Consider this scenario:
You’re flying to see your parents several states away — necessary air travel, even during a pandemic. They’re among the ‘more vulnerable’ population, so you and your family have been isolating for weeks, taking all precautions. You’ve all been tested and cleared for travel. Your chauffeur has as well, and is now waiting patiently outside your house as you’re running late, getting final details in order. Normally you’d be tense about the time, but since you’ve booked a private charter, there’s actually no concern you’ll miss the flight. Of course your family will wear masks on the ride to the airport, but with very few interactions along the way, and definitely no crowds, you’re not worried about exposure to something you’ll then carry home to your parents. Your chauffeur, in full-coverage mask and gloves, loads your bags into the vehicle, and your family gets comfortable inside. You talk about how excited your children are to visit their grandparents after so many months apart, and only come back to reality when you realize you’re on the tarmac. It’s a quick transition from vehicle to plane. Your pilot, having recently passed their own health and temperature tests, greets you as you walk up the stairs. The cabin is spotless, equipped with the movies and sandwiches you requested for the kids, a charcuterie board and bottle of wine for the adults — might as well make it a vacation, right? Bags are stowed, and you relax into the experience, trusting that everything is taken care of and you need only to focus on enjoying the trip.
It’s easy to forget that a stress-free travel experience is still possible, with stories of overcrowded planes, delayed flights, and increased health risks associated with tight spaces and people who aren’t necessarily as cautious as you. But private aviation shines like a beacon of light in the currently murky world of air travel. From the always-relevant schedule flexibility, direct routes, and lack of crowded terminals or security lines, to considerations that are only newly important, like distancing from anyone outside of your ‘quaran-team,’ or simply being able to remove your mask and have a refreshment en route. The average person encounters an estimated 700 points-of-contact with other people and objects during a commercial flight, whereas that number drops to between 20 and 30 when flying privately. Thus private charter offers a dramatic reduction in potential for exposure, as well as relief from the emotional turmoil of the commercial airline experience.
At UrbanAir, we’ve implemented protocols to address sanitization, pilot health checks and air travel restrictions — considerations that were basically unheard of prior to 2020. Fortunately our team has 40+ years of experience accommodating unforeseen circumstances, even unprecedented ones, so working through this has felt not only possible, but familiar. We trust each other to go above and beyond expectations, and this unshakeable solidarity is reflected in our service.
Our pilots are tested for COVID-19 on a regular basis, and adhere to isolation requirements and temperature checks prior to each flight. Personal protection equipment, including masks and gloves for all baggage handlers, is a non-negotiable standard, and now that we can oversee your service experience in every moment from your front door to your final destination, our guarantees of safety and sanitization are that much more secure.
The argument for exploring private aviation options is a strong one, especially if you consider the reduced amount of air travel you will likely engage in this year. Meanwhile, prioritizing safety and peace of mind has perhaps never been so relevant. According to a recent report from consulting firm McKinsey, airlines will likely not return to normal operations and demand levels until 2022 at the earliest, and when they do, it will be in a world forever altered by COVID-19. Let’s work together to develop a plan that will support your travel ambitions both during the pandemic, and into the future.
We are always available at air@urbanbcn.com or by calling +1 877-277-0208. You can also make an inquiry directly through our website.
