A new era in luxury aviation has begun as the highly anticipated Gulfstream G800 took to the skies for its maiden flight. With its cutting-edge technology, unmatched performance, and uncompromising luxury, the Gulfstream G800 is poised to redefine the standards of private jet travel.
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Hörsching (Linz), Austria and Melbourne, Australia, 28 July 2022 – GlobeAir AG and Airly have entered into a long-term strategic business partnership.
Austrian operator GlobeAir, the leading and award-winning private jet charter company in Europe, is proud to announce a new alliance with Australia’s most trusted private aviation company, Airly. GlobeAir will increase its presence in Australia by partnering with Airly, and both operators will transform their offerings to provide world-class service within Europe and Australia.
The new GlobeAir and Airly alliance will collaborate its commitment to maximising efficiency and putting more travellers back in control of their schedule, bringing together both organisations’ collective knowledge and experience to always keep the focus on the client.
‘’Through this new alliance, we will be able to offer enhanced travel services, international expansion efforts supported, and operational efficiency increased, resulting in win-win cooperation that will benefit our organisations and our customers.’’ Luke Hampshire, Airly CEO
Both organisations already have a growing clientele within Austria and Australia. The partnership will leverage both companies’ strengths to offer a better experience, especially with the upcoming European Winter and Australian Summer. Through this partnership, customers will receive discounted rates already agreed upon by both companies.
This new partnership will allow GlobeAir and Airly to expand their network and access over 1,600 airports in Europe and Australia. In addition, it will increase their exposure to the global aviation market.
‘’Globally, consumers are demanding more choice and convenience. In order to meet those demands, GlobeAir and Airly are able to collaborate to offer customers a better experience and higher flexibility within our respective regions.’’ Jonathan Berdoz, VP Sales & Marketing.
With a focus on digital transformation, GlobeAir and Airly lead within the Private Business Aviation sector and will maximise their existing infrastructure with passengers able to book flights within minutes using WhatsApp. This fantastic service provides quick and accessible services for travellers who want a quote or need help booking flights on the go.
With the popularity of WhatsApp as part of daily life, this service helps make travelling more efficient for passengers from the comfort of their cellphone, transforming travellers’ journeys from A to B, one flight at a time.
Customers can still expect to receive tailored travel solutions from the dedicated concierge service. Both organisations pride themselves on tailormade bespoke unforgettable travel experiences after every landing.
About GlobeAir
With more than 50% of the market share, GlobeAir is Europe’s leader in the entry-level private jet sector, including a premium experience. With 160 employees (80 pilots), the company generates about 96 per cent of its revenues abroad. GlobeAir is available 24/7 all over Europe with 21 private jets connecting European cities like London, Geneva, Zurich, Paris, Nice, and Milan with small airfields that are difficult to reach such as St. Moritz or Lugano and 950 more. The company has achieved its success through dedication and by offering bespoke service before, during and after the flight. Charter rates start from € 4,400, and empty legs from € 990.
*Prices per Cessna Citation Mustang Jet
About Airly
Airly is an Australian-based private aviation provider that was founded in December of 2015 launching charter and empty leg services. Airly’s vision is to make flying private simple to understand, accessible to more, and at a palatable price point. This vision was realised in June of 2021 with the launch of ACCESS by Airly. The first program of its kind in Australia where card holders could pay a fixed, occupied hourly rate on the Cessna Citation Mustang along the East Coast of Australia covering destinations including Sydney, Melbourne, Gold Coast and Hamilton Island on the Great Barrier Reef.
Press Contacts
GlobeAir AG
Monika Zvonic
Marketing Manager
E-Mail: monika.zvonic@globeair.com
Phone: +43 (664) 8489906
Fly Airly Pty Ltd
Alexander Robinson
COO & Director
E-mail: alexander@airly.com
Phone: +61 (0) 422 446 701
Airly is proudly an Australian business.
In 2019 we recognised that as a growing business, we needed to be environmentally responsible. We spent a lot of the year researching carbon offset programs, and were largely disappointed at the low number of Australian businesses addressing this, as well as the lack of suitable domestic carbon reduction programs that brought additional environmental & social benefits.
This year we committed to becoming a carbon positive organisation, we have calculated our ACCESS by Airly carbon footprint and are actively reducing our operational emissions via improved utilisation of assets, environmentally-friendly catering accessories and championing the importation of Sustainable Aviation Fuels (SAF).
We have committed to offsetting our unavoidable or remaining emission through Carbon Positive Australia (CPOZ). CPOZ is a registered Australian charity, that has been restoring degraded land and sequestering carbon through biodiverse native tree planting for the last 21 years.
Carbon Positive Australia met all the criteria that we needed: an Australian organisation, Australian restoration projects, auditable, simple & transparent reporting where over 95% of the funds are directed towards project execution rather than administrative expenses.
We’re proudly an Australian business, and we’re even more proud to say that as from March onwards we offset 100% of our ACCESS by Airly program.
This week saw a headline in a few media outlets about a teenager in the US who set up a Twitter-bot to track Elon Musk’s private jet. (https://www.theguardian.com/technology/2022/jan/31/teenager-seeks-50k-delete-twitter-bot-tracking-elon-musk-private-jet)
While the content is correct, the headline and messaging is somewhat misleading, and the context is everything.
Flight tracking works through combining several public aviation surveillance data sources, such as radar, scheduling, and airline flight status data, into a flight tracking service provider, such as Flightradar24 or ADSBExchange. But the key to real-time flight tracking rests in a relatively new technology called ADS-B, or automatic dependent surveillance-broadcast, which has allowed Elon Musk’s private jet to be tracked.
ADS-B is a surveillance technology in which electronic equipment onboard an aircraft automatically broadcasts the precise location of the aircraft via a digital data link (Airservices Australia, 2022). These signals can be picked up by ADS-B receivers on the ground (and in the air, for increased situational awareness and safety) and fed to flight tracking service providers who are able to overlay this information in real-time, accurate positions of aircraft. ADS-B is increasingly mandated by civil aviation authorities, with “roughly 70% of all commercial passenger aircraft equipped with an ADS-B transponder (Flightradar24, 2022). General aviation is far lower, while military aircraft may disable ADS-B for tactical reasons.
Ultimately, ADS-B is a safety-enhancing technology that improves the situational awareness of airborne aircrew. Some flight tracking websites do allow flights to have their ADS-B information not shown, but in the case of Elon Musk’s jet tracking Twitter-bot, ADSBExchange does not allow this.
Real-time flight tracking should not be portrayed as a safety or security risk, as it really is an airborne safety-enhancing capability. A privacy issue, perhaps, but aviation safety arguably takes precedence.
A private jet card enables holders to book from a designated type of aircraft at an agreed hourly rate. Generally obtained by pre-purchasing hours on a specific jet, the card is aimed at those in the market to purchase their own aircraft, but save on the maintenance and ongoing expenses.
The first private jet card originated in Boston in 1997, by a broker named Sentient. The card was developed in response to the growing popularity in fractional ownership programs championed by aviation powerhouse NetJets.
Both products were designed to provide a cleaner and simpler solution without the complexities of owning a private aircraft. For the term ‘jet card’ took on the meaning of bulk on-demand charter hours.
As expected with the industry, if a concept works it will be replicated and tinkered by many and for the jet card, this was the case.
As of 2018 there is believed to be over 250 providers providing a myriad of options including dynamic based, milage based, capped rate and even jets by the seat.
If you’re in the market for a jet card do your research, because in some cases, it is difficult to void a contract and claw back pre-paid funds.
And herein begs the question, do you even need just a product? Especially in Australia.
At Airly our mission is, and always has been, to make flying private easier to understand that is accessible to more people at a more palatable price point.
But if you’re looking for a program that is similar to a jet card without the upfront cost and restrictive conditions – ACCESS may be the best solution.
Once a card holder, you can book from a streamlined fleet of four seat jets at an all-inclusive rate of $3,995 per occupied hour. You won’t pay for empty positioning fees or overnights. Fixed Base of Operations (FBO aka lounges) and gourmet catering are included where available.
You can learn more about our Australian-first program here.
Did you know you can take your pets on private jets.
We’re extending our private jet membership programs to include your four legged family members.
2020 and 2021 have seen a large number of interstate relocations. And thanks to border restrictions the reduction in commercial flights have seen four legged family members get left behind.
We continue to hear heartbreaking stories of furry family members being stranded due to hotel quarantine requirements or the huge backlog experienced by animal transport providers.
So we’re in the process of enabling your pets to also be included into the SHARED and ACCESS program free of charge.
What does this mean?
It means you can now use your SHARED or ACCESS membership to transport your pet without the need for you to be on the aircraft.
How will this work?
Simply advise your member care team that it will be your pet travelling, and we’ll guide you through the process.
Airly will also send your dog or cat a luxury gift after the flight.
When can I book?
You can book using your SHARED or ACCESS membership now!
WE WANT TO HELP
If you, or someone you know, is currently separated from their dog or cat please contact us and we’ll work to put some flights together using our SHARED platform to help reunite family’s with their best friend.
Our friends at Luxury Escapes have some incredible book now, stay later deals. But did you know you can book now and fly later via our ACCESS program with supreme flexibility?
Although there’s a glimmer of hope on the east coast for interstate travel towards October/November, snap lockdowns and border closures can generate enormous stress.
But did you know members on our ACCESS program have the luxury of being able to book now and have complete flexibility with dates up to 3 days prior to departure!
The program allows you to book from a streamlined fleet of jets at a fixed occupied hourly rate – meaning you no longer pay for empty positioning flights or overnight expenses of the aircraft.
With ACCESS, the price includes everything and is for the entire jet, not per seat. So you’re free to bring along some guests too!
Let’s take a look at some deals that have caught our eye.
South Australia 4-Day Luxury Small-Group Gourmet Tour
Fulfil your foodie dreams on this four-day luxury small-group tour through South Australia’s most renowned wine regions.
Book now and stay till May 2022.
Fly to Adelaide via ACCESS
– Ex Sydney from $9,188 each way
– Ex Melbourne from $5,433 each way
– Ex Canberra from $7,790 each way
Luxe Gold Coast Hinterland Retreat
Disconnect from the real world with a luxurious stay at Hazelwood Estate – a newly opened, boutique hinterland retreat.
Book now and stay till June 2022.
Fly to Gold Coast via ACCESS
– Ex Sydney from $5,632 each way
– Ex Melbourne from $10,387 each way
– Ex Canberra from $6,831 each way
Hobart: 3-Day Small-Group Gin & Whisky Tasting Tour
Indulge in some of the world’s best single malt whisky and multi-award-winning craft gin without the trip to Scotland.
Book now and stay till March 2022.
Fly to Hobart via ACCESS
– Ex Sydney from $8,229 each way
– Ex Melbourne from $5,193 each way
Contact your team now via WhatsApp or book your next flight via the Airly App.
NetJets and other Private Jet Card providers are having to pause sales citing that demand is far outweighing availability.
This expands on the pause sales of fractional shares, leases, and jet cards for the Cessna Citation XLS and Embraer Phenom 300 due to “unprecedented demand within the private travel industry.”
Those who wish to purchase NetJets Jet Cards will be added to a waitlist with pricing secured till supply can catch up.
Meanwhile in Australia, most of the East Coast remains in lockdown or closed to interstate travel raising ongoing concern of the disparity between state and federal governments on a plan to open.
If you are in Australia and are looking for a product similar to NetJets, you may take interest in our ACCESS Program.
Under the program, ACCESS members can book from a fleet of four seat Citation Mustang jets for $3,995 per occupied hour with no fees for empty repositioning or overnights.
To learn more visit airly.com/access
Airly, Australia’s fastest growing private aviation company, announces that it has entered into an agreement to acquire EmptyJets, a private jet empty leg booking platform.
Founded in 2003, EmptyJets was the first company in the country to provide members with a unique opportunity to fly on a private jet at a fraction of the cost. EmptyJets’ leading position in the empty leg space will be complimented by Airly’s membership success and product simplicity.
Luke Hampshire, CEO of Airly.com says: “EmptyJets was the first in the country to challenge accessibility and affordability in the private aviation industry. We have always been inspired by them and perhaps considered ourselves healthy competitors a few years ago. But as we transitioned into innovative membership products we felt the need to feed the empty capacity being generated by us into a reputable independent platform. We cannot wait to add our touches to the EmptyJets product and continue its success into the future.”
What does that mean for EmptyJets members? EmptyJets will continue to operate as its own entity. We are planning technology improvements as will as simplifying how members consume our product including the membership structure.
Will anything change at Airly? Over the next few months we will transfer the empty leg facets of the business over to EmptyJets. Airly will then focus on premium private jet charter solutions along with its SHARED and ACCESS Programs.
More importantly, members will gain access to exclusive Airly generated empty legs that cannot be found on any other platform. Airly’s operations team are also engaging with every possible operator in the country to ensure we can build a reputable supply of empty legs to cover every budget.
Lee Teirney, Airly’s VP of Membership will assume the General Manager role of EmptyJets and lead it into an exciting phase of rejuvenation.
The former team of EmptyJets have showed an enormous appreciation of their members’ loyalty and cannot wait to see what lies ahead.
We look forward to bringing a touch of Airly to the EmptyJets brand, but most importantly provide the best possible value to the EmptyJets membership.
“Wheels up” is a phrase used in aviation to describe the transition from take off landing gear down configuration, to airborne configuration with landing gear, or wheels, retracted. It’s a phrase that evokes progress, speed, and of being on a journey.
Thus, it’s fitting for a pioneer in business and private aviation to be named as such. Wheels Up was founded in 2013 by three New York-based founders. Their founding goal was, and still is, to reinvent private flying through a “revolutionary new business model that delivers the safest, most consistent, and highest -quality aviation solution.” This article explores what that means to members and travellers, the pioneering journey that Wheels Up continues to track, and the company’s leadership in shaping an industry.
Wheels Up is a leader in private aviation. And, the brand and legacy it forges only makes sense by looking at its founder, Mr. Kenny Dichter. A successful entrepreneur and businessman, Kenny Dichter made his first millions in 1998 through the sale of his college-founded Alphabet City Sports Records, a label focused on songs often heard in sports stadiums and arenas. In 2001, Dichter co-founded Marquis Jets, the world’s first fractional card private jet program. By 2007, the business was turning over USD700 million per year with 3,500 customers, selling private jet access in 25-hour allotments. That same year, Dichter predicted that Marquis Jets would grow into a billion-dollar business within three years.
In 2010, Warren Buffet’s Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary company, NetJets, acquired Marquis Jet. Marquis Jets’ innovative, accessible, and flexible ‘jet card’ model bolstered NetJets’ fractional ownership business model. Within two years, NetJets proceeded to place the largest aircraft order in private history, for up to 275 Bombardier aircraft, valued at over USD17.6 billion.
“Rule Number One: Never lose money.
Rule Number Two: Never forget rule one.”
– Warren Buffett
Although the 2010 sales terms of NetJets’ acquisition of Marquis Jet weren’t disclosed, it’s probable that Dichter’s 2007 prediction was realised, with NetJets reporting significant sales increase that year. Today, both Marquis Jets and NetJets continue to operate, with the latter the clear private jet fractional ownership industry leader.
After selling Dichter took a ‘break,’ founding the highly regarded and cult-like Tequila Avión. Pernot Ricard, the premium liquor portfolio company, increased its ownership of the esteemed tequila brand to a majority holding over a few years.
In 2013, Dichter along with two co-founders, returned to aviation entrepreneurship with the launch of Wheels Up. The co-founders simultaneously announced their management team along with a USD1.4 billion order for 105 Beechcraft King Air 350i turboprop aircraft. In disrupting and creating new markets, Wheels Up’s business model was premised on a membership / on-demand business model, servicing non-hub commercial services.
Since founding, Wheels Up has gone from strength to strength in under a decade. Within a year of launch the company had over 1,000 members and close to 40 aircraft (King Airs and Cessna Citation jets), and by 2019 the company had over 5,500 memberships (individual and corporate) and owned nearly 100 aircraft.
Importantly, Wheels Up continues to succeed through challenging the industry’s norms through Dichter’s entrepreneurial attitude, manifested in business model adjustments. Although founded on an entirely new premise of membership-based flying access, in 2018 Wheels Up announced a new flight sharing membership offering, Wheels Up Connect. The goal of Connect was to “democratize private flying” by further reducing the unit cost to access the benefits, efficiencies, and economics of business jet aviation. Despite Wheels Up closing 2020 with 10,995 active members and USD690 million in revenue at the end of 2020, they estimate that “90% of people who can afford to fly privately don’t,” or more than a million people in the US, and forecast their 2021 annual revenue to grow to USD912m
The last several years have seen Wheels Up manoeuvering to capitalise on this untapped blue ocean of private aviation travellers. In 2019, the same year that Wheels Up announced their goal of 16,000 active members by 2021, the company started a strategic acquisition spree to bolster their charter operations and membership management platform. Acquisitions included included the Travel Management Company (TMC Jets); Avianis, a B2B communication platform for operators and brokers; Gama Aviation Signature, the largest Part 135 charter operators in the USA; and Mountain Aviation, the largest Cessna Citation X fleet charter operator in the United States.
The underlying logic behind Wheels Up aggressive growth is simple – the company needs aircraft (supply) to meet the untapped private aviation demand. Dichter told Forbes earlier this year that the company will continue to serve the wholesale market and supply the growing demand for members. To fund this exponential trajectory, Dichter has executed what appears to be an astute two-stage plan.
The first stage saw Delta Private Jets, Delta Air Lines’ private aviation subsidiary, merge into Wheels Up and bringing Delta’s 70 aircraft into Wheels Up’s fold in 2020. This merger saw Delta Airlines take a majority stake in Wheels Up, and granted them a board seat.
The second stage of strategic funding is a shrewd twist on Dichter’s previously reported preference to pursue an initial public offering (IPO). In February, the company announced a special-purpose acquisition company (SPAC) merger with Aspirational Consumer Lifestyle Corporation. By merging with a SPAC, Wheels Up is expecting to achieve an “enterprise value of about USD2.1 billion,” and cash proceeds of USD790 million, without negotiating the traditional IPO process.
Having a successful, proven, serial entrepreneur in Kenny Dichter, who is clearly passionate about general and private aviation, and recognises its unrealised potential, is an incredible opportunity for the industry. Travellers benefits through new and more accessible means of transport, at improved value; while the aviation industry benefits from positive disruption, bringing about improvements and progress.
Wheels Up are an industry leader, and Kenny Dichter an incredible change agent.
