018-027-INFORM:Maquetación 1
26
11/1/10
10:31
Página 10
Report The Airline Industry
Czech Airlines provides its business-class passengers with free transport and driver to whisk them from the Prague Airport to any part of the city
Journal-American Igor Cassini coined the phrase jet set to refer to the international group of millionaires who travelled the world from cocktail party to cocktail party and soirée to soirée. However, according to Catherine Gaisenbad at Assistair, “although it continues being somewhat elitist, the use of private jets is being democratized”. As Gaisenbad states, “midsized companies are using these types of services for their executives more and more often, as when several managers from the same company travel on a jet, they can save on travel expenses (hotels, transfers, etc.,) and arrange two or three meetings on the same day in several cities.” All in all, says Gaisenbad, “taking a jet can sometimes be cheaper than using a regular airline”. For Patricia Vidal, manager of Jet Class, “taking a jet is becoming less and less a question of being elite and more and more a question of having options”. She went on to say that, “the business world is closely-linked to this type of flying, although it’s obvious that not everyone who wants to is able to take a private jet, only those who can afford to”. With this idea in mind, it is worth underscoring the rise of a new generation of corporate aircraft, Very Light Jets, which are leading the democratization of the business aviation market,
something that will take place over the next 10 years, according to market analysts. Very Light Jets are four to six-seat jets priced between one and three million Euros that cover short distance trips. In speaking of Very Light Jets, Diego Moser, manager of Sur Aviation, notes: “With these new jets and affordable prices, this way of flying will become a service capable of competing with the airline business-class fares on most fronts”. He concludes that “it is evident that Very Light Jets, with their reduced costs and new operating systems, are key to democratizing the sector”. Mayoral Aviation, a company with 20 year’s experience in the sector of corporate and business aviation, shrugs at the idea that the future can be found in Very Light Jets. In the words of general manager Wieslaw Ochmanek: “Perhaps for personal use it will be, but I don’t think that they’ll be essential in the future because they are uncomfortable and can only be used for short distances. Our clients tend to seek out excellence and comfort, and Very Light Jets don’t fit the bill.” Patricia Vidal of Jet Class does not share the same point of view: “Very Light Jets are completely equipped airplanes perfect for nearby destinations which translate into cost savings. Personally, I’m quite fond of them. Using them is like flying in your car.”
CZECH AIRLINES REGULAR EXCLUSIVENESS Czech Airlines continues betting its hand on business class as one of the services that best helps raise the company’s quality and prestige. The business class service from the Czech airline company provides a wide range of advantages specially intended for business travellers. We have found that the baggage allowance is quite high: two pieces of carry-on luggage (a maximum total of 18 kilos) and 30 kilos of check-in luggage. Likewise, the fast-track service at Prague Airport allows business travellers to pass rapidly through security checks, as they enjoy their own priority queue. Another added value is that business passengers flying with Czech Airlines (or any other company of the Sky Team alliance) have free access at the Prague Airport’s Crystal Room, designed by renowned artist Borek Sípek, and its Wi-Fi connection. What about this surprising new initiative: Czech Airlines provides its business-class passengers with free transport and driver to whisk them from the Prague Airport to any part of the city, or vice versa. Passengers only have to call the reservation service when they arrive in Prague or want to head for the airport, and in a short span of time, they will have their car and driver waiting.