Air travel has increasingly come under the spotlight for all kinds of reasons. Its impact on the environment, cost and customer service provided by major airlines have all been subject to intense scrutiny of late. The latter, so soon after the incident on a United Airlines flight where a paying passenger was dragged off a plane, suggests changes are afoot.

In the vast majority of cases, passengers on a business or first class flight get from one point to another without incident. They can use many on-board services, including WiFi access and in-flight catering. However, the demand from business travellers for more flexibility and choice over when and where they can fly is seeing private jets become more popular.



Day or Night

When flying with an established airline, irrespective of where the flight departs from, the time of day passengers can leave is restricted by a timetable. This isn’t usually the case when chartering a private jet, allowing passengers to arrive at their destination at a time closer to their meeting.

The convenience that comes with travelling at more flexible times gives the passengers a greater degree of control. In flying with a private jet chartering company like Victor, businesses are able to do more than just control when and where they fly to. They can also dictate how big the aircraft taking them to far-flung corners of the world actually is.

Extra Choice

The choice of aircraft available for those going private ranges from four-seater light planes to fully blown corporate jets with all the trappings of luxury flights. Having the ability to book a plane that is big (or small) enough to accommodate an entire party without the worry of paying for empty seats is another boon for corporate travellers.

According the European Union, the number of flights taken in the 28 member states went up by 4.7% in 2015. This suggests that the appetite for air travel as a whole hasn’t diminished. However, the numbers do include those departing from European airports on private jets. Laws in many countries dictate that private jets are allowed to depart and arrive from them.

The other issues that passengers sometimes experience - late or cancelled flights, overbooking and hidden charges - are less likely to happen when going private. Some airports have bespoke terminals just for private jets. London Luton Airport, for example, has three terminals, catering for 30,000 passengers a year. Others are still to catch up, though.