We’ve all been there: packed flight, stuck in economy seating and placed between some form of body odor you’ve never smelled and the most talkative person you have ever met. Sure the price was decent, but was it really worth the trouble? While private jets are still seen as a luxury cost, they offer much more in terms of availability, time saved and privacy. All things that even business class can’t offer.
Avoiding Security
Ever since the events of September 11, the TSA has made life at the airport a much more trying ordeal. From checking in your bags and paying hefty hidden fees to long lines that take an hour to get through followed by scans that may or may not lead to cancer are all now a fixed part of the typical check-in routine. Each step means that you have to arrive at least two hours before your flight to actually make sure you are at the gate on time. Private jets, however, operate differently. The pilot meets the person or group, checks identification and then leads everyone to the aircraft. The baggage, not needing to be checked, is stowed, and if someone is late, the plane waits. This also works at the back end when the destination is reached. Instead of having to go pick up a rental car or head to the front of the airport and wait for a taxi, the captain calls in ground transportation, allowing passengers to immediately head out on their adventure.
Base of Operation
Unlike commercial airlines that have to dock at major hubs, often requiring passengers to drive across town to depart, private aircrafts are much more flexible. According to Avjet Corporation, so long as there is a general aviation airport nearby, the jet can pick up the passengers. Even if the only place to leave is the large and busy hub, there is a smaller section known as the Fixed Base of Operation, or the FBO. This is a smaller piece of the airport removed from the chaos of the commercial terminals reserved for private jets with many allowing passengers to drive their cars to a secured, free parking lot.
Privacy
When booking a jet, it is not a hassle of picking seats to make sure you are not in the middle row or being forced to pay extra because the only open seats are first class. Instead, whoever books the flight is the sole passenger unless they invite more people. Because of this, the flight is comprised of only those you agree. The flights also come with free Wi-Fi and laptop connections with some going so far as to provide satellite television. No matter the reason, the private jet ensures a comfortable and unobtrusive flight.
While purchasing a ticket for a private jet can cost upward of $8,000 or more, the experience is unrivaled when compared to commercial flights. Because it is chartered for one group, flight times can be changed and delayed as well as locations on the same day. Your luggage is always with you and never has to be searched. Their ability to land and take off from smaller airports actually provides passengers with a much faster means of reaching their destination while avoiding the possibility of being stuck on a four hour plane ride with a screaming baby. Types of jets can also be rented that are perfect for any occasion including both business meetings and general recreation. Stocked with only what you request and much more relaxed in terms of security, the private jets are far more efficient and time-saving than the typical flight. All of this does sound too good to be true but based on the stories of Oprah, John Travolta and other lovers of solo planes, it is one experience worth trying at least once.
References
- Jacobs, D. L. (2014, August 6). Are Private Jet Vacations Worth The Price? Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/deborahljacobs/2013/06/05/are-private-jet-vacations-worth-the-price/
- Smith, C. (2014, August 6). Advantages Of Flying On Private Aircraft. Retrieved from Forbes: http://www.forbes.com/sites/wheelsup/2010/07/20/advantages-of-flying-on-private-aircraft/
