Air Partner plc has launched an ‘empty sectors’ consumer website, www.emptysectors.com, enabling potential private jet users to book flights on aircraft that would otherwise operate without passengers. The website locates real-time availability on private jets worldwide, by sector and aircraft, at prices up to 75 per cent lower than conventional charter rates. For example, a six-seat private jet flight from London to Cannes, for the French Riviera, for £3,000.
An empty sector (or empty leg) occurs when a pre-booked revenue charter has been reserved for a one-way flight only, either outbound or return. The operator will need to either position the aircraft to collect the passengers for a return or bring the aircraft back to its original location having flown the passengers to their chosen destination (leaving an empty sector on the return flight).
Royal Warrant holder Air Partner, a leading provider of global charter services, increasingly serves more leisure-related customers – some 30% of its client base are leisure flyers. www.emptysectors.com provides clients with an at-a-glance range of hundreds of currently available flight options and also enables them to submit specific route and date requests.
“Marketing empty sector flights is a very efficient way of demonstrating the enormous benefits of flying by private jet to potential business and leisure travellers,” said Ben Bewsey, Air Partner Private Jets UK Manager. “Flying privately, clients enjoy a smooth journey through exclusive business aviation terminals. Discretion and privacy are paramount and clients avoid the queues, delays and hassles that are all too often synonymous with commercial passenger terminals and scheduled air travel.
“Empty Sectors are attractive as they can be available at a fraction of the cost of regular charter,” continued David Macdonald. “We can even re-route empty sectors to match a specific itinerary – for example if a client wanted to fly from Gothenburg to Geneva, the Empty Sectors website might propose an aircraft that is due to fly empty from nearby Oslo to Lyon in France. It is definitely worth looking at the site for last minute travel requirements as any number of private jets could be going your way.”
Air Partner is the first private jet charter broker to purchase the latest Avinode software - the technology behind www.emptysectors.com. Avinode is the leading online marketplace for industry professionals to buy and sell air charter.
