“While these empty legs are at the behest of the priority paid charter legs (for example, if the charterer cancels, the empty leg disappears), they offer exactly the same experience.” ~ Alexander Robinson (Airly)
Private jets have traditionally been the status symbols and chariots of the ultra-wealthy C-suite and celebrities, but a budding company called Airly has launched a new platform called JetShare which suddenly means you could be leaving on a jet plane at a fraction of the cost for sheer luxury and the ultimate convenience.
It’s the stuff of dreams, but now a reality, and it all stems from what is known as the “empty leg” factor. Best of all that doesn’t mean an “empty wallet”, but more about that later…
For now, picture this. You’re based in Cairns and suddenly you have an opportunity to zip down to Sydney on a Canadair Challenger for a weekend, minimal time and minimum fuss? Or how about New Zealand to Melbourne, or Sydney to Perth on a Cessna Citation? Perhaps shooting from Melbourne to Sydney on a Dassault Falcon 900 is more your bag?
Or how about this one, with snow falling by the bucket load in Victoria’s snowfields, imagine the opportunity to scoot from Essendon to Mt Hotham in 20-25 minutes on a Friday late afternoon for those happy to pay for “business class-type” fares? Forget the five-hour drive. We’re talking late afternoon, pack the bags after work and you’re in Hotham for pre-dinner drinks.
The good news is, they’re not hypotheticals. They’re very real scenarios. Real and at a remarkable 70-90% less than the recommended retail (charter) price.
So, the big questions is, how does it work?
What is the ’empty leg’?
When a business jet is chartered by a company or individual, the aircraft often flies from its home airport to the client’s requested departure airport. Sometimes, aircraft are chartered only for a one-way flight.
In both cases, the flight legs – where the revenue charter passenger is not onboard – are called empty legs.
“Operators may sell these flights at a discount to the usual hourly charge as a means to boost revenue and minimise costs,” says Airly’s Alexander Robinson. “While these empty legs are at the behest of the priority paid charter legs (for example, if the charterer cancels, the empty leg disappears), they offer exactly the same experience.”
It’s opportunistic. Opportunities that open a whole new sector, or market: a sector prepared to invest in “the efficiency and luxury of arriving 15 minutes before departure where they will be escorted to the jet, offered their choice of coffee, beverage, or Champagne, and shown to their seat, all of which are both windowed and aisled,” Robinson explains.
“Their bags will be taken from their car, loaded on the jet and unloaded at the other end, while electronic devices may be used throughout the flight. Often, the only reminder that they are onboard being the discreet seatbelt sign flush in the furnished ceiling.”
Fellow Airly founder and JetShare conceptualist Luke Hampshire agrees.
“Travelling this way saves time, and offers a seamless way of getting from point A to B in that work, conversations, and phone calls can be carried out continuously without the interruptions of check-in, baggage screening, navigating a terminal, and boarding,” Hampshire says.
JetShare by Airly
Until recently, these empty legs, be it via jet or helicopter, were still booked via brokers involving confusing quotes, extortionate markups and old-fashioned wire transfers. Airly’s booking platform, JetShare, makes the entire process simple, transparent and predictable.
So what’s the sting? There isn’t one, really. For a one-off $99 membership fee you can gain access to safe and reputable operators’ empty legs. But that’s credited on the first flight taken.
As the member platform grows, and operators list more flights, so the network effect occurs and the value proposition of JetShare improves.
“With the $99 being credited towards a member’s first flight, or fully refundable within 30 days if dissatisfied, exploring JetShare by Airly has no opportunity cost, and only efficiency and experiential upside,” Robinson tells TDL.
“As the member platform grows, and operators list more flights, so the network effect occurs and the value proposition of JetShare improves.”
“We are doing this so we can afford more future time with our families, more time doing what we want, and to have more productive time”
Life on the J-curve
Efficiency and technology work hand in hand these days. Convenience and speed have become mandatory. Electric cars have already arrived and robots are imminent, and the fact is we are all working harder and longer with less balance… and we’re travelling more.
“We are doing this so we can afford more future time with our families, more time doing what we want, and to have more productive time,” Alexander points out. “Apps and screens, machine learning and AI can only do so much. These efficiency gains are incremental and relatively minor. Where are the large periods of time losses, and the opportunities they present for time-conscious professionals?
“For a professional who travels frequently – over 800,000 Australians travel twice a month or more – these inefficiencies lie in the 2-4 hours of lost, unproductive, disjointed time that is a function of our growing airports’ congestion, air travel, and increasing population and city sizes, with infrastructure not keeping up.”
The Executive Jet Way
As mentioned earlier, private jets have traditionally walked hand in hand with the super wealthy, a niche travel mode with high operating costs, made for carrying a small number of passengers and usually in luxury.
With a Gulfstream 450 being worth about USD$35m, an owner or even fractional owner, would expect a service that is not only luxurious, but convenient, timely, responsive and seamless.
For several thousand an hour in operating and fixed costs, the jet is at their service, or the service of anyone in a position to charter the aircraft.
“Technology, an increasing number of private jets in Australia, and a trend towards cost minimisation, is allowing private jet travel to be experienced and utilised by a larger population,” Hampshire says.
“While previously, less than 1% of the population might have considered business jet travel, it is becoming increasingly affordable for professionals looking to be more efficient or spend more quality time with their loved ones, as well as those looking for an experience.”
For more information visit the Airly website
Executive Edge Travel is a globally renowned leader for booking luxury travel experiences/properties.
To book contact your Executive Edge Travel Designer on 03 9519 7777 or email leisure@executiveedge.com.au
