Jetting Away
If you've had enough of security checks and lengthy waits at the airport, it might be time to invest in a private jet, says Robyn Tucker-Peck
Tired of waiting at airports? Robyn TuckerPeck rounds up the latest private jets
On a trip to Asia a few weeks ago, my schedule had me flying through five different airports over 10 days. I was returning to India after several years and it struck me how airports like Chennai and Kolkata have grown from the one low-rise, two-story building of old to the multifloored glass high-rises of today. It’s a result of the growing economies in this part of the world, where the importance of an efficient airport process, with timely and wait-free procedures like check-in and security scanning for business and commercial travellers, is crucial. Chennai handled 23 million passengers last year while Netaji Subhas Chandra Bose International Airport, formerly known as Dum Dum Airport, now handles approximately 20 million passengers per year. This may not compare to the busiest airports in Asia like Beijing Capital International Airport with 101 million passengers per year followed by Dubai, Tokyo and Hong Kong in the 80 to 90 million range, but these figures are steadily increasing.
The ease of catching a business jet or private jet at a dedicated private jet terminal to another location than these airports, away from all those thousands of people, is an altogether different travel experience. The private jet is waiting for you, there’s no lines, an instant security check, crew at the ready, food designed especially for you, beds to sleep in, and separate areas for bathing, eating and doing business. You jump on, the wheels go up and off you go. Fast, quiet, peaceful and very civilised, it beats all first class and business class travel on a commercial jet.
PRIVATE JETS ARE ASIA-BOUND
Now the question is more about what type of private jet you’d like to take your journey in. You can purchase your own jet, lease it, charter it, join a membership programme or pay as you go. Payment programmes these days make it easier to fly by private jet than ever before – and there are plenty more newly-minted millionaires and billionaires in Asia with the cash to do so. According to the UBS/PwC Billionaire Insights 2019 report, there are more billionaires in Asia Pacific than anywhere else in the world. There are currently 754 billionaires in the region, followed by the Americas with 749 and Europe, the Middle East and Africa with 598. China’s entrepreneurs have quickly risen to become the world’s second largest billionaire group in this time overtaking Russia. At the end of 2018, China was home to almost an eighth of all billionaires worldwide. This is strategic for companies in the private jet business. A report by elite market research company Mordor Intelligence found China was the largest market for business jets in the Asia-Pacific region in 2018. By the end of 2018, China had a total fleet of 338 operational business jets, making the country the largest operator of business jets in the world. “China is also planning to establish as many as 500 general aviation airports catering to the needs of around 5,000 general aviation aircraft by the end of 2020, which is also a supportive factor for the market,” it added.
As China becomes a business hub, business aviation in the country is growing at a rapid pace. According to Mordor Intelligence, in its Asia-Pacific Business Jet Market - Growth, Trends, and Forecast (2019-2024), that growth in the business jet market in AsiaPacific is primarily being driven by China, Australia, and India.
“Business jet manufacturers are focusing more on the development of ultralong-range jets that can travel almost halfway around the world, which can open fresh possibilities in personal and business travel. Business jet customers also prefer jets that can provide access to the more demanding, long-range routes. Even in the global market, the demand for long-range business jets is mainly generated from customers based in AsiaPacific,” the report stated.
If you’re one of those on the look-out for a private jet, here are six serious options to consider.