The Big Story: Jet charter services help evacuate stranded foreign nationals from Libya

Charter airplanes assist tremendously in times of emergency, going exactly where they are needed and ensuring the safe delivery or transport of people and critical supplies. In the recent chaos in Libya, with thousands of foreign nationals stranded in the country, jet charter services have been essential in evacuating citizens from the United States, Canada, and the United Kingdom, among others.

Industry Expansion: The business climate for corporate jet rental and general jet charter services improves in the U.S., booms in other parts of the world

As the United States and the rest of the world recover from the recent economic downturn, there are signs that the rate of corporate jet rental is increasing. As The Wall Street Journal and the National Business Aviation Association note, the industry appears to be starting a slow, but steady recovery in North America.

Meanwhile, in emerging markets that have recovered much more quickly from the global recession than has the U.S., the jet charter industry is expanding rapidly. In the United Arab Emirates, for example, jet charter brokers have posted record revenue growth, with one company experiencing a 120 percent growth rate from January 2010 to January 2011.

China has also experienced rapid growth in its jet charter services industry, despite a difficult regulatory environment. With a growing wealthy class in China looking for high quality services, some Chinese are shelling out tens to hundreds of thousands of dollars to charter a plane for either domestic destinations or abroad. This expansion is highlighted nicely by a report from the end of January about the first-ever direct charter flight from China to Hawaii, hopefully the start of many more flights to come.

For Rest of the Year: Rising oil prices could increase costs, damage business

According to Britain’s Independent, one jet charter broker has already increased fees on passengers due to rising oil prices stemming from the recent unrest in Libya and the greater Middle East. Could this damage the corporate jet rental business and its attempts to recover? Check back in with us throughout the year to see how this and other stories in the jet charter services industry play out.

1. For your luxury and comfort

Private aircraft charters are the ultimate in travel luxury, and our charter jet service is no exception. Our staff caters to your every need, giving you the exact amount of service you want, nothing more, nothing less.

2. For your schedule

Rather than worrying about your take-off and arrival times, set them according to your schedule so our planes depart when you say and go where you want.

3. To impress your friends/clients

Flying by the Matterhorn or jetting into Macau for a getaway weekend will make the right impression on your clients and will make your friends feel extra special.

4. To get to where you need to go

Sometimes airlines aren’t flying to your destination, or can’t get you to where you need to go in an appropriate time frame. We cut through all that, with private aircraft charters that offer you the quickest service possible so you get where you need to be.

5. To see the world, safely

Travel can be intimidating, especially when going to countries or regions unfamiliar to you. Our private jet charter service can take you on trips you’ve always wanted to do, with the same friendly faces and service following you every step of the way.

6. For time-sensitive cargo

Highly valued goods and produce need to get to market quickly, and we can give you the customized service to make sure your cargo arrives safely, securely and promptly.

7. For your family

With a private charter service at your disposal you can be sure your children and significant other sleep, eat, stretch out, and play whenever you and they may want to, making travel impossibly easy.

8. For that special date

Whether a romantic anniversary or moment, or the marking of a special time or person, our private jet charter service will make any date unforgettable.

9. For your safety

With our highly trained pilots and top-of-the-line private aircraft charters, you can rest assured that you, your family, and your friends are traveling as safely as possible, no matter your destination.

10. For your own personal discretion

Our clients, whether public icons or private citizens, can be assured of 100% privacy in their travels as they explore the globe on their own terms.

Renting a private jet can seem like an excessive expense, but there is actually a lot of good that comes from private jet rentals. The National Business Aviation Association released its 2010 Business Aviation Fact Book, which demonstrates well the value of the charter airplane industry.

Contributions to the American economy

Business aviation – or renting a private jet – contributes $150 billion to the U.S. economy each year. The industry employs more than 1.2 million people, with jobs from the industry in every state of America. In fact, according to the NBAA, the business aircraft manufacturing industry is one of the few positive contributors to America’s balance of trade. From the manufacturing industry that creates charter planes, to the small airports and service staff that are busy when people charter a private jet, business aviation is an extremely positive contributor to America’s economy.

Provider of vital services

Private jet rentals are essential for smaller communities, especially in emergency situations. For organ transplants, patient transports, law enforcement actions, rescues in emergency situations, firefighting, and even postal deliveries, private jet rental can be a lifeline for communities and individuals, even for those in larger cities who are located closer to community airports. Furthermore, in times of extreme humanitarian need, private jet rentals are often the ones evacuating citizens (as seen in 2011 in Libya), delivering supplies (as seen in 2005 in the aftermath of Hurricane Katrina), and generally supplying logistical support (as seen in 2010 following the earthquake in Haiti).

Essential for Good Business

For safety and security reasons, many business staff choose the option of renting private jets over taking commercial airliners. This is more than just a choice of comfort. On private jet rentals employees can talk candidly about projects and decisions without the fear of eavesdroppers, and they can efficiently use all the tools at their office on the private airplane, without many of the restrictions commercial airlines have.

Moreover, industry lists that rank companies on important factors – like innovation and corporate citizenship – feature firms that are, overwhelmingly. users of business aviation. The efficiency and comfort that comes from renting a private jet seems to contribute to many of the values these highly ranked companies cherish.

Business Coming Back?

According to a recent release from the NBAA, the charter airplane industry is coming back, albeit slowly. It seems the industry mirrors that of the general U.S. economy, with a slow recovery following the sharp contraction of 2008 and 2009. With the business, social, and economic benefits that private jet rentals provide, a soaring charter airplane industry should have positive impacts on other sectors of the economy as well.

It’s quite another thing to engage in such activity while flying a plane, which is exactly what two pilots did last week.The two pilots from Northwest Airlines didn’t just create a minor blip, either. They overshot their own landing by 150 miles, were out of radio contact for 90 minutes and left over 140 passengers worried during their journey–all because they were both playing on their laptops during the flight.

The military even almost became involved at one point for fear of another national security disaster.

Okay, when people scoff that it’s more dangerous to be in car than in an airplane, and that riding in a plane is a perfectly safe way to travel, perhaps their words of wisdom don’t hold up as much as they have in the past.

People are often being told to stop talking–and especially texting–on their cell phones while driving their cars (or a bus or train…); perhaps a campaign against web browsing while flying a plane full of passengers is needed as well.

The two pilots, who violated aviation policy with their little laptop break, had their licences revoked by the Federal Aviation Administration as a result.

While some are arguing that these pilots must have been under severe stress to do such a thing–and it’s true that pilots have been enduring a lot during the economic crisis in the country right now–common sense has to come in somewhere. You’re flying a plane. In the sky. With over a hundred lives in your hands. You shouldn’t be on your laptop.

From random (to not-so-random) searches to people with prosthetic limbs being asked to prove they’re there to babies in blankets being checked before boarding, it’s never a surprise to discover what the latest thing being banned from the friendly skies might be.

Which is exactly why it’s so surprising that flights coming out of the Bay Area might be carrying passengers with approved baggies of pot.Granted, the marijuana they are traveling with is of the medical variety, but given the strict regulations on so many other substances, it’s still a cause for eyebrows to disappear beneath hairlines.

According to San Francisco police, as long as the patients carry cards that verify that the pot is for medical purposes, they are allowed to bring up to 8 ounces of dried marijuana on board with their toiletries. The police use the same policy within the city itself, and have been doing so since November of 2008.

Airport staff aren’t allowed to dictate who can fly or not with the cannabis; only the local police have that authority.

In San Jose, the law differs. While passengers are allowed to fly with their drugs, the police do write up a report and submit it to a federal judge, who then decides whether criminal activity has occurred or not.

The U.S. Justice Department in general is backing the patients, saying that prosecution of travelers with valid medical needs for the marijuana should be avoided as long as they cooperate with local laws.

But the reality is that air travel generates a considerable amount of waste. If the aluminum cans that are pitched from flights every year were recycled alone (4,250 tons of them, to be precise), there would be enough to construct 58 brand new 747s–which, you might think, would provide some incentive to recycle for the airlines. Raw materials don’t come much cheaper than that!

Paper is also a huge waste in the air travel business. Every year, 72,250 tons of paper are wasted on flights–which is enough to fill up a football-field sized hole 230 feet deep.

The good news is that some airlines are opting to get a bit greener. Delta Airlines, JetBlue and Southwest Airlines have all made some strides in recycling their waste. Southwest in particular hopes to make enough money through its recycling efforts to pay for its entire waste management process.

However, most airlines haven’t really jumped aboard the green wagon as of yet. Though the reasons why vary, experts cite little to no government regulations or incentives as the main culprit.

That said, the fact that airports that do recycle save about $100,000 annually should nudge them in the eco-friendly direction.

So what do you do if your attendant cannot recycle your stuff for you? If you truly care about it, you can keep it in your carry-on (which is likely already jam packed!) and recycle it after you get off the plane. Just be sure to write the airline once you get home and let them know that it’s very important to you.

Experts say that travelers should book while the booking is good. “You’re going to have less availability to choose from. Any of these lower fares or special fares that you see offered are capacity controlled,” warns Janet Stevens of AAA Travel Services.It all comes down to the numbers: there are simply fewer passengers flying these days. In fact, this year’s fourth quarter low is expected to be nearly as low as the record set following the September 11 attack in 2001.

Fewer passengers translates to fewer flights offered. And when the holidays sneak up on travelers as they always seem to do, without as many flights available, there won’t be as many choices left.

So how early do we need to buy? Experts say that anytime between now and the end of October is ideal. “Bottom line is that holiday air travel procrastinators do so at their own peril this year and practical travelers should be shopping now,” says Farecompare.com’s Rick Seaney.

According to Stevens, Thanksgiving morning departures can often help people save money, as well as flying outside normal peak periods. This entails flying a few days earlier–such the Monday or Tuesday before Thanksgiving rather than the day before.

Fewer passengers flying does have its advantages. Processing times should be shorter, and lines should be as well. Flights may not be as crowded, and may be more likely to arrive on time.

British company Design Q is working on a concept for staggered, sideways seating in order to help airlines cut costs–and max out on passenger capacity.

Images of the revolutionary idea can be seen here. Each row is made up of inward-facing seats on both sides of the plane. There is also another row, composed of back-to-back seats, down the center of the plane.

And some airlines are already considering the concept. Irish airline Ryanair’s CEO, Michael O’Leary, says he’s willing to consider new seating arrangements on his company’s planes. He’s also in favor of a vertical, or standing, design during short flights.

While some travelers like to have a conversation with their seat mates, many prefer to remain quiet during their journey. Would such face-to-face seating force people to start talking to one another? And would that be such a bad thing?

As far as short flights go, would standing not increase the uncomfortable feeling of flying that many people have–thereby reducing the airline’s customer inflow? After all, trekking across an airport–particularly while toting around several pounds of luggage–can be a tiring ordeal. Add that to annoyances with security, flight delays and other inconveniences, and most people would probably rather sit as they fly rather than stand.

Another thing to consider are the flight crew. Will it be possible for them to move down such aisles? How will larger passengers be able to fly without the possibility of paying for two seats? And would a larger capacity mean a larger risk during a fire, turbulence or other emergencies?

Would you fly in this fashion?