ANSETT TRAGEDY TURNS AUSTRALIAN TRAVELLERS TOWARDS BUSINESS JETS

The cessation of flights by Ansett Australia and its subsidiary carriers has led to a substantial increase in demand for business jet charters.

ExecuJet, a leading business jet operator based at Sydney Airport, has experienced an eight-fold increase in enquiries from business travellers seeking alternative means of travel since last week’s grounding of Ansett group airlines.

The company also operated several business jet charters from Sydney to Melbourne during the weekend as a direct result of the Ansett grounding.

Several callers asked specifically about heightened airport security, in response to last week’s four hijackings from major airports in the USA.

The Managing Director of ExecuJet Aircraft Sales, Australia, Mr Alastair Creighton-Jones, said the surge in enquiries coincided with a new campaign to relaunch of the company’s services, following a 12 month upgrading of facilities and services at the ExecuJet private terminal in Sydney.

“Prior to all of the tragic events of last week, there had been steady growth in the number of enquiries about business jet charters, as well as actual charters.” he said.

“But now we are experiencing a new round of enquiries, related purely to Ansett’s cessation of services and the recent terrorist attacks involving scheduled airlines in the United States.

Mr Creighton-Jones said the resurgence in the business jet market was related largely to the growing requirement for greater business productivity.

“Business jets offer safety, security, convenience, flexibility, and cost-effectiveness, often at prices comparable to domestic Business Class fares,” said Mr Creighton-Jones.

“Business jet users can fly when they want, to many more locations than scheduled airlines, and can cover much more ground in a day with a business jet than they can in several days on scheduled air services – particularly when travel plans include regional centres. Often, this eliminates the need for overnight accommodation and long waits for scheduled flights.

“Business jet users can specify the level of security they desire and can manage the handling of their own baggage at all times.

“They also enjoy total privacy, greater comfort and many more in-flight facilities than scheduled airlines, including the ability to choose their own catering.

“And because business jets can climb quickly to altitudes as high as 45,000 feet, they can fly faster and more smoothly than other aircraft in the busy airline corridors below.”

ExecuJet provides aircraft capable of flying up to nine passengers nonstop from Sydney throughout NSW, and in an arc stretching as far as North Queensland, Tasmania, South Australia, Central Australia, and to New Zealand, Papua New Guinea and some South Pacific locations.

ExecuJet Australia is part of the ExecuJet Aviation Group, with associated companies overseas, whose collective services include aircraft charter, flight department management, maintenance, aviation services and aircraft sales.