How to Choose Your Private Travel Provider

by

How to Choose Your Private Travel Provider by Michael Zaporzan

It doesn’t matter whether you’re traveling for business, personal reasons, or quality family time, all passengers want to feel like they are in the right hands when they fly. Choosing the right private travel provider is about more than getting where you need to go; it’s about providing you with the services you require to get there the way you want. From technical problems to a lack of availability, there are plenty of roadblocks that can disrupt your private travel. In order to choose your provider wisely, here are four things you should consider.

1. Safety

No matter when, where, or how you fly, safety is the most important thing to consider. Make sure you research the certification process, types of aircrafts, and history of meeting standards with the individual company you’re dealing with.

2. Aircraft Consistency and Availability

Many private jet flyers run into the issue of their aircraft of choice being unavailable on the dates they need. Make sure you inquire about what planes are part of the fleet, how often they’re available, and what kind of aircrafts are available as a backup.

3. Personalization

For private travelers, the in-flight experience can be as important as the destination. Are you on a certain diet? Make sure your provider can accommodate. Traveling with children? Make sure the staff is prepared for that; many providers even come with child care services upon request. Every provider has different perks, so pick the one that’s right for your specific needs.

4. Ownership

Whether you own an aircraft in full or fractional shares, it can be a challenge to consistently fly on the aircraft you own. Talk with your provider about how our plane is going to be handled, by whom, and whether you will have as much access as you require.

Final Thoughts

Every provider is going to come with different perks and drawbacks. Measuring your personal needs against their offerings is going to set you up with the best provider for you.

 

FAA Releases Annual Aerospace Forecast

by

FAA Releases Annual Aerospace Forecast by Michael Zaporzan

The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) has released its annual Aerospace Forecast Report for the Fiscal Years 2016 to 2036. The report looks at all facets of air travel including commercial airlines, air cargo, private general aviation, and fleet sizes. Here are some of the key findings of the report.

Notable Shift Towards Sustainability

2015 market the fifth consecutive year of profitability for the industry, a departure from the typical boom-to-bust cycles we have seen since its deregulation in 1978. This shift towards slow, sustainable growth has been attributed to a number of changes that took place in light of the Great Recession of 2007-09.

Air carriers have focused heavily on minimizing losses by lowering operating costs. This has been achieved by eliminating unprofitable routes and grounding older, less fuel efficient aircraft. In order to increase operating revenues, carriers have developed new services and started charging separately for services that were once included in the price of a ticket. The past 5 years have also marked an unprecedented period of consolidation with four major mergers taking place.

Because of this perceived shift towards lower losses and sustainable growth, the FAA is quite optimistic that the industry can continue this upward trend.

Growth in Line With Economic Recovery

The world is still in the process of recovering from the most serious economic downturn since World War II, and expansion has been slow, but steady. Growth in aviation will mirror this trend, as demand for aviation is highly driven by an economy in which people have the capital for such expenses. Thanks to stable demand and lower energy prices, U.S. airlines saw record profits this past year.

The FAA is forecasting that U.S. carrier passenger growth will average 2.1 percent per year over the next 20 years, which is a slightly faster rate than was cited in last year’s forecast. System traffic in revenue passenger miles (RPMs) is projected to increase by 2.6 percent a year during the same period. Domestic RPMs are forecast to grow 2.1 percent a year while International RPMs are forecast to grow almost twice as fast at 3.5 percent a year. Furthermore, as demand increases, the number of seats per aircraft is expected to grow to, with the number of 50 seat regional jets to fall to just a handful by 2023, replaced by 70-90 seat aircraft.

Use of Unmanned Aircraft Systems (UAS) Expected to Skyrocket

Unmanned Aircraft Systems, also known as drones, are expected to grow drastically. The FAA forecasts that small, hobbyist UAS purchases will grow from 1.9 million in 2016 to as many as 4.3 million by 2020, while commercial sales are expected to grow from 600,000 in 2016 to 2.7 million by 2020. Combined total hobbyist and commercial UAS sales are expected to rise from 2.5 million in 2016 to 7 million in 2020.

Final Thoughts

The cost of oil and potential savings brought about by fuel efficiency advancements will also play a huge role in the profitability of the industry. As the world in general begins moving more towards sustainable energy sources and practices, there is the potential to achieve savings in the billions in airline operational costs, which would only propel growth further.

Overall the report gives an incredibly positive outlook for aviation in the next 20 years. What else do you think could influence the industry that may not have been mentioned in the report?

To view the report in it’s entirely, please click here.