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Like Jolie, Brad, and the kids winging off to $35 million estate for some rest and relaxation in the South of France, charter flights inevitably evoke images of wealth, glamor and celebrity. Money fuels the world of private jets and the prestige of it all merely adds to the allure. Truthfully, private jets are as common in little American airports like Horseshoe Bend, North Folk Valley, Mackinac Island, and Turners Falls as they are in the South of France. These are airports near the plants, warehouses, and facilities of companies large and small. They research, manufacture, and sell products the world needs and desires. Jon M. Boyd, a flight service sales and marketing director at Westchester County Airport in New York, says, "Businesses with plants in various locations, people that multiply their time by visiting a half-dozen plants in a day or two instead of a week, they're our backbone, our strength." More often than not, charter flights are a matter of time. Is time better invested in a half-dozen employees preparing for a meeting on a jet with every boardroom amenity at their fingertips or with those employees stalled in security, waiting to board a plane, or stuck on a runway at the mercy of air traffic control? For some, time is the most valuable commodity. The nation's commercial airline industry took a major hit in the wake of 9/11. This was also evident in the business of renting jets. Next came the Great Recession of 2008, with rising fuel prices and environmental emission regulations adding to the travails. Then came the Big 3 auto company CEOs flying on executive jets to Washington to plead for taxpayer bailouts. "That was the nadir," lamented an owner of a small fleet of planes. It was four long years before what used to be the ultimate status symbol got another look. With burgeoning lines at airport security, soaring airfares, scrambled air routes and flight delays everywhere, companies began to reconsider chartering. Prices had been cut. Flight-sharing opportunities were abundant. Social networking plans and campaigns were all over Facebook. "The private jet industry isn't going back to its peak of the late 1990s, but anything's better than where we are," said one analyst. Currently, the charter flight industry is indeed much better off than it was three years ago. According to Private Jet Services, a worldwide private aviation consulting firm, the 2015 market outlook forecasts steady growth of the private jet charter market, particularly for business use. The report also says commercial flights are trending to more seats and less comfort for passengers. Today, charters with six to 150 seats are available for $1,500 to $5,000 per hour of operation. Additional costs apply, depending on aircraft type, airport locations, and various other associated fees and choices. What's the most important consideration of all? Unlike the 500 U.S. airports available for commercial airlines, more than 5,000 are waiting to serve private planes, ensuring that regardless of the point of arrival or departure, an airport is always nearby. As one analyst noted after comparing the relative costs of commercial versus charter flights, "The old adage still holds true. Time is money." To learn more about their options for charter flights, Michigan residents should visit http://www.flyrai.com/.
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