic view.
Leading edge technology
Other details revealed about the Airbus futuristic concept aircraft are focussed on flight and environmental efficiency.
Its wings will be much longer and thinner with the engines embedded inside, thus reducing drag and fuel consumption – and providing lower emissions and noise pollution.
The conventional T-tail has also been re-shaped into a slick U shape, which gives the impression of being more spaceship than aircraft.
The concept aircraft’s cabin is to be a bionic structure that replicates the strength and efficiency of bird bone.
This use of bio-engineering to replicate animal structures in transport is not new. Indeed the designers of Japan’s new bullet trains redesigned its nose to reduce noise and improve fuel-efficiency by 20%, by borrowing nature’s design for the Kingfisher’s beak.
The Airbus concept aircraft is still many years away from take-off, though who knows what developments will overtake it in the meantime?
The world of aviation is truly developing at an astounding rate. Who could have predicted that just 108 years on from the Wright brothers first airborne endeavour, Virgin would be just a year away from operating the first passenger space flights? So in fifty years from now, prepare to expect the unexpected.
Following his complaints about airport security, Sir Martin Broughton needs to send the British Airways board through a private jet airport terminal to understand how a “one-size-fits-all” approach to airport security can work.
The private jet industry is not exempt from the same Department for Transport regulated airport security checks as BA passengers but complaints from the “private jet set” are a rarity. The reason, Sir Martin will discover, is good old customer service. Private jet security staff adhere to some simple guidelines: no chewing of gum, no informal private conversations with fellow staff, look customers in the eye and speak to them with respect.
Sir Martin could also learn from Lawrence Hunt, who opted to take Silverjet’s passenger security screening in-house. For Silverjet’s passengers, the customer service experience started with the interaction with security staff, who were every bit as central to the business plan as their lounge staff, pilots and cabin crew. Instead of complaining, there is no reason why BA cannot employ its own security staff – after all would you trust such a major part of your customer’s satisfaction to BAA?
There is currently much aviation industry discussion about the green potential of algae-based aircraft fuel. There is little doubt that it holds the biggest potential as a long-term replacement for kerosene and the fuel is already available, having been used by Airbus parent-company EADS to carry out a test flight on a Diamond DA42 private aircraft last year.
However most industry experts agree that we are unlikely to see widespread use in aviation for a decade or more – due to prohibitive costs and insufficient investment. It will be a huge uphill struggle to produce the algae-based fuel at a competitive price to carbon-based fuel. The production cost per litre of kerosene is 30 cents, whereas for the algae-based biofuel it’s $10 per litre. So the price would have to come down by a very considerable degree to be anywhere near competitive.
Then there’s the issue of volume. The global aviation industry uses 220 billion litres of kerosene per year, with the major consumers the airlines – where of course cost competitiveness will be absolutely critical.
All of this points to an opportunity for the private jet sector. Private jets use a fraction of the fuel of an airliner (although obviously on a per seat basis the fuel burn is higher) so would need less of the biofuel to operate 100% green flights. And of course, there will be a certain sub-group of private jet customers who will have a particularly keen interest in ‘being seen to be green’ – even if this means paying a premium. Innovation is always paid for in any industry by a select group of people who can afford to be first movers – which has already been seen in green developments in the car industry.
So could the private jet sector help to lead aviation into a greener future? One exciting aircraft to look out for is the Diamond Twin Star (Diamond are working with EADS on the algae-based fuel project). The Twin Star is already the greenest way to travel by private aviation and available on the PrivateFly network.
Following the news that Prime Minister David Cameron and wife Samantha are back from their short break in Spain, where they travelled by Ryanair (and were snapped waiting to board at Stansted), comes the announcement the Deputy PM Nick Clegg will shun his holiday home abroad this Easter for a holiday in Norfolk (Sunday Times). These travel arrangements have provoked some considerable reaction in the British media, including a letter to the Telegraph on Saturday saying that UK PMs needed to “have more balls and travel in style”.
Similarly, showbusiness and media mogul Lord Andrew Lloyd Webber mentioned in a weekend TV interview with Piers Morgan that he uses a combination of private jets and low cost airlines (in his case it was Flybe to Majorca). These are a couple of high-profile examples of a small, but growing group of travellers: Those who choose to travel by low cost airlines or by private jet – rarely on scheduled airlines.
We see this type of customer more and more at PrivateFly.com. Their (post-recessionary) attitude is that it’s all about efficiency: One option reflects the most cost-efficient way of getting from A to B; the other, the most time-efficient. While they have the income required to travel by private jet, they are savvy enough to pick and choose the occasions where a low cost airline represents a better bet. This is normally when they can use airports close to home; when the route is (very) direct to their destination; and when the low cost carrier offers a higher frequency of flights or suitable take-off times. If these boxes are not ticked, then they will hire a private jet instead (naturally at the most cost-effective market rate) and get there in the shortest possible time, often driving right up to the aircraft’s steps, sidestepping all queues and departure lounge delays – and working solidly on the flight.
A more cynical view of the Camerons’ and Lloyd-Webbers’ travel choices might point to a certain awareness of their media profile but, certainly for the rest of this breed of traveller, efficiency is at the heart of their travel choices. Private jets are more about time-saving and less about luxury.
Many holidaymakers and travel industry professionals breathed a sigh of relief earlier this week when it was announced that Spanish airport workers have voted to call off 22 days of strike action by Spain’s largest union, CCOO – averting disruption over peak holiday periods between April and August.
The strikes would have involved security staff, baggage handlers, ground crew and others at 47 Spanish airports and would have dealt a serious blow to Spain’s tourism industry in the busy Easter holidays and summer travel seasons. Apparently, Spain is seeing an increase in visitor numbers as tourists avoid trouble spots in the Middle East and North Africa such as Egypt and Tunisia.
Demand for private jet charter goes up significantly during periods of industrial action or airline disruption for other reasons such as political unrest or extreme weather conditions. Private charter operators are often able to keep passengers moving when airlines fail; by using smaller, regional airports which may be unaffected or providing ground transportation to nearby countries. And by maintaining a flexible itinerary, private jet charter operators are able to respond quickly to changes in any such situation, getting passengers airborne again quickly.
The Spanish island of Majorca is one of the destinations featured on our Easter 2011 holiday private jet hotspots. With the Easter, Royal Wedding and May bank holidays falling so close together this year, the period is proving particularly popular with UK travellers.
Lord Sugar appeared on stage yesterday at the British Business and General Aviation Association’s annual conference in St Albans. During his informal interview by George Galanopoulos (MD of London Executive Aviation) he made a series of surprising and contradictory statements. He certainly knows his stuff when it comes to business aviation but, in this instance, I couldn’t help but wonder: Was Lord Sugar making any sense?
At the outset of the interview, Lord Sugar wooed the audience of private jet operators and service providers by describing how he was introduced to private aviation. He talked about how, in the early days of his career, he was required to visit an factory in Aalborg, Denmark twice a week. By chartering a private jet he was able to leave his home at 8am, fly directly to the factory, spend a full day’s work in Denmark and still be home by 6pm. Inflexible airline schedules and long ground transfers were just not an option for his business needs and there was a clear argument for private jet charter in order to significantly increase his efficiency.
This was the music to the industry’s ears and the room was warming to our celebrity business guru. However then Lord Sugar switched approach rapidly and stated that, actually, he and other business leaders used private aviation fundementally because they were lazy and enjoyed the luxury of avoiding busy airports and the masses.
So which Sugar is your cup of tea?
Lord (white) Sugar A: “Private aviation is all about efficient use of executive times”
Lord (brown) Sugar B: “Executives use private aviation because we are lazy and enjoy the luxury of avoiding airports and people”
Self-deprecating humour perhaps? Or playing up to the bloated tycoon stereotype? Many of us in the room weren’t quite sure.
A new private jet terminal is planned for St Kitts
Plans have been announced for a new private jet terminal (FBO) on the Caribbean island of St. Kitts. The private jet facility will be located at the existing Robert L. Bradshaw International Airport, with private jet flights able to land and depart from 2013.
The new terminal will cost about $15 million to build and will feature VIP lounges, a business centre, offices and a landscaped courtyard. London-based Veling Limited will build the private jet FBO, with ownership transferred to the government’s St. Christopher Air and Sea Ports Authority (SCASPA) at the end of the contract.
This is great news for St Kitts and comes as it focusses on attracting luxury travellers, with new premium hotels and resorts being built and other planned upgrades to tourist attractions in the pipeline – all designed to appeal to the VIP tourist and keep them coming back for more.
The first and last impressions of a destination are also hugely important. For private jet users the efficiency and quality of the airport FBO can make the difference between a one-off visit or a highly-favoured, annual holiday destination.
A recent example of how a new FBO has hugely benefitted a region can be seen in Nice, France. The new FBO at Nice is a quality building and creates a professional and stylish welcome for the most influential visitors who arrive by private jet. It now seems almost unbelievable that such a busy private jet hub as Nice airport – which attracts private jet users in large numbers over the summer season in particular - had such a terrible FBO for so many years prior to this new building.
Well done St Kitts – this is a great investment for your island’s economy.
Interesting news this week from Geneva Airport where a mobile airport terminal design was showcased – a world-first. The mobile terminal, developed by Austria’s TMT Management GmBH, provides the same facilities that would be found inside a conventional, fixed airport terminal but within an outdoor structure that resembles a large marquee.
The mobile terminal can be constructed and taken down within a week and is intended to provide overloaded airports with an extra means of processing and handling passengers during peak demand – such as extra ski season passenger traffic at Geneva, major sports or arts events, or for natural disaster back-up.
It will be interesting to see if the idea catches on within the private jet sector. I could see it being a successful idea for smaller private jet airports or FBOs, which can find themselves under pressure during nearby major sports or arts events – or those which are overlooked altogether because their facilities are not perceived to meet demand, even though their location may be better.
Examples that spring to mind are Cranfield airport, which could be an ideal hub for Silverstone during the F1 Grand Prix. It already handles multiple helicopter flights and could become the de facto landing spot for other aircraft if the terminal facilities were bigger. Similarly Southend Airport in Essex could become a competitive landing site for events in London and the South East if something like this could be deployed – especially with the London 2012 Olympics just around the corner.
One ‘tented’ FBO that already operates successfully - albeit as a permanent structure – is Signature’s terminal at Toulon Airport, in the South of France. This offers very good facilities within a stylish tented structure and adds another, much-needed option for private jet customers arriving during the peak summer season on the Cote D’Azur, for events such as the Cannes Film Festival.
The ability to add FBO terminal space for a short period of time would allow smaller airports or terminals to market themselves more successfully to private jet operators and private jet customers (IF the facilities were of the right quality for the private jet customer of course). So this really is an interesting development which could open up the market and provide more choice to the private jet customer – something we always celebrate at PrivateFly.com.
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