The travel and tourism business is surely witnessing a pickup in demand in air travel bookings and this will additional boost throughout the time of Dussehra and Diwali holidays when households and pals would like to reunite with their loved ones throughout the festive season. Also, as more flyers turn into mindful of the security compromises traveling with industrial airlines entail, the demand for chartered aircrafts, which is one’s safest probable choices ideal now, is at an all-time higher. At initial, the business was skeptical that the spread of the COVID variants at the time of the second wave would lead us to miss out on the travel season for a second year as effectively. However, when travel restrictions started to uplift in different well-liked international tourist destinations, the business gained momentum in travel bookings in particular for leisure travel and staycations as working from home made it versatile for most of the persons to break away from the monotony. In an exclusive conversation with the TheSpuzz Online Kanika Tekriwal, CEO and Founder of JetSetGo Aviation talked about the predicament of the private aviation business in India, influence of COVID-19, trends and more. Excerpt:
How would you clarify the unfolding situation of private aviation following lockdown?
Given the present disruption in flight services, charters present a higher degree of flexibility and dependability. With more flyers becoming mindful of their security, the demand for chartered aircrafts is at an all-time higher. The growing complexity and disruptions in flying industrial, for which there is no clarity on when or what the new normal will be, are resulting in a considerable spike in demand for private aviation. The private charter enterprise is for that reason witnessing an all-time higher demand. With security added to the list of other positive aspects flying private presents, such as on-board comfort, ease of booking, discretion, speed of service, timing, seamless ground transportation, and so on., the business is all set to witness a boom like under no circumstances just before.
In maintaining with these emerging trends, JetSetGo aims at addressing the expanding marketplace size of the private aviation business in India. Growing from strength-to-strength every single year considering the fact that our inception in 2014, we have managed to keep effective management, cultivated a worldwide network of suppliers, contributed in revolutionary components and tool sharing applications, and also accomplished vast economies of scale. We have genuinely democratized private flying and made it accessible to everyone who deeply values time and comfort, to quickly charter an aircraft for any and all travel specifications. Also, following the onset of the pandemic we are observing a segment of persons who are travelling through a private jet for the pretty initial time. Considering the security choices that private jets present a couple of enterprise class flyers have turned into private jet flyers. Whilst we are not immune to common financial downturns, we do have some protection due to our competitive pricing and unparalleled service.
Are you witnessing an boost in demand for travel following the lockdown? What is driving this boost in bookings and how did you prepare for this surge?
The travel ban is becoming lifted for domestic and international destinations and we have seen a substantial surge in requests for leisure travel. Several well-liked destinations are now opening up for Indian travelers and vaccines are becoming rolled out across the globe. We have seen a nine-fold boost in booking requests out of which 70% are new customers of JetSetGo. We have seen about 10-12 booking queries every single day ever considering the fact that the air travel suspension was lifted for nations like Maldives, Sri Lanka, Mexico, UAE amongst other individuals. This demand reiterates the expanding faith of persons in the private aviation segment. We are anticipating that more flyers will opt to fly private due to the security issues more than COVID-19 and the comfort that it presents.
The boost in the quantity of bookings can be attributed to clear factors such as the minimal touchpoints that one comes in speak to with even though flying private. Private jets are deemed safer and more hygienic. The business is moving ahead with positive resumption indicators as persons have also began restoring faith in travelling and do not thoughts spending when it comes to their security and well-being.
We are also observing a segment of persons who are travelling through a private jet for the pretty initial time. Considering the level of security private jets guarantee, a couple of enterprise class flyers have now turned into private jet flyers. This has largely been probable due to the truth that JetSetGo has genuinely democratised private flying and made it accessible to everyone who deeply values time and comfort, to quickly charter an aircraft for any and all travel specifications.
Given the emerging trends, it is a all-natural progression for JetSetGo to contemplate acquiring more aircrafts by means of proper financing models on lengthy-term charter contracts with our shoppers. As of now, the demand far exceeds provide. We have had to turn down virtually 50-60 per cent of our shoppers due to the shortage of provide. Therefore, we are beefing up the fleet.
As the festive season approaches, from which customers would you witness the maximum demand? Also, specify the well-liked sectors
We have currently began witnessing travel requests from households and pals who are hunting to stop by their loved ones throughout the festive season, in particular throughout Diwali. Requests from parents of students studying abroad are also pouring in who are hunting to reunite following the ease in travel restrictions across the globe. We have also seen a substantial surge in requests for leisure travel as many well-liked destinations are now opening up for Indian travellers. Currently, Ukraine, Russia, Mexico and Maldives are the top rated destinations for leisure travel. The well-liked sectors for domestic travel are metropolitan cities such as Delhi, Mumbai, Bangalore, Gujarat, Chennai, and Hyderabad amongst other individuals.
How private jets/ choppers are faring now compared with pre-COVID?
After facing a significant blow due to COVID-19 and the associated travel suspensions, the demand for effective and versatile aviation is gaining momentum when once again. Before the onset of the coronavirus, we used to get anyplace among 30-40 requests per day for charter flight bookings largely for enterprise travel. Post the lockdown, there was a sudden demand for evacuation flights. We have been in a position to fly close to 17 evacuation flights with all the needed approvals in spot, throughout this time. Currently, if we speak about our two significant segments, i.e., enterprise and leisure travel, we are obtaining more requests for leisure travel as compared to corporate ones. People have discovered to work from anyplace in the world, Zoom and Webex being the new private jet, for that reason there has been a decline in Corporate and Business travel considering the fact that the second lockdown was lifted.
Overall, our numbers have not risen when we evaluate it with the pre-COVID occasions but have significantly improved if compared with the complete aviation business. Now, persons are prepared to opt for private jets rather than industrial flights, maintaining in thoughts the security of oneself throughout the pandemic.
With the resurgence in the travel business post lockdown, do you see an uptick in bookings for any international destinations for leisure/enterprise travel? If so, which are these?
After the air travel suspension was lifted for international destinations throughout August, we saw a significant surge in revenge tourism. We are seeing a considerable boost in the quantity of each day bookings considering the fact that the vaccines have been introduced and many well-liked destinations opened-up to Indian travellers. Leisure travel is selecting up its slot once again and is currently displaying the influx primarily since persons have now learnt to work remotely from their personal decision of spot. Other than leisure and enterprise travel, we also got at least 3-4 weekly requests from the parents of students who are organizing to study abroad and beginning their new semester in September-October.
Everyone is becoming more mindful of the ongoing threat of COVID that industrial airlines expose them to, and are prepared to travel through a private jet which is at present their safest bet.