We’re the first to admit, we do go hard on the airlines.
They do a great job, and we’re so lucky in Australia to have one of the safest regulatory conditions in the world which results in far fewer incidents compared elsewhere.
But our job is to show those who need to fly from A to B, whether that be Melbourne to Sydney, or Moree to Swan Hill, that there is a better way.
You see, the airlines have a task to run their jets to a schedule, where you’re no more important than the other 150+ passengers flying with you.
And they can’t fly everywhere, all the time.
This is why private aviation is such a fast-growing market in Australia. Granted, it has taken a pandemic and associated severe travel disruption to show individuals who are in a financial position that there are economical ways to experience the benefits of chartering a private jet.
Thankfully, though, we’re often provided with free marketing by the actions of airlines.
Stranded passengers, lost luggage, long queues in security, non-responsive customer service, and business travellers sitting on the floor in overcrowded lounges are voiced frequently via social media.
How the airlines ruined Will’s day
For our Access cardholder, Will, a third-generation farmer, trying to get from A to B was a horrid experience.
Two commercial flights from major airports plus a further 3 hours to his final destination by road, was a task that Will never looked forward to.
It only took one of the flights to be delayed or cancelled, and his whole day was ruined, with limited options to reschedule on the day.
A travel solution that’s all about you
Now, having the ability to book a jet to suit his schedule, along a more direct route has completely changed the way that Will does business. Will can depart from his urban airport, saving time by travelling directly to where he needs to be.
A quick trip to inspect a new facility or investment can be achieved with a level of convenience never experienced before.
The added bonus that his dedicated travel specialist knows what paper he likes to read and the food he likes to eat onboard makes Will’s entire travel experience a joy, and something he actually looks forward to.
For Will, the journey is now as important as the destination.
If you travel frequently, even a couple of times a year, George’s story will be very familiar.
A busy self-made entrepreneur with a young family, George needs to travel for his business and put faith in the airlines as flying by private jet felt a little out of reach.
Like all of us, George was up at 4AM to catch the first flight to Sydney.
Trading the good morning cuddles from his kids for the lonely drive to the airport.
Knowing he would miss school drop offs for queuing with random travellers piling into the same plane.
His plan of attack once on the ground in Sydney was precise and had little margin for error.
Only while enroute to be sent an SMS by his airline that the flight to Sydney was cancelled.
That’s it, no “here’s what we’ll do to fix things”, just a recommendation to call the offshore call centre.
George’s day is now destroyed, meetings need to be pushed where possible and and then there’s the hassle and stress rebooking onto a later flight.
This is how the airlines treat their customers.
The very lifeblood that keeps them in the air, are their largest inconvenience.
A product that revolves around you, a company that adores its card holders.
George could book a four seat light jet, with as little as a few hours notice and know exactly what the cost was going to be via the fixed occupied hourly pricing.
He could now arrive into a private lounge 15 minutes prior to departure. No security, no queues, no hassles. Compared to the chaotic airport lounges, the Fixed Base Operator’s lounge was eerily quiet.
A safe, clean, and reliable jet paired with healthy gourmet catering meant George could hit the ground running, meet those prospects, and close more deals.
And the best part?
George could now get those good morning cuddles, leave his home in Brighton at 7AM for a 7:20AM wheels up out of Moorabbin and arrive at his first meeting in Sydney’s CBD by 9:15AM.
It gets better.
By the end of his busy day, George’s jet will be ready to fly him home in time for dinner.
Imagine having a travel platform that works to your schedule, not someone else’s.
Paying by Amex and Crypto, all of George’s flights are 100% carbon offset as part of his hourly rate.
Time is money, can you afford to be left behind by the airlines?
It is common knowledge that commercial airliners can be quite unhygienic. 150-300 passengers in a confined environment, minimal downtime between flights, it is no surprise.
But what we found from this report is that the toilet isn’t the dirtiest location on a commercial airliner.
Make sure you clean your hands before touching your face following a commercial flight!
Here are four things dirtier than an airliner’s toilet.
1) Seat Belt Buckles
You wont be able to avoid touching the seat belt buckle. While they CAN be cleaner than a toilet it is one of the items in constant hand contact with passengers.
2) Aisle Seat Headrests
Hard to believe at first, it now makes sense why the headrest on aisle seats can be quite unhygienic. Most passengers use the aisle seat to balance as they walk down the narrow path to their seat.
3) Overhead vents
An object in constant contact with passengers but perhaps overlooked when it comes to cleaning. Overhead vents had a total of 285 colony forming units (CFU) per square inch.
4) Seat Back Trays
Now this is disgusting.
It was found that the seat back tray was the dirtiest place onboard a commercial airliner. With a CFU reading of 8x the toilet flush button (2,155 CFU), it may be wise to bring along some sanitising wipes if germs aren’t your ‘thing’.
Although flying may seem romantic and exciting, it is very much to be considered a ‘public place’.
