51% of respondents said they would fly more in the next 12 months than in 2021; 41% – about the same as last year, and only 9% said they would fly less. Most of the amenities of private flights and reasons for continuing to fly on business jets cited poor service from regular airlines, Internet connectivity and problems with Covid.
"Given what's happening with airlines lacking the required number of flights and flight requirements, the additional costs of private flights are becoming more and more reasonable," said one respondent.
One respondent, who first used business aviation during the pandemic, said: “We are a family of five with three children under 12 years old. There is no comparison to how enjoyable it is to fly privately. It's very simple. We have switched to 100% private flights, including Hawaii.”
“Private aviation has proven its value to both new and regular customers. It's a picking up trend and there's no indication that demand is easing, said Doug Gollan, founder and editor-in-chief of Private Jet Card Comparisons.
While the outlook for the industry is strong, not everything is so rosy for individual market players. Delays and other service issues caused by supply chain problems in the industry, labor shortages and over-demand have angered many customers. 44 percent of respondents said they had experienced flight delays or cancellations in the past six months as record demand undermined private aviation infrastructure. Flight delays were the main reason, with 79% facing a flight rescheduling to a later date. 41% saying operators had delayed departure times after they booked a flight, and 30% saying brokers simply couldn't agree on the requested departure time.
"While passengers are committed to private aviation, they are not necessarily committed to their current providers," Gollan noted. As service providers have sought to adapt to new regulations, they are changing the rules and policies of their programs.
43% of Jet Card customers said that it is these changes to the program and policy that lead them to consider new options.
Among the main irritants are rising prices, restrictions on when members can fly, longer time to book flights, higher daily minimums, increased sliding departure windows, higher surcharges on peak days and stricter cancellation penalties.
"As a result, more and more private jet passengers are keeping a close eye on what else is on the market," Gollan said.
Only 54 percent of respondents said they plan to renew a subscription from their current service provider this year.
That said, it's not exactly bad news. Only 13% say they are "likely" to leave their current provider, although among passengers who have had flight delays, this was 19%. 34% are looking for a backup operator, including 41% who have had service issues.
Only 5% say they have no plans to buy or renew a Jet card this year, although 18% say they are considering full or partial ownership of a private jet.
