Page 9 - World Airnews Magazine April 2020 Edition

CORPORATE
JETS CEO: Bialufu Papy FOR E NQUIRIES:
PHONE: P HONE :
( + 244) 927 289 2 81 ,
PRIVATE JETS ARE TAKING OFF +(244) 934 733 432, ( + 244) 997 289 2 81
+(27) 76 363 7877 E MA IL:
BECAUSE OF CORONAVIRUS EMAIL: IN FO@S JLA E RONAU T
jepapy@yahoo.fr IC A .A O

o your flight's canceled, but you
Sneed to get home or to that import- SJL Aeronautica is an Angolan private

ant business meeting ASAP. Perhaps you're

just nervous about transiting through a airline that operates commercial flights in
busy airport with other passengers. Angola and international charter flights,
Most of us are handling coronavirus-re-

lated disruption by staying put, but for since 2005. Thanks to the professionalism
those in a travel predicament with dollars and commitment of its entire team, SJL
to burn, there's an increasingly popular
alternative: private jets. Aeronautica has over the past 14 years

While much of the travel industry has become an eminent player in the public

been suffering as the infection spreads
globally, the private jet industry has appar- passenger transport. We are committed to
ently been on a roll.
Alain Leboursier, director of sales at Swiss serving the development of the Angolan
private jet broker Luna Jets, tells CNN Travel provinces through the aviation industry. We
that there's been an "impressive increase" in
bookings and enquiries from passengers in following day, the lockdown was extended people who normally would not fly private," were the first Angolan airline to create an

recent weeks, correlating with heightened to cover the whole country. says Paramount Business Jets CEO Zaher. airbridge between Cabinda and Soyo.

concerns surrounding COVID-19. Yann-Guillaume Jaccard, CEO and Zaher gives the example of an older woman
In February, about 15% of overall co-founder of Swiss private jet company who was traveling from the east coast of the
requests were related to coronavirus, Leb- Simply Jet SA, says he's currently inundated US to the west coast and discarded her com- SJL Aeronautica has established its reputation
oursier says. That's now doubled to 30%. with inquiries regarding routes that have mercial flight ticket in favor of a private jet.

"We got around 200 requests [on Sunday] reduced commercial flights. Another domestic US passenger was on for quality by offering a service tailored to the

Out of the 200 requests, 60 requests were "Provided we find an aircraft and crew oxygen and opted to travel private due to needs of its customers with absolute rigor and

coming from 'Coronavirus regions'," adds that is willing to do it [...] we do can do health concerns.
Leboursier. "Either people want to escape, flights in and out of China with private Twidell, of PrivateFly, says his company has efficiency. Its flexibility, responsiveness and

or [there is] urgent business that needs to jets," he says. also had requests from passengers keen to reliability are all assets that have enabled it to
be done today or tomorrow." And it's not just European operators notic- avoid exposure to crowded airport terminals

Clients include companies that normally ing an uptake. Jerod Davis, chief and manag- or scores of passengers in airline cabins. grow and gain customer loyalty. Today, SJL
book employees in biz class seats and high ing pilot at US-based Southern Jet, says his "These include a family looking to return
net worth individuals concerned about the aircraft are getting booked up far in advance. home to Chicago, from New York where they Aeronautica operates a fleet of 14 small to

spread of the virus. Davis puts this down to a mix of "com- have been attending a wedding," he says. medium sized aircraft, including 1 Fokker 27

On-demand private jet charter provider mon sense reasons and fear" -- a lot of his "The group includes an older passenger
PrivateFly have noted an even bigger surge clients are older, at higher risk of suffering in their late 70s and a young child. cargo, 1 Cessna F406, 2 Cessna 172, 1 Beech

in demand since President Donald Trump ill effects if they contract coronavirus. "Another group includes an immuno-com- Baron 58, 4 Twin Otter of 19 seats, 2 Embraer

announced restrictions on travel from the "They'd rather be on the plane by them- promised passenger, and they are returning

US to 26 European nations. selves, rather than with a crowd of people home to the US from the Caribbean. In 135 of 37 seats and 1 Embraer 145 of 50 seats.

According to CEO Adam Twidell, the compa- on airlines, and in security lines and all Europe, one flight was for a couple returning

ny are receiving a "significant number of that," Davis tells CNN Travel. to Jersey in the Channel Islands, from Spain.
requests" from Americans currently in Europe US-based Paramount Business Jets They were keen to avoid making the neces- Regular commercial flights are operated
who are seeking to return to the US, as well echoes Davis. "We are seeing anywhere sary airline connection in London." from Luanda to Dundo, Saurimo, Luena,

as those keen to fly from Europe to the UK, from 100% to 300% increases in charter Luna Jets, meanwhile, assisted a European

which is exempt from the ban at present. requests depending on the region world- passenger who canceled all his commercial Huambo, Kuito (Bié), Lubango and
"Overall the inquiries we're getting are wide," says CEO Richard Zaher. tickets for the month of March, and decided

from people very concerned to get their "The requests are coming from private jet to fly private instead. The Swiss company Benguela, with daily flights with Twin Otter

families back together as soon as possible, clients, government officials, entertainers and also operated several emergency flights out between Cabinda and Soyo.

given how rapidly the situation is develop- sports teams, corporate executives as well as of Italy when the lockdown on the country's

ing," Twidell tells CNN. people who normally would not fly private." northern regions was announced Sunday. Building on its commitment as a leader in

"One client is flying her daughter home to "We're working on a flight for a company Angola's regional air transport, SJL

the US from University in France, and sev- NEW CUSTOMERS working on moving its 50 top employees
eral of her fellow students (who are also US Those travelers turning towards the private from northern Italy back to London where Aeronautica continues to work to expand its

citizens) are sharing the flight back with her." jet market do so for a range of reasons, with they also have an office," says Leboursier.

Leboursier says Luna Jet flew out a one common denominator: they're all able Meanwhile, British private jet company services with the most competitive tariff in

passenger over the weekend who usu- to spend thousands of dollars on the trip. Victor tells CNN Travel that a LA-based the market, thereby contributing to Angola's
ally divides her time between Rome and Operators say they're now servicing studio recently got in touch about

London. When Northern Italy announced customers who would usually take business arranging an emergency charter socio-economic development through better
unprecedented restrictions on Sunday, she or first-class options. flight to transport 50 employees air connectivity.

chartered a flight to London right away. The "We are seeing a lot of requests from from Tokyo to LA. To page 8
World Airnews | April 2020 World Airnews | April 2020
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