Filling a need for a bespoke airline service

WONDERING where to holiday in 2024? I run Aviation Needs, a Yorkshire company providing private jets and helicopters for people who want personal bespoke service and we’ve seen a surge in bookings for five European destinations.

But first, let’s look back at the year just gone.

Last year was a strange year for flights.

January was initially quiet – in fact, the quietest we’ve seen it since 2019.

However, February then became the highest month for bookings we’ve ever seen and on reflection, the start of the year must have been what I would call an ‘observation month’ in which people were thinking about what to do.

But once they got going, vast numbers of people started planning and booking flights for the summer.

I think off the back of the pandemic, people wanted to add a bit of sparkle and personal touch to their holidays.

For us, that meant they wanted to make sure they got their favourite aircraft and preferred crew.

We’ve seen a change in attitude generally when it comes to holidays.

People seem to value time more preciously.

They want to spend the time they have as effectively and pleasantly as possible, surrounded by the ones they love.

The airline industry has been slow to recover and adapt to the post-pandemic world which is a shame because people are more than ready to get back to going abroad.

But fortunately for those who can use our services, private aviation fills the gap.

We also had an exceptionally wet summer in England so naturally, Spain and Portugal appealed for their high levels of sunshine.

I can see why people want to go to these places – they have decent temperatures all year round.

People used to go to Tenerife for winter sunshine but now the likes of Palma and Majorca are seeing the same temperatures during December and January so they are more appealing and we’re seeing greater numbers fly there.

The likes of British Airways are flying all year round to Ibiza now from London.

Ibiza used to be a party island just for a few months but now we are seeing people wanting to fly there all year round so there is definitely a demand.

We’ve also noticed that incentives in the second property markets especially in Portugal have led to a huge boom of people wanting to fly there.

My company has seen a surge in clients from Leeds and as I’m from Yorkshire I’m delighted more people from here areflyingwithus.

We provide private jets and helicopters to rock stars, the rich and famous, and highnet-worth individuals, while our biggest growth in clients this summer came from Ilkley and Burley-inWharfedale.

Lastyearwasagreat year for us and I think 2024 will be similar.

We’ve already taken bookings for holidays.

So if you want inspiration for your holiday plans, to date, our top five European hotspots are Faro, Ibiza and Palma, Nice and Croatia.

Matt Cheshire is managing director of Aviation Needs.