Vacation in Style: How to Score a Private Jet Flight

Written by Laura Chapman

If you've ever dreamed about flying off on holiday aboard your own private jet, your dreams may be about to come true. It’s a fact: flying privately is no longer a privilege reserved for the extremely rich and famous. How is this possible? Surely it costs many thousands of pounds to hire a private jet? Wrong: A seat on a private jet can now cost little more than a seat on a commercial airline.

Private jets in Europe carry an average of just over two passengers per journey, despite the fact that the aircrafts are usually designed to seat between eight and 12 people. Furthermore, 40% of these jets fly completely empty on their return journeys in Europe, and a staggering 60% in the USA. An increasing number of budding entrepreneurs are tapping into this market and setting up companies that offer passengers huge discounts on private flying – through group bookings and through bidding for otherwise empty return legs.

Accessible to “everyday passengers”

One such company in the US is Social Flights. CEO, Jay Deragon, claims that his company makes flying private available to everyday passengers. The Beta-tested site offers its members within the US the option to purchase individual seats on private jets, as opposed to having to hire the entire plane.  The site also offers the charter of a whole plane at an affordable rate by pooling together with other members that are looking to fly to the same locations at the same times.

Social Flights is proving extremely popular; within a few months of its launch, the company already had over 8,400 members. Between them, they access a fleet of more than 500 private jets. Deragon explains that his company gives people the ability and freedom to organize their travel either on their own or with others.

New method of transport

For European flights Victor offers a similar service. The company, run by successful entrepreneur Clive Jackson, offers members of the public almost half a million possible routes. It covers flights between almost a thousand European airports and has access to 200 aircraft. Jackson claims that, as the site grows in popularity, he is able to add increasing numbers of routes to customers. Victor now has over 2,100 members and is growing fast as people get used to the idea of this new and attractive method of transport. It’s easy to see why companies like Victor and Social Flights are becoming so popular. A seat on a flight from Luton to Malaga, for example, is currently being offered for £1,532 through Victor, as opposed to costing around £10,000 if you were to fly solo. It is still considerably more than an economy seat with a more conventional airline, agreed. However, the huge cut in costs makes private jet flying a lot more accessible for people that otherwise would not be able to afford it.

Revolutionizing the travel industry

This new mode of transport is being tipped to revolutionize the travel industry, and it is the power of social media, crowd collaboration and travel technology that is driving it. Both of the above companies depend on interaction and active participation from their members in order to succeed, and both use innovations in travel technology through sites that enable new services. The overall cost of a seat on board a private jet from Victor, for example, depends on how many other people want to fly with you. This therefore encourages the site’s community of members to encourage each other to fly; the more contact you make with other members, the more chance you have of finding other people that will share the cost of the jet with you.

Members can publish posts offering their desired point to point trip or book themselves onto an existing flight and then call on their social network to help fill that plane. In some cases, this activity can see the cost of each seat on the jet fall to below that of many commercial airlines.

So, next time you think about booking that holiday abroad, and you shudder at the thought of airport check-in queues and cramped seats, have a little browse on some of these sites. As more and more companies tap into this trend, these deals are sure to become even more accessible for the masses. Who knows; next time you have your summer holiday you could be enjoying all same luxuries as the rich and famous on board your own private jet.

FAA Claims Air Travel to Double by 2032

It seems as if the airline industry, surprisingly, has a very good chance of making some profit over the next 20 years as demand for air travel starts to grow around the world. What's even better, for passengers at least, is that the price of flying will only increase slowly over that time, meaning no outrageous jumps in prices like other things *cough*GasPrices*cough*.

This prediction comes by way of a Federal Aviation Administration report that was released on Thursday. The report was over the current state of the United States airline industry and the FAA Aerospace Forecast Fiscal Years 2012-2032.

According to the report, "Over the long term, we see a competitive and profitable industry characterized by increasing demand for air travel and airfares growing more slowly than inflation. Going to the next decade, there is cautious optimism that the industry has been transformed from that of a boom-to-bust cycle to one of sustainable profits."

In addition to that, the report predicts more demand for air travel despite rising oil prices and the current economic uncertainty seen in both the United States and Europe. The report predicts that the airline industry will grow from 731 million passengers in 2011 to 1.2 billion in 2032. Air traffic growth for United States carriers is also expected to increase by over 90% during that same period. U.S. growth increased by 3.5% in 2011 and, according to FAA Acting Administrator Michael Huerta, "This year, more people will be flying more miles, and we expect that to continue in future years."

The FAA does admit that forecasting things like this is extremely difficult, especially in times of such severe economic uncertainty. According to the report, "Due to the large uncertainty of the operating environment, the variance around the forecasts is wider than it was in prior years."

Source: Chicago Tribune - Air travel to nearly double in next 20 years, FAA says

Security Camera Solutions

Wi-Fi on U.S. Flights

According to Computerworld, one-third of all U.S. flights are now Wi-Fi friendly. This could make air travel time pass much more quickly, and it could also be very advantageous to those who travel often on business.

Virgin Flights and AirTran can boast that they offer on-board Wi-Fi on every single one of their planes. It will cost you anywhere from $4.95 to $12.95. The New York Times claims that Delta features the most planes with Wi-Fi access though. Nearly all of their 500 different planes offer their travelers Gogo-based Internet access. Gogo is an in-flight Internet service that provides coverage for Air Canada, AirTran, Alaska Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Air Lines, United Airlines, US Airways, and Virgin America.

JetBlue and Continental Airlines are currently testing out Wi-Fi on their planes, and all other airlines seem to have at least some form of Wi-Fi available on a number of their planes. Southwest Airlines only has Wi-Fi on 6 of their 540 planes as of now, but they claim that they will have all of their planes outfitted with Wi-Fi connectivity by 2012. Alaska Airlines only has Wi-Fi access on a few of their planes as well, but they say that by the end of the year all of their planes should have access.

The two main in-flight Wi-Fi providers are Aircell’s Gogo in-flight service and Row 44’s Ku-band system. Aircell is ground-based. They use cell phone towers to transmit Wi-Fi throughout the sky. Because Aircell has ground-based service, it limits its Wi-Fi range to the U.S., but as long as you are flying within the country, you’re set with great service from Aircell. Row 44 mounts an antenna to the plane using the Wi-Fi. The antenna then connects the plane to HughesNet satellite Internet service.

It's great that Wi-Fi is finally showing up prominently in the air. It will make flights so much more enjoyable. By 2012, when Southwest features Wi-Fi access on all of their planes, I’m sure that most airlines will have followed in their footsteps. Sooner than later, Wi-Fi access will be completely standard on all airlines.

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Priceline.com Doing Well in 2010...For Now

Popular travel website Priceline.com, which helps users get discounts on everything from hotels to airfare, has some good news about their first quarter. The company announced today that its year-over-year increase in the first quarter shows that people are traveling again. Worldwide bookings through the company are creating an increase in earnings and revenue, however, the company isn't too optimistic about the second quarter.

Political unrest and natural disasters are expected to put a damper on travel plans for many people, who plan to travel outside of the United States in the near future. This news caused Priceline stocks to fall.

The company says it earned $53.9 million, nearly doubling its 2009 earnings. Last year, during the same quarter, they company earned $25 million. Analysts predicted the company's profit to be about $1.66 per share, but Priceline announced $1.70 per share.

According to Priceline, the biggest increases came in the form of making hotel room reservations and international bookings. Total travel bookings through the company's websites equaled about $3 billion in the first quarter, which is up from about $1.9 billion in 2009's first quarter.

So, what about the second quarter. The volcanic activity in Iceland, civil unrest in Thailand, and the fall of the value of the euro due to debt concerns in Europe are just a few of the reasons why Priceline isn't optimistic. But even so, summer is approaching and people are continuing to book hotels for their upcoming vacations.

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Apple Patents iTravel

It's being reported that Apple has filed a patent to develop a platform for the travel industry, called "iTravel." The application would allow you to book your flights, hotels, and car rentals, and provide a paperless check-in at airports. According to eTurbonews.com, Apple, Nokia, Amazon, Google, and RIM have been competing against each other to develop such a platform for travel.

Imagine having a digital boarding pass right there on your iPhone. It would handle check-in and baggage identification, advanced electronic ID, car rentals, hotel, and airline reservations, without you having to juggle your paper ticket and your picture ID.

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TripIt Releases Apps for Blackberry & Android

The TripIt app for iPhone was so popular, the travel website decided to develop apps for other platforms. Now, TripIt is available for both the Blackberry and the Android phones. The apps are free, but you do have to sign up for an account at TripIt.com (don't worry, the account is free, too).

The app lets you access your travel plans on the go, from your phone. Sure, lots of apps do this, but some say it's a lot more organized, particularly for a free app, than lots of the ones out there. It allows one-click access to your hotel, airline and other locations from your itinerary whenever you have a question or problem. Simply forward your confirmation emails from any airline or hotel and the app will organize your plans into one simple itinerary that lets you access and share your information with the click of a button. Also, the app sends you alerts and information about potential travel delays.

At the website, GeekSugar.com, a blogger talks about how a friend of hers used the app and received a flight cancellation notice from the app about half an hour before the airline notified her. She was able to get another flight to the same destination at the last minute before the other passengers from her trip attempted to do the same.

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DOT's New Aviation Consumer Website

Have a complaint about air travel? Maybe your flight was delayed several hours or you lost your luggage. Now, the government is providing you with an easier way to vent about your frustrations. A new website - airconsumer.dot.gov - was unveiled by the Department of Transportation earlier this month and it includes a link for you to file a complaint online.

The DOT puts out an air travel consumer report each month that documents complaints by airline and category. November's report shows the number one complaint is about baggage (they received 117 that month) followed by flight delays, cancellations and misconnections.

Out of all the United States airlines, Delta received the most complaints (95). Southwest Airlines received the lowest number of complaints (14). But according to consumer groups, actual problems occur much more frequently than the report lets on. Many people may not be aware that they can complain or may not feel that it is worth the time. As a matter of fact, according to Cleveland.com, there were about 122,000 passenger reports of baggage incidents in November. That's over 1,000 times more than the number of complaints.

Tom Parsons of BestFares.com hopes more people will file complaints, "Hopefully now that we're becoming more Internet savvy, more people will take the time to make complaints."

Transportation Secretary Ray LaHood said the website is part of an effort by the DOT to ensure airline passengers are treated fairly. Over the last few months, the DOT has had to pay some large fines for failing to comply with denied-boarding compensation rules. Passengers denied boarding due to oversold flights are supposed to be paid 200% of their fare to the next stopover or if need be, their final destination, up to $800.

In addition to filing complaints, users will find the DOT's aviation consumer website features guidance on aviation rules and statues, advice on airlines that have stopped operating or filed for bankruptcy protection, and several air travel tips. Several airlines have also been making it easier for consumers to complain using Twitter. Continental, Southwest, AirTran Airways and Frontier Airlines all have a Twitter presence.

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More People Using Mobile Apps for Travel

These days, travelers of all ages are using their mobile devices for everything from flight notification to check-in. And many of them are even willing to accept advertising with free apps, or so says a study conducted by the Sabre Travel Network, the world's leading provider of high-performance travel industry solutions. The global mobile survey of 800 corporate and leisure travelers from North America, Europe, Latin America, and Asia-Pacific covered a broad range of topis from fees for apps to preferred features. Here's a look at what they found:

69% of the travelers surveyed owned a smartphone, with North Americans being most likely to own one (78%) and Asian Pacific travelers being least likely (46%). Most of the smartphone owners used their phone for email and about half used it for internet purposes. While younger generations are usually thought of as the ones to keep up with trendy technology, the survey found that nearly half, or about 47% of smartphone-owning travelers are 40-years-old or older, proving that theory wrong.

Both corporate and leisure travelers showed that they were often using their phones for getting relevant travel information in a timely manner. According to Greg Webb, the chief marketing officer of Sabre Holdings, smartphones are actually the preferred way to get information and he sees a huge opportunity for the travel industry, "This trend has seemingly penetrated all ages across all continents, highlighting the tremendous opportunity for travel agencies and suppliers to leverage mobile solutions to demonstrate value to their customers and creatively reach target audiences."

The study found that 63% of travelers are open to automating reaccommodation services and checking in and out of hotels with their mobile phones and 61% are willing to to use their phones to book flights. The travel booking company Travelocity validated this response by saying they've seen a large increase in the number of bookings coming from mobile devices in recent months. Of the various groups surveyed, Europeans seemed more open to using new mobile technology for these activities.

All travelers said they were willing to compromise some advertising for free travel apps. 28% of frequent travelers and 22% of leisure travelers said they actually preferred the free apps. However, in Europe, only 14% of travelers preferred the free apps.

"There's been a lot of experimentation with pay-for-services in the past," Webb said in a statement. "With advertising emerging as a more palatable choice for travelers, application providers and retailers now have a way of monetizing their offering and driving more value out of a potentially lucrative marketing channel." He also asserted that Sabre is committed to helping the travel industry "advance their mobile strategies" and next year, the company plans to increased mobile investments to, "continue growing our award-winning portfolio of mobile solutions for both agency and airline customers."

Sabre's recent launch of the mobile app TripCase for iPhone and Blackberry has been downloaded tens of thousands of times and was nominated for a "Innovator of the Year" nomination by PhoCusWright and was named "Best Travel App" by Business Week. Their Virtually There itinerary service is used by over 30,000 travel agencies around the world.

What's Your Favorite Travel App?

It seems like there's an iPhone app for everything these days and traveling is no different. And as with anything else, everyone has a favorite to suggest. Josh Clark, the author of "Best iPhone Apps: The Guide for Discriminating Downloaders" recommends TripIt and the Lonely Planet City Guides. Actor and talk show host Jimmy Fallon has spoken favorably of Bionic Eye. The New York Times recently asked its readers what their favorite apps for traveling were and got answers such as World Surfer and Flight Update. But just because those apps work for some people, does that mean they work for others? Does that make them the best? While ultimately, app preference is up to the individual, the kings of travel at National Geographic recently put together a list of the top 20 apps. Here is a look at what they decided were definitely must-have:

At the top of their list was Next Flight. For a mere $2.99, you can track flights from over 4,200 airports and over 1,000 different airlines. Coming in at number two is UrbanSpoon, which they called "the best guide to local restaurants yet," and best of all, it's free. HearPlanet cost a little more at $5.99, but it alerts you to nearby attractions and plays their Wikipedia pages out loud. Need to access your personal HTML webpages, PDFs, text, and other files at any given time? For $4.99, Air Sharing allows you to do just that. Number five is Tweetie, not necessarily a travel app, but it is top-rated for using Twitter on-the-go and costs only $2.99.

For just $0.99, IAmHere lets your friends know exactly where you are on Google Maps. World Customs (also only $0.99) provides you with international dos and don'ts. Wi-Fi Finder does exactly what the name says in over 135 countries and it does it for free. Rounding out the top ten on Nat Geo's list are The Weather Channel, which is free and also pretty self-explanatory, and Google Earth, another free way to figure out where you are and where you want to get to.

As for the rest of the top 20, they are: 11. Packing, 12. Room, 13. FlightTrack Pro, 14. Lonely Planet Phrasebook, 15. Skype, 16. Write Room, 17. Amazon Kindle, 18. Cheap Gas, 19. Babelingo, and 20. Where. For more detailed info on each app, visit NationalGeographic.com.

Airlines and Social Media

Just about everyone with an internet connection uses some sort of social media to their advantage these days. From businesses looking to boost their image or give customers another way to keep up with what's going on to individuals looking to make new friends with similar interests or keep up with old ones who no longer live close by, social media has become a part of our daily lives. Even my 84-year-old grandfather has a Facebook page. But what about the airline industry? Why haven't they grasped on to social media to use it to their advantage, yet? Some say airlines just don't know how to do it. But a new report by Steven Frischling and Addison Schonland of Innovation Analysis Group attempts to tackle the problem.

The 62-page report titled "The Airline Industry & Social Media - A must-have strategic guide for airline marketing and sales," attempts to tell airline execs what social media like Twitter and Facebook can do for them and shows them how they can go about establishing a presence. While Schonland takes up for the airlines, saying that social media was never designed for business purposes and insists that social media is still relatively new, they do believe the airlines are falling behind when it comes to new trends.

Some airlines have already taken the first steps. Southwest Airlines has a Twitter team that is actively acting on customer complaints each day. It is believed the Twitter account has led directly to a reduction in the number of complaints filed with the U.S. Department of Transportation because of the quick way Southwest is able to intervene.

But the report believes more can be done and it outlines the good, the bad and the ugly, as well as providing tips and a general plan for airlines. For example, the report says an airline must not look at social media as a quick source of revenue, but instead as a way to build relationships with its customers. "Airlines are jumping in and out of Twitter because they can't figure out, 'How do we jump in and make money?' But they can't just "jump in to say, 'We're here!' They need to interact fully," Frischling said in an interview with ATW Online.

Another problem is that the airline executives are not sure whose hands to place the Twitter account in - does it belong in marketing? Customer Service? Communications? Some airlines even leave the work for summer interns. The report says it should span across all of those departments and then some. And on top of that, whomever is in charge of the account should be well-versed in language that is commonly used with that form of social media. With Twitter, for example, knowing how to @, RT and use a hashtag is a must if the airline expects to be fully engaged with its customers.

The report notes that one U.S. Airline joined Twitter in August and sent out one tweet five days later. It ignore 231 complaints made about the airline on Twitter and 186 direct questions. All lost opportunities that could potentially escalate into bigger problems, or even eventually provide the airline with more business from satisfied customers.

Some airlines have caught on to the "interaction" part of using Twitter. JetBlue, Virgin America, and again, Southwest all interact with their followers.

And using Twitter vs. email helps the airlines get right to the point. Customers often delete or ignore graphic/text-heavy emails and miss out on certain opportunities.

The report also notes that social media is ever-changing and what was hot two years ago isn't necessarily hot today. Could Twitter be right behind? Possibly, but it's hot right now and the airlines, just like other businesses, need to take advantage of it and be prepared for the next new thing.

Traveling By Air... not this time

I don't mind driving, I actually enjoy it. Every family vacation I'm the designated driver and we usually take my Expedition so that the whole family (Me, my wife, our daughter, and my mother and father) has room to relax and we have plenty of space for luggage and a cooler. It really makes the trip pleasant.... for awhile.

The problem is when we start talking about 12+ hours in the car. My 2 year old daughter does well as long as she is entertained, but 12 hours is a lot for a little one. So, when we decided we'd be making a trip to Cape Corel, Florida this year I jumped online to find airline tickets. We were flexible on dates so I was able to find round trip air fares anywhere from $380 a person, to as low as $160 a person. This excited me, until I did the math... $160 times 5 people (we need a separate seat for my daughter now...)... is still $800. Which isn't bad except when we land: we need a car. A 10 day rental on a decent sized vehicle (which we need to hold all of our luggage), is another $500 or more. That brings the total for the trip to $1,300. That's also assuming we can get each person to only pack 1 suitcase... which is doubtful. Assuming we need 2 or 3 extra pieces of luggage on the plane, that's an extra $100 or so. We're now at $1,400 at least.

So next, I looked into driving. From Middletown, Ohio to Cape Coral, Florida is around 1,100 miles. Assuming gas is at $2.50 a gallon and my truck drinks it at a rate of a gallon every 14 miles... it will cost $392 in gas, round trip. That's $1,000 less than flying. Even considering any incidentals like more stops for meals, etc, we'd still save a fortune.

So... in this rough economy... how can I really justify spending $1,000 more on a trip than I have to? I can't. And that is why this year we will be driving to Florida and using our savings to enjoy activities that we otherwise might not have done.

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