L U X L I F E F L I G H T D E C K
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FLIGHT DECK G O I N G T H E D I S TA N C E Navigator takes a look at the best options to keep you up in the air for longer periods as you expand your horizons and venture farther afield WORDS DOUG GOLLAN
It is often said that the world is getting smaller, however, as more and more cruising grounds open up it could be said that the quite opposite is, in fact, the case. Reaching these ever-expanding areas may be harder; even if you have your own plane or private jet share, the range or seating limits might be feasible for business travel but not for longer distances to remote cruising grounds. Obviously, there is the option to charter a private jet on a trip-by-trip basis, with different types available, but often there are ferry fees to get the plane back to base and then return to pick you up. In essence, this means you have to purchase two round trips. When it comes to intercontinental flights, the costs can mount up. Not only that but, as typical with one-off jet charters, it also means that if there is a mechanical issue or a pilot gets sick, you can be left to find a replacement on short notice – something that may not be easy depending on where you are flying to or from.
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For these reasons, you might want to think about a fractional share, lease or even some of the recently introduced jet cards that offer fixed rates and guaranteed availability for transatlantic flights. In all cases, the providers guarantee replacement aircraft at your original pricing. Compared to on-demand charter, both fractional share options and jet cards enable you to book within days – and in some cases hours – of your planned departure time. Added to this, cancellation policies or flight changes are often much more liberal than when booking a one-off charter. That means if you decide to leave a few days early for some shopping in Paris, or you want to stay in Phuket for a week after you disembark your yacht, you have much more flexibility to change plans. So, which long distance option and operator is right for you?
01 NetJets focuses on Bombardier’s popular Global Express series and currently operates the Global 5000, Global 6000 and is selling the Global 7500
