Grouping up: 3 flights booked in April
When it comes to private aircraft charter, the price given is for the whole aircraft – regardless of how many passengers are onboard.
That might sound obvious – but it’s something that can confuse those who are new to private aviation. Obviously in airline travel, the price is obviously always quoted per seat, so it’s important to make this distinction.
During April our Flight Team was busy booking travel for groups, scheduled to fly over the next few weeks. Demand for private flights for groups increases in the spring and summer months, for travel to seasonal sports and lifestyle events (such as the Cannes Film Festival or the Monaco Grand Prix); or travel to weddings and stag or hen parties. This is in addition to the year-round demand for corporate group travel to conferences, meetings and events.
The time-saving and efficiency benefits of private group travel are clear – a personalised itinerary to suit, and the whole group travels together. But many people are surprised by the cost-efficiency. When divided by person, the cost of a privately chartered airliner is not always too far away from airline prices.
There is a growing demand in this segment – something that budget airline Ryanair have recently recognised, now offering one of their aircraft as a private charter option. See more: Will private jet customers choose Ryanair?
Smaller aircraft can also prove more cost-effective than many people imagine, if all the seats are filled.
Here are three recent examples of group bookings – from 8 people to 180.
180 people, on a 737-800
This is a flight for an agency client, who organises large-scale conferences and events for major corporations. We have worked together several times, for flights for different sized groups, but this particular flight was for a large group of 180 people, travelling in June from Vienna to an event in Barcelona.
For that number we recommended private charter of a Boeing 737-800, with a standard airline seating configuration.
How much does it cost by private jet?
- Itinerary: Vienna Schwechat International to Barcelona (2-night return)
- Aircraft: Boeing 737-800
- Flight Time: 1 hour 58 mins
- Seats: 189
- Total charter price: €85,600
- Cost per person: €476
Short & speedy UK flight for 29 people
Another larger group flight we booked last month was for a professional English football team. The team were on a tight schedule to travel to a match in another UK city, 180 miles away by road, with a return journey the same evening. The driving time was around 3 hours – time they didn’t have on this occasion.
Being based close to an airport, we could arrange a private flight in a regional airliner, to accommodate the group of 29. We flew them immediately after training that morning, and back again that evening. The flight time was just 39 minutes, and they could make a speedy departure, just minutes after arriving at the airport.
- Itinerary: UK domestic route (same day return)
- Aircraft: Jetstream 41
- Flight Time: 39 minutes
- Seats: 29
- Total charter price: £13,500
- Cost per person: £466
8 people to the Euros 2016
Another football-related flight booked last month was a group travelling by private jet to the UEFA European Championships aka the Euros 2016. With the competition fast approaching, we’re busy booking flights for groups of all types and sizes, travelling to fixtures across France.
This was a much smaller group of 8. The client is a UK corporate, taking guests to see England’s first group match against Russia, on June 11th in Marseille. With minimal luggage for the overnight trip, they chose a Citation XLS medium jet, which will accommodate them all comfortably for the short flight next month, filling all the seats.
- Itinerary: London Luton Airport to Marseille Provence
- Aircraft: Citation XLS
- Flight Time: 39 minutes
- Seats: 8
- Total charter price: £11,100
- Cost per person: £1,388
Whether you’re travelling in a group of 2, 4, 8 or 180, our Flight Team can advise on the best private charter options for your itinerary. Contact us (24 hours) on +44 1747 642 777.
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