Jets flying high as Indians opt for the pvt experience

The business aviation sector in India is witnessing a steep climb since October, even as commercial airlines are still struggling to negotiate the headwinds of the pandemic.Wealthy individuals and businesspeople opting for the safety of private flying amid the pandemic, a reduction in commercial connectivity with airline operations yet to return to pre-Covid levels and elections that trigger demand for aircraft to transport politicians are bringing more business for charter services, said industry insiders.This growth wave began in October 2020, when the general aviation, or charter, sector expanded 9.4% from a year earlier. It has been growing in double digits since November, with the pace being the most in January at 31.7%. In January 2020, the business had shrunk by a similar percentage. 81341393But despite the growth, business has not reached pre-Covid levels for several operators.General aviation is measured in terms of aircraft movements, while for scheduled airlines, it is passengers flown.Domestic airlines have not been able to report growth over year-earlier periods since they were allowed to resume flights in May last year. This January, India’s airlines flew 39.50% fewer passengers compared with a year earlier.The airlines, however, have been reporting sequential growth.Business jet aviation companies said many of their customers since the beginning of the pandemic were using charter services for the first time. These services could cost from ₹80,000 an hour for an 8-seat turboprop to ₹5-6 lakh for a 16-seat jet.“A large segment of passengers who may have been using first class or business class on commercial airlines are now looking for the safety, convenience and hygiene of a private jet even though it may be more expensive … more and more passengers are now willing to fly private on their international trips as well,” Rajan Mehra, chief executive of charter planes operator Club One Air, told ET.Kanika Tekriwal, CEO of JetSetGo Aviation, said the operator had seen an about 70% increase in bookings by first-time users since the lockdown.Requests during the early stage of the pandemic or post lockdown were mainly from people whose children were stuck in colleges or schools abroad or domestically, and from families who were stuck away from home, Tekriwal said.“A lot of requests from Singapore, London and Australia were observed as many Indians send their kids to schools to study in these countries. Requests were also from people wanting to visit sick parents and from small business people who had been stuck,” she said.

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