More and more people are wondering – which flight to choose for a business trip or vacation, first class or a private jet? In this article, we will try to give an exhaustive answer to this question.
Despite the fact that airlines around the world strive to provide their customers with the greatest possible level of comfort, they are still far from what can be offered on board a private jet. It’s already enough that in a commercial aircraft you need to share space with other passengers, which is felt even when you are in a separate cabin. In a private jet, you will receive a completely different, much higher level of privacy, which is simply unattainable with a regular flight.
When ordering a private jet, you can also request a personalized menu, which will be much wider compared to a commercial flight. You will find the most comfortable cabin, decorated by professional designers. Soundproofing is at it’s best here.
Carrying baggage in a private jet is definitely more convenient. You can take a variety of bulky things. There is an option to travel with your pet. In fact, the range of services offered on board a private jet is extremely wide. Also, such companies strive to provide maximum comfort at the airport.
A very important factor in favour of a private jet is the saving of time, which is very significant for businessmen. In the case of a commercial aircraft, you still need to arrive at the airport at a certain time and pass control. Even if it’s easier, if you fly in first class, you still need to wait until all passengers board. And getting luggage after the flight is possible only after everyone gets off the plane.
With a private jet, you don’t need to adjust to the schedule of flights, in most cases, departure is possible on the day you choose. This is a great solution if you have to make several business meetings in a short time.
There is much less risk of missing an important event just because the flight was cancelled. Commercial aircraft have access only to the largest airports, while a private aircraft can land at a small airport, the road to which will be shorter and more convenient. But even if you are late, they will wait for you, which is unrealistic in the case of a commercial aircraft.
You can continue to work effectively during the flight time, and even conduct business meetings aboard. Private jets offer much more options. Since the time value of senior managers is very high, a private jet can be for them a more cost-effective solution. It is not surprising that businessmen from the UAE willingly use the services of private jets, spending on them twice as much time as their European counterparts.
However, this is true even if we are not talking about business, but about vacation. Flights on commercial aircraft, even in first class, can be a real challenge (especially for children and people with disabilities), which ultimately could have a negative impact on the whole vacation. Instead of getting to your vacation destination as quickly as possible, you can lose a whole day travelling to airports and flying at a time that is not convenient for you.
Definitely, flying first class will cost you less than renting a private jet, especially if you fly abroad. But this is only true if you are flying alone. If you travel as a group, then renting a private jet can be cheaper than buying a large number of first class tickets.
The cost of renting a jet usually depends on its size. So, a small plane can cost you about $3000 per hour, an average – about $5000, etc. In the first class, you pay per seat, usually around $1,000.
Interestingly, passengers began to lease private planes much earlier than civil aviation appeared as a class. After World War I in 1918, many pilots in the United States were involved in flying from city to city and participating in various air shows. At the same time, they willingly took on board people who wanted to quickly get to another town.
Only in 1926, laws began to be created that obligated pilots to obtain appropriate licenses for transporting people, and first norms and rules were developed. The pilots began to create joint ventures to transport passengers.
The development of civil aviation in its modern sense began only after World War II. Moreover, airlines often used converted military aircraft, such as B-29 bombers, to transport people. And there was no division into classes. The concept of “first class” was introduced by TWA in 1955.
In the UAE, the development of aviation began in 1932 – it was then that the first plane arriving in the country landed at Al Mahatta Airport in Sharjah.