Source: Business Jet Traveler | Written By: James Wynbrandt | Date: August 2021
Charter, jet card, fractional, and membership offerings continue to expand. Here’s a look at programs introduced or expanded in the past year.
Though the pandemic produced a sudden and prolonged decline in business aviation flight operations, the industry has lately been staging a remarkable resurgence with many new providers, programs, and products. Today you’ll find more options than you had a few years ago but also spillover effects from demand for access at all levels of private aviation.
As NetJets said in July, when it announced a temporary hold on sales of some fractional shares and jet cards due to that demand, “Everything from fueling and ramp space to catering and ground transportation is being pushed to the limit.” Data from Argus International shows significantly more charter and fractional activity in March, April, and May this year than in each of those months in 2019, which was considered a breakout year.
With the surge of travelers have come billions of private equity investment dollars, leading to multiple improvements in the charter experience for travelers, while accelerating a consolidation reshaping the access space. Also a force: untold but significant numbers of pandemic-propelled, new-to-business-aviation customers who may add permanently to demand.
“Once you start flying on private aircraft, it’s very difficult to go back to flying commercial,” observes Argus president and CEO Joe Moeggenberg.
Here are some of the most notable new offerings, options, and service upgrades.
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Maryland-based AeroVanti, launched this year, offers membership access in the Eastern U.S. to the Piaggio P.180 Avanti, the Italian executive twin turboprop pusher, at “ultra-competitive pricing,” the company says. Monthly fees range from $1,000 (individual) to $2,500 (corporate), and the hourly rate is $1,995.
