Founded in 1961, Air Partner is a global aviation services group providing aircraft charter and aviation safety and security solutions to industry, commerce, governments and private individuals across civil and military organisations. As the first publicly traded air charter company, our historical and existing financial strength means our clients are in trusted and reliable hands.
Air Partner has two divisions: Air Partner Charter, comprising group charter, private jets, freight and specialist services; and Air Partner Safety & Security, which comprises aviation safety and security training, research and consulting services from Baines Simmons and Redline Assured Security.
Our charter division offers a suite of bespoke services and programmes to guide and enhance our clients’ everyday travel needs into something extraordinary. The flexibility of charter flights allows us to work closely with clients to tailor the service to their exact requirements of private jet travel, such as unparalleled comfort, luxury food and drink, and exceptional service. This includes our customisable On Demand and On Demand+ programmes, as well as our range of JetCard memberships from five, ten or 25 hours.
We have a presence in 17 locations, spanning Europe, North America, the Middle East, Africa and Asia. Last year, Air Partner expanded its Singapore office and established its first physical presence within Africa.
We are a highly adaptable company and our diverse portfolio of services is always evolving to be ahead of the market and to anticipate client demands. We offer flexible cancellation options across all services, so clients can book with peace of mind. Our innovative JetCard membership offers members the ultimate flexibility and freedom. Members can take advantage of guaranteed availability with 24 hours’ notice, as well as a fixed hourly rate with no hidden costs, among many other benefits.
In response to the pandemic, we also launched the new JetCard 5, providing clients with five hours of flight time. JetCard 5 is the ideal safety net for those who want to future-proof their travel plans, or for those who are new to private flying. To provide reassurance to a more safety- conscious client base, we launched the Air Partner Protect in early 2020 to provide comprehensive safeguarding of flights to mitigate risk. This minimising of contact and touchpoints is a service that cannot be implemented on a commercial flight.
We are also passionate about managing our business in a sustainable way and, while we recognise there are challenges in the aviation industry, we encourage clients to carbon offset via a partnership with ClimateCare. This is the first step in our mission to operate more sustainably with our partners and supply chain in the future.
We have an approved list of more than 7,000 aircraft that we charter on behalf of our clients, ensuring that the best and most appropriate aircraft is used for any particular journey our clients are embarking on. This allows us access to competitive live market pricing for greater, more bespoke aircraft choices.
For Air Partner, the crisis proved to be an opportunity to demonstrate our wide range of services and our ability to put the needs of customers first. Globally, the number of new clients and JetCard memberships has grown, with particularly strong demand from high-net-worth individuals embarking on leisure travel.
Air Partner experienced a 321% increase in people interested in private flying during the summer of 2020, as many Covid-19 related travel restrictions lifted. The US private jet business performed well as private jet customers increased 23% year-on- year in early 2021.
The JetCard programme saw a 15% rise in sales and renewals year-on-year in the UK, thanks to pent-up demand from consumers to travel abroad again this summer. This allows clients to buy private flying hours in advance with the ability to cancel at just 24 hours’ notice.
We predict corporate travel to return eventually, but recovery will be slower than leisure. We expect to see a surge in leisure travel demand, similar to what we saw last year, once restrictions lift and people regain their appetite for travel.
As demonstrated in the summer of 2020, we predict several first-time private jet users to the market, as travellers look to avoid large queues caused by testing requirements and passenger locator forms at airport terminals. We expect to accommodate more multi-generation families who are able to spend unrestricted time together as they recognise the additional safety of travelling in their family bubble.
With 60 years of experience, we are the experts in bespoke aviation and luxury travel, allowing us to tailor each journey perfectly to our clients’ needs. With a strong geographic presence across four continents and a 24- hour, year-round flight operations centre, Air Partner’s team of 400 aviation professionals are always available to organise any changes, from departure to arrival.
Anything from arranging personal ground transportation and PCR testing to customising the onboard dining experience, Air Partner can arrange a truly seamless experience. Air Partner also offers JetCard flyers who buy a minimum of 25 travel hours’ access to its JetCard Lifestyle Membership, which means year- round access to the most premium concierge services.
Last summer, when restrictions were lifted, the popular destinations were Mykonos, Nice, Ibiza and Olbia [in Sardinia]. We predict these will be popular destinations again this year. We are also seeing a lot of demand for travel to the US to visit family or for business purposes.
The pandemic has reshaped perceptions towards safety when it comes to flying and travel. Private travel is being seen as more of a necessity than a luxury due to its quality safety provisions and greater control over the customer environment. It is a safer alternative, avoiding cramped commercial flights where the risk of exposure to Covid is higher.
Through our industry- leading Safety & Security division, Air Partner has long been committed to adhering to rigorous health and safety protocols. Our Air Partner Protect service provides comprehensive safeguarding of flights to mitigate risk. We ensure a deep cleaning of aircraft and the provision of crew who take strict hygiene precautions. Clients can opt out of having cabin crew service at all, providing an extra level of reassurance. We also work with Northcott Global Solutions to provide clients with a quick and professional response to medical emergencies.
For the UK, the impact of Brexit will make private jets even more popular for British travellers, as they will no longer be able to use the EU passport customs lanes. This will make moving through airports more time-consuming. Furthermore, there will need to be more planning ahead of time for those travelling with pets in
or out of the UK. The wealthy will be making up for lost time with their most lavish “once-in-a- lifetime” holidays yet.
Private travel will continue to grow in popularity and demand in a post-Covid world, especially with first-
time flyers. During the pandemic, we saw, and continue to see, an increase in clients who previously travelled in
first or business class on commercial airlines. Whether it is for leisure or business, we expect this increase in enquiries and bookings to continue after Covid-19 is behind us.
We are exploring ways for Air Partner’s Safety & Security business to enter the US market, as well as adding strategic partners in Southeast Asia. We will also expand our sustainability strategy to reduce the carbon footprint of our customers and us as a business.
Globetrender, the UK’s leading travel trend forecasting agency, has published a new report, Private Travel Trends: 2021-2022, which explores key trends emerging in the private travel space.
Free to download, the report has been produced in association with private jet charter company Air Partner and Do Not Disturb, a new global private travel community and event from This is Beyond.
Private Travel Trends: 2021-2022 identifies eight trends including: Debut Charters, which looks at the rise of first-time private jet users during the pandemic; Curated Drives, which examines how high-end hotels and hospitality companies are taking road trips to the next level; VIP Terminals, which looks at the way commercial airports are commoditising congestion-free, fast-track channels for Covid-averse flyers; and Landscape Cabins, which are providing comfy accommodation in even the most remote locations.
The trend report also includes case studies on the forthcoming floating hotel suite Anthénea; The Hoxton Hotels’ new fleet of Camp Hox camper vans; the all-villa Ritz-Carlton Maldives, Fari Islands resort; Koto’s modular Hytte hotel cabin; and home rental platform Onefinestay.
“No longer just the preserve of the super-rich, who have long preferred exclusivity and isolation to mass tourism, nowadays people of all incomes are seeking ways to vacation away from crowds within their own bubble of friends and family,” says Jenny Southan, editor, founder and CEO of Globetrender.
Southan says: “Even with the roll-out of the Covid vaccine, health and wellbeing will remain a top priority for travellers for the foreseeable future, and with that comes a desire for experiences that are safe and secure.
“In this report, we explore eight trends that we think most reflect the shifts in traveller needs and demands of today, as well as the innovations taking place across aviation, hospitality and beyond that demonstrate how companies are responding – and even anticipating – new behaviour and desires.”
Kevin MacNaughton, managing director charter for Air Partner, says: “We are delighted to partner with Globetrender to produce Private Travel Trends: 2021-2022, and to work with This is Beyond’s new event Do Not Disturb.
“There is a growing community of leisure travellers, from multi-generation families to young couples, who seek safety, reliability and flexibility, and for whom private jet travel is the perfect mode of transport.
“Private jet travel goes hand in hand with those looking to stay in exclusive use hotels, enjoy remote getaways and book private islands, as well as those seeking long-term luxury lets to work from abroad and appreciate the speed and convenience of private jets to travel home at short notice.”
Serge Dive, CEO and founder of This Is Beyond, says: “We have thoroughly enjoyed collaborating with Globetrender and Air Partner to produce this report. Our hope is that the findings will provide many in the travel industry with some additional insights and ideas that help to identify some new opportunities.”
The impact of Covid-19 on free movement has been well-documented, with travel blighted by international bans, rigorous quarantine policies and the grounding of commercial flights across the globe. For high-net-worth individuals, private aviation represented not just a preferred mode of travel but a necessity for those stranded abroad, as well as those conscious of preventable contact and touch points.
As a result, many private jet firms have seen tremendous growth and a new set of first-time customers. Air Partner has also seen interest soar, with a 321% surge in enquiries from UK travellers when travel restrictions lifted during the summer of 2020. “A significant proportion of these enquiries were from first-time leisure clients who recognised the safety, convenience and flexibility of private flying,” says Kevin MacNaughton, Air Partner’s managing director charter.
In a bid to entice the elite to hit the road, a host of high-end hotels and travel companies are delivering their signature brand experiences on wheels, curating every leg of the way in style. From route planning – including stops for fabulous photo opportunities and decadent lunches – to organising rare or vintage vehicle loans and even tailing guests in support vehicles, think of these “supercharged road trips” as mobile showcases for the finest hospitality brands in the business.
Aman, for example, is offering three- to five-day self-drive road trips in the US, Europe and Japan. A concierge will arrange every detail: from booking a sports car, SUV or classic automobile (they will even ship out guests’ own vehicles) to deluxe catering on the road, plus bespoke GPS systems and iPhones pre-loaded with routes and insider recommendations. Aman will also lay on support vehicles if desired, ideal if the idea of foreign touring feels daunting after a year of lockdowns – and particularly useful if you’re travelling in a vintage motor. The starting price for group “Driving Journeys” are from US$6,500 for three days.
As travel resumes, it’s not just cumbersome testing requirements that will compromise the experience: increased bureaucracy could see holidaymakers kettled in congested airports. At London Heathrow, queues of six hours or more have already emerged at the border. Commercial airports that can offer expedited, crowd-free and touch-free check-in and immigration services, in addition to the fast-track services already offered to business- and first-class passengers, should find captive audiences willing to pay for the privilege.
Previously referred to as The Private Suite, PS at Los Angeles International airport shows what’s possible. Located in a private terminal away from the main passenger hub, its customers relax in their own suite while agents deal with protocols; after clearing a private TSA screening, a BMW transfer shepherds them to their aircraft.
Our delight in reconnecting with the natural world has been one of the happier by-products of the pandemic. Over the last year, demand for remote accommodation far from cities has continued to soar, with rural listings on Airbnb earning hosts more than US$5 billion since March 11, 2020.
The “sharing economy” platform has even gone so far as launching a “rural bootcamp” project, designed to help non-urban communities unlock access to their homes more easily.
In Switzerland, high-altitude stays are trending, with Cube Aletsch on the Eggishorn near the Aletsch Glacier offering guests a place for an overnight stay. Reached by cable car, the cosy cube features a large glass façade, terrace and hot tub, more than 2,800 metres above sea level. In the future, we may wonder why we ever stayed in hotels, especially when companies such as Cuba’s Veliz Arquitecto are designing structures as stunning as the 150 sqm cocoon-like mountain cabins pictured on the cover of our report (and at the top of this story).
