From athlete-approved menus to onboard yoga, Vistajet has created a pick-n-mix wellness programme for private jet flyers that answers the needs of passengers both in the air and at their destination. Globetrender CEO Jenny Southan reports from the launch at Farnborough airport.
To elevate the private jet experience further still, Vistajet has created unique onboard wellness programme that aims to reduce jetlag and rejuvenate fliers.
It also offers the ability to book curated wellness adventures via Vistajet’s Private World, with excursions spanning four continents and over 20 disciplines, delivered by luxury adventure travel companies such as Pelorus. Once on the ground, clients can book “rare and exclusive” private sessions with ancient masters of the world’s most revered traditions and practices, as well as world leading private medical experts.
Responding to demand from private jet flyers, as well as global trends for greater meaning, longevity and impactful life experiences, Vistajet has designed a “multifaceted global wellness portfolio” that offers every passenger a solution that is “suited to their particular perspective and needs”.
Whether an athlete is seeking faster recovery or a business leader is seeking greater clarity, there is an array of pick-n-mix wellness add-ons to enhance the trip.
Flying affects both the body and the mind, and for people who fly a few times a week, the impact of jetlag has a real effect on everyday life and business focus. Helping customers be their best is Vistajet’s series of pre, post and in-flight wellness services…
Private Medical CEO and founder Dr Jordan Shlain says: “Life is really predicated on health. So lifestyle is health. They can’t be separated. Every decision you make is a healthcare decision. So if you want to be healthier ten years from now, or as healthy as you are today, then you have to have a strategy, and that strategy has to be organised around the decisions you make, big and small.”
Matteo Atti, chief marketing officer for VistaJet agrees: “Flying better means living better, and the advantage of flying private should not be limited to the speed of the flight alone. In our aim for excellence, we researched all the ways to benefit the minds and bodies of the people who fly with us.
“Using our resources, knowledge and network, we can really support our members, particularly those who spend a lot of time in the air. When flying is part of your life or business routine, we want to make sure it is a moment that adds value. This is why we designed the Wellness World programme.”
He adds: “Our audience is typically aged 45 to 65, so that is why wellness has become such an important topic for us over champagne.”
Pre-flight wellness
Passengers can consult with a Vistajet nutritionist on the best foods to eat before and during flight, and pre-order in-flight meals that work for their mission ahead. There is also a long list of non-alcoholic drinks to choose from.
Vistajet nutritionist Jenna Daou says: “We noticed that one of our program members sometimes wouldn’t eat on the board because he’s very fixated on the ingredients in the food that he’s eating. But once we offered him this programme, we got amazing feedback from him – he really enjoyed the freshness and the quality of the ingredients. Our eggs are from Clarence Court, for example, the smoked salmon is wild (never farmed), our sourdough bread is from a local bakery and our vegetables are organic.”
Daou continues: “I’m going deep into where we’re sourcing our ingredients from, ensuring that our clients are really getting the best of the best. During the initial consultation, I get an idea about their lifestyle, what they like to eat on board generally, their medical history and dietary requirements. I then build a profile and based on that, curate menus for all their flights. My job is to keep it creative and fun for them, so it’s not repetitive.
“To give clients ideas we even have a ‘performance menu’ inspired by Ferrari drivers. We have a partnership with Ferrari so the drivers fly with us to their races – they’re very particular, obviously, about their nutrition as they need to stay in tip top shape for their races.”
Relax Menu: Focused on calming the body and mind, using micronutrients known to relax and destress. Supporting ingredients: tryptophan, magnesium, calcium, melatonin, serotonin. A sample menu can be found here.
Revitalise Menu: Focused on energizing the body and mind, providing a nourishing boost. Supporting ingredients: complex carbohydrates, iron, B vitamins, caffeine, electrolytes. A sample menu can be found here.
Rejuvenate Menu: Focused on uplifting the mind and body, nurturing at a deeper level. Supporting ingredients: collagen, probiotics, antioxidants and vitamin. A sample menu can be found here.
Performance Athlete Menu: Focused on preparing the body and mind for optimal performance. Created in collaboration with world-renowned athletes, including Charles Leclerc. A sample menu can be found here.
In-flight wellness
Once onboard one of Vistajet’s Global 7500 aircraft, passengers will find ergonomic seating to assist posture; a central lounge with space to do yoga (a DVD and mat are provided); circadian lighting to help combat jet-lag; Bowers and Wilkins noise-cancelling headphones; Mamiel aromatherapy oils; exclusive skincare products from Guerlain’s Orchidée Imperial collection; JING teas; and a curated collection of books to read on the couch or in the double bed, which is made up with crisp cotton sheets and soft pillows. In addition, the cabin is pressurised to 4,000ft.
Dr Shlain says: “Everyone’s biology and physiologies are fundamentally unique to them. And until you really can understand your own physiology or you’re kind of flying blind a little bit. For travel specifically, sleep and hydration are probably the two most important things. We’re generally all under hydrated. We don’t realise that if you’re not going to the bathroom every couple hours, you’re not drinking enough water.”
He continues: “Waking up can be the most stressful part of the day. I haven’t set an alarm clock for years because this causes causes you cortisol levels to go up. Vistajet aims to keep stress down because cortisol causes ‘chronic inflammation’ – or ageing – in the body. Jet-lag occurs when you’re travelling through multiple times. It’s not just your brain that has a circadian rhythm – every cell in your body has a little clock in it, and they all operate on different schedules.
“For that reason you should try to eat as little as possible on your flight, so that you can gear up for the next time zone. And when you land, you should eat. And recalibrate your clocks to the time that you’re in. I’d also recommend people take two to three micrograms of melatonin, do some stretching in the cabin, wear flight socks to prevent deep vein thrombosis, and experiment with apps for sleep management such as Timeshifter.
“The other piece of technology is called ‘daylight simulation’ or ‘solar simulation’. So we pretend to shorten your day when you’re in the air. We’re trying to make your clock react to the level of light inside the cabin so that instead of feeling like there’s a ten-hour different time difference, we might reduce it by adjusting the light levels and the tonality of light.”
Dr Shlain adds: “If you have a real medical problem we have access to doctors in every city where there’s a major international airport.”
Post-flight
From biohacking treatments to a private prayer session with a Tibetan Buddhist leader, for those not on a business trip there is the option to curate a special wellness itinerary in specific destinations around the world.
Thanks to an array of exclusive Private World partner offerings with world-leading institutions, brands and experts, customers can experience life-changing wellness adventures.
Pelorus co-founder Jimmy Carroll says: “It’s not just about being in the country. We ask how do we maximise the experiences? Are you fit enough? Are you healthy enough to go heliskiing in Antarctica? We put together a programme before we even depart to ensure that you’re fit enough. The biggest part is understanding the client and how you live your lifestyle.”
One of the trips that Pelorus has designed for Vistajet takes place in Bhutan. Carroll says: “Bhutan is a country of incredible landscapes and mountains. You travel a lot by helicopter and by car, so you can get travel sick. But in every vehicle we have bikes so you can ride downhill instead of drive. We look at every single detail. We do recces and find out in advance where the nearest medical facility is and what local doctors are in place.”
He adds: “Sleep’s a really important one too. I want you to come back from a holiday feeling rested and relaxed so if we’re going to the outback of Rajasthan, for example, and there’s no infrastructure there, and I’m building a mobile camp, I want to know which side of the bed you sleep on if you get up in the night to get to the loo. Because if you get up two or three times in the night, I want the loo to be closest to you possible. The worst thing is to come back from a holiday, and then go, ‘Crikey, I’m exhausted’.”
VistaJet’s collection of Private World wellness recommendations include:
- Nepal and Bhutan with Pelorus — a 21-day spiritual expedition through the heart of Buddhism, with prayer sessions, a helicopter ride to Mount Everest base camp for hiking, monastery visits and traditional rituals for body health. Truly transformational.
- Sacred Valley, Peru with The Luminaire — meet with local plant medicine Shaman, absorb the energy of ancient lands, all in the privacy of your casita tucked behind the Andean highlands. Intellectual growth, restoration of self, in mind and body.
- USA and Mexico with Abercrombie & Kent — for soul stirring adventures in the wild balanced with rejuvenating rituals and practices that reconnect you with earth and self. Experience the soulful energy of US and Mexico as never before.
- Switzerland with Clinique Nascens — exclusively designed post-flying treatments and retreats to rejuvenate the mind and body. Leading medical campus with an innovation hub.
- Ibiza with Six Senses Rosebar — a biohacking retreat dedicated to increasing longevity through promoting cellar function and healing. Treatments tailored to your body’s needs.
- Costa Rica with Auberge Hacienda AltaGracia and The Well — from local healing blue clay rituals to organic fine dining across 20,000 square feet of wellness. True privacy, luxury and comfort.
- Sweden with The Luminaire — indulge in all-natural detox and cold-water therapies guided by Wim Hoff experts to reboot cells and performance endurance.
- Maldives with Joali Being — on the world’s only wellbeing island, learn the four pillars of Joali being: mind, skin, microbiome and energy.
Vistajet’s Atti concludes: “When you look at something from the sky, you can spot new options, ideas, and in this case, new remedies and practices to add value to life. It is about reimagining your way in the world — because what else is the purpose of traveling the globe if not to expand yourself?”