Airport, Airline delays boost private jet travel: Survey

Business Jet Traveler’s 2023 Reader’s Choice Survey underscores the private aviation industry’s opportunities and challenges.

According to nearly 1,300 respondents, wait times in airports (72%), unreliability of airline schedules (46%), lack of privacy (34%), and lack of convenient airports (31%) were cited as the top reasons they didn’t like airline travel.

At the same time, 39% of those surveyed considering private flying said cost is their biggest obstacle.

However, a larger obstacle was the 46% who said they hadn’t seen the need, although that could change in the future. 

Where do they come from?

In recruiting new users, corporate jets and friends with airplanes are the best sources of new customers.

Some 35% told BJT that they first flew privately on a friend’s aircraft, followed by 32% who flew in their company’s private jet. 

Interestingly, 13% said their first private flight was on an aircraft they owned, compared to just 9% via charter, 2% via fractional ownership, and 2% by jet cards.

Of respondents who charter, 83% prefer to book directly with operators over brokers. 

Only 15% said they have used an app to book a charter flight, and only 1% have paid for a charter flight via cryptocurrency. 

61% of respondents said they are licensed pilots, and a further 5% are taking lessons. 

Asked about willingness to fly in a pilotless aircraft “once the technology is a proven success,” 60% were a flat no, with 23% unsure.

Rating Card, Fractional providers

NetJets ranked first when asked about the jet card and fractional providers they were most familiar with, scoring 3.48 out of 4 points.

Jet Aviation was at 3.34, followed by Executive Jet Management (3.28), Solairus Aviation (3.23), VistaJet (3.21), Flexjet (3.13), Jet Linx Aviation (3.10), and Clay Lacy Aviation (3.00).

Points were assigned based on Excellent (4 points), Good (3 points), Average (2 points), and Poor (1 point).