While the travel industry has taken a massive hit from the coronavirus pandemic, the number of people using Aussie private jet startup Airly has risen.
Airly, which launched in 2016, is an app-based service where members can book flights on a private jet – either by opting-in to an existing flight, or initiating a new one.
Co-founder Luke Hampshire told Business Insider Australia the service had been busy during the fourth quarter of 2019 until the bushfires hit and travel started declining. Then the coronavirus pandemic struck, initially causing a decline in usage.
But, in recent months, that has changed. Hampshire said usage on the app is up 80%, with the company doubling its membership numbers over the last three months.
Hampshire said flights over the past two weeks have been above average with June “looking very busy”.
“We’re in one of the best positions globally from the COVID perspective,” Hampshire said. “We’re very nimble. We’re able to move quickly, we see the demand, we see the interest [and] we can apply that model to what’s required. Whereas the airlines are slow-moving. They have a lot of assets, they have a lot of moving parts that take time to scale up.”
How Airly works
Hampshire describes Airly as a service that merges the perks of private travel with the predictability of commercial flights. “The big goal has always been how can we make private [flights] accessible and affordable to more sophisticated travellers,” he said.
Airly doesn’t require users to pay ongoing membership fees.
“We don’t want people paying for not using us,” Hampshire said. “So basically we can get members in now with no ongoing fees, let them check the app out, let them initiate a flight risk-free, get them on board and get them flying.” It was a decision the company made once the coronavirus pandemic set in, as a new way to provide value for its members.
Once you download the app and apply for membership, you get to either opt in for an existing flight or initiate a flight.
“What happens is that it sends out a notification to all the other members that the flight’s been initiated,” Hampshire explained. “The big difference for us is that you’re not paying for the whole jet, you’re just paying for what you need. And then we rely on other members to get on board, get involved and to book as well.”
Cost-wise, a flight from Melbourne to Sydney or Sydney to the Gold Coast flight costs $1295 a seat each way.
Most of Airly’s customers are business owners
Airly isn’t a scheduled operation. The company had considered it as a business model in the past but never went ahead with it.
“What we feel is the best option is to let our members decide when they need to go,” he said. “Ironically, they tend to be at similar times, which is helpful. It means you can get more than one group of members on a round trip.”
“Members who didn’t know each other prior to the flight actually become strong connections by the end of the flight,” Hampshire added.
Most of Airly’s current customer base are business owners. “Essential travel hasn’t stopped,” Hampshire said.
He explained that there was a period of time during the start of the pandemic when everyone was isolating – something Airly was advocating for as well. No one was flying through March and part of April before travellers started returning, especially business owners who have to travel to each of their business locations.
“It’s quite a contrast to everyone expecting work from home and Zoom to take over,” Hampshire said. “We’re still seeing those business owners needing to get from A to B.”
As a charter flight company, Airly is capable of doing global flights, including repatriation trips all the way from Europe. However, the company’s core focus is its shared flights – mainly from Sydney to Melbourne.
While Airly can provide charter flights for one-off destinations, its shared flights aim to capture the most popular routes. They do seasonal flights to destinations like Byron Bay and the Sunshine Coast, as well as options later in June for the snow season.
The company considers itself a supplementary service rather than a competitor to commercial airlines
Airly has coronavirus preventative measures in place
Airly uses the Embraer range of aircraft – a four-seat option called a Phenom 100 and the eight-seater Phenom 300. Hampshire said having these planes provides consistency for passengers because “we don’t want to be throwing 10 different aircraft at members.”
The eight seat Phenom 300
“They’re the perfect jet for us,” Hampshire said. “They’re capable of carrying a lot of luggage, they’re extremely economical, they’re the most carbon efficient jet available in Australia and it’s just a very comfortable ride for your one to two to three-hour flights.”
Hampshire also went through the measures Airly is taking to prevent coronavirus on flights.
Each passenger is required to provide a 14-day travel history before the flight. On the day of the flight, there are temperature checks at the door, and passengers are encouraged to use hand sanitiser. On shared flights, you’ll be required to use face masks, especially when there’s more than one group of members boarding.
While Airly had under 100 members for “a long period of time” through 2019, it now has more than 180 members. It wants to become the first point of call for people looking for a flight.
“The big goal now is to aggressively expand with our investors and keep increasing flights and as borders open we get Australia moving,” Hampshire said. “Right now it’s business travellers [and] we can’t wait until we can start moving leisure travellers around again.”
Airly’s vision has always been to make private jet travel more accessible and affordable.
Unfortunately some things about COVID-19 are here to stay for a while, hand washing, hand sanitiser, social distancing, DYI projects, work from home and restricted travel options.
On the other hand, restrictions are easing and if the furthest you have travelled in recent days is the letterbox, no doubt some of you are itching to get going and get your business moving again.
What precautions can you take to ensure you stay safe while travelling?
Wearing a mask on planes
Temperature checks at airports
Social distancing on planes such as buying a second seat
Cleaning your seat armrests and tray tables
Travel on a private jet for the same price as business class.
Our new membership structure makes private air travel more affordable so you can.
Upgrade to an Airly Membership in-app now with no ongoing fees.
In these uncertain times our new private jet membership with no ongoing fees gives you something to rely on.
With Virgin under a cloud and Qantas operating at 5% of its pre-pandemic capacity commercial flights are scarce, making it hard for you to get to where you need to go to get your business up and moving again.
A membership with Airly gives you access to shared flights on private jets across the eastern seaboard at a price that is comparable with business class.
To support Australian businesses we are waiving all membership fees until July and our new membership structure will have no ongoing fees.
So whether you need travel for yourself or for your entire team Airly will have a private flight solution for you, from single seats to a whole plane.
To learn more about our membership click the image below.
And if you think our program is perfect for you, apply in-app!
As a private travel club, your Airly membership makes private air travel accessible and affordable.
Private jet charter is available at any time, stay tuned for great options on empty legs but with few commercial flights available demand for an Airly membership is growing.
So here are a few things to consider when looking for a seat on a shared flight:
1. Check for activated flights before initiating a new one; which leads to 2. Flexible travel times; 3. Initiate flights early to give us more time to find fellow jet setters; 4. Refer Airly to colleagues and associates. The more members Airly has the more planes we can offer and the more benefits you receive.
Referring Airly to your friends with our new app is so simple. You’ll have a unique code, and with a simple click of ‘Share’ you can SMS, email or copy and paste the link.
To help, we have waived membership fees until at least July. Our new program won’t have ongoing fees either.
It’s been the hardest quarter for Australian businesses in living memory.
We have all had to change the way we live and work and that includes changing the way we travel.
Not everything can be done by video conference and as the country opens up again we know you have a backlog of items on your to do list.
We also know that in the current environment, even if you manage to book a commercial flight, airport queues are the last thing you feel like dealing with.
So whether you need travel for yourself or for your entire team Airly will have a private jet solution for you, from single seats to a whole plane.
If you’d like to speak more about our membership, additional COVID-19 in-flight measures or to book an on-demand charter contact us via WhatsApp and we’ll get back to you as soon as we can.
You might have considered chartering a private jet in the past. But for most, the price can sometimes be the deal breaker, especially when lengthy overnights are involved.
Aside from charter, you could hope that a discounted one-way, or empty leg, becomes available. But with empty legs comes unpredictability and the potential of cancellations or last minute route changes.
Not the best way to start your Formula One weekend.
Allow us to introduce you to semi-private.
Private for the price of business
At Airly we arrange charters and have empty legs booked on our app, but for years we’ve wanted to find a way to make private more affordable and predictable.
Thus we created a membership which allows a closed group of like-minded individuals the ability to book the seats they need, versus chartering outright.
And with the Formula One coming up, Airly members can simply initiate the flights they need risk-free. They also don’t need to worry about picking the right jet or the overnight fees associated with charter over a weekend.
What’s the cost?
Melbourne’s Essendon Airport is the best option for a Formula One flight. Featuring plenty of FBO’s, no slots and minimal congestion it is also a quick 15 minute drive to the CBD. Essendon is also very hospitable with helicopter pickup and drop offs should you want to one-up your experience into/out of Albert Park.
Flying to Melbourne / Essendon Airport, members pay:
$1,219 per seat from Sydney Metro / Bankstown Airport; or $1,395 per seat from Sydney’s Mascot Airport
What about other locations you may ask?
We do open up member flights between Melbourne and Byron Bay, Sunshine Coast, Gold Coast and Brisbane between December and February (2019/20).
What kind of jet?
Most of our member initiated flights are conducted on the modern and efficient Embraer Phenom 300E.
We do use other jets from time to time, but over a 12 month period you’d be far more accustomed to the Phenom over any other aircraft.
The Phenoms we regularly utilise via our Operator’s are only 12-24 months old.
Inside you’ll find a beautiful 8 seat cabin configuration with an enclosed lavatory at the rear.
There’s also ample luggage space which can easily fit skis, snowboards, golf clubs and more.
As part of our Project Green offset program the Phenom is a favourite of ours as its carbon emissions are about 50-66% lower than other jets in the same class.
Do I get any food or drink?
Of course you do. We have partnered with incredible catering suppliers who provide individually portioned meals for all dietary requirements.
You won’t have a cabin attendant, so rather than juggle platters or snack on a packet of chips, you can enjoy a super nutritious and delicious meal that’s also practical.
How do I book?
In order to fly semi-private you need to download the Airly app, register then upgrade to a membership.
Once we ensure you meet the criteria, you’ll be free to initiate your flights to the Formula One.
The best part is you won’t pay your reservation till the flight is confirmed!
Our member care team can also source hospitality tickets, helicopter or vehicle transfers or more. We’re just a WhatsApp message away.
Still want to charter?
Airly are more than capable of managing your charter requirements. Request your Formula One charter via our app, WhatsApp or call 1800 FLY AIRLY.
We’d love to claim credit for that last one, but these are real reviews by passengers who have had enough of the commercial airlines.
Luckily at Airly we don’t have passengers, we have members.
What this means is our travel product has been designed to not only get you from A to B safely and quickly, but to also provide the most incredible experience from start to finish.
Our member care team are fast and innovative with problem solving, and no request or concern is ever too much.
We only work with the best operators available who extend the Airly service and attention you deserve.
Your gourmet in flight catering is delivered fresh from the kitchen and caters for all kinds of dietary restrictions.
With the tap of a button you can supplement your flight with car or helicopter transfers.
Our goal is to deliver the best of service and experience each and every trip.
We won’t accept anything less.
It’s time the airlines stop taking you for granted.
To us, you’re not an inconvenience, you’re a valued part of our air travel revolution.
