How has the pandemic affected private aviation and luxury travel? How does this affect your company that specializes in business travel?
If before the jet was considered a luxury, now it is just a means of transportation. And the most reliable: there is no element of unpredictability. During the period when airlines canceled flights without refund for a ticket, jets became the only option for the trip. And this was a real salvation for many passengers: in private aviation, flight cancellations are excluded. And even at a time when most countries were closed to entry, we found ways to get the necessary permits so that a passenger wouldn't have any problems getting through immigration control. All the nuances of registration of entry into the country of arrival are taken into account in advance: whether it is a PCR test, online data registration and other requirements. The client does not need to constantly monitor the situation with the conditions for obtaining visas, our company takes care of everything. The service of jet sharing (buying a seat on an airplane) has become very popular. Many people have learned from their own experience that this is really beneficial. If earlier the airline’s business class was a priority, now it is not. In fact, business aviation has benefited quantitatively from the pandemic: demand has increased, but whether profits have increased is still worth counting, since flight directions have changed. I will not deny that in general luxury travel is experiencing a crisis moment. But our company Global Group Business Aviation & Concierge responds quickly to new conditions and market demands. After all, the success of a business depends on the ability of the owner to correctly assess the situation and react quickly to it, find opportunities for development under any circumstances. We proposed new directions that were opened. The main ones were Russian points: Baikal, Kamchatka, Altai and Elbrus.
What will happen to tourism in the coming years? Will destinations and countries popular before the pandemic remain in demand, or will preferences change?
There are many options for the development of events, and which of them is being implemented is unknown. No expert can be certain of the scenario. One thing is certain: domestic tourism will continue to grow. Now, for example, the main destinations are Kamchatka and Altai, southern Russia. These regions will receive investment for growth. And that's a good thing.
What services do you offer to customers? Can you name the most popular ones?
Our main activity is the rental of private aircraft and jet sharing. Plus renting yachts, helicopters, islands – various travel services and assignments of any complexity around the world. Travel concierge. The idea is that the client does not need to contact several companies at once: we organize a full range of services, which is important - without force majeure. Our company has a separate service that maintains and tracks each service. We work around the clock and can arrange a flight two hours after the confirmation of the aircraft. The main problem is that not everything depends on us, so it is important to work out each stage, nuance and service in detail. My job is to control all the stages. We are ready to fulfill the most unusual desires of the customer. Sometimes, on request, we specially pick up the plane from Europe. Then we coordinate the board, obtain permits, determine the time of approach of the aircraft, its refueling, loading catering, order cleaning. For the girls on board we have a luxury care cosmetics, as well as always a gift of the company - a luxurious bouquet. Plus, we install special humidifiers for the flight. The peculiarity of the work is such that it is quite difficult to surprise me with an order, and thanks to composure I can handle almost any situation. Of course, there are negative moments. Almost all of them are related to the human factor, and often they are impossible to predict. We operate in strict confidentiality mode, and it is impossible to know from us where a particular plane flew or where the aircraft was during the month. This information is not disclosed even to close relatives.
Where have you been on holiday this year? Places that you couldn’t go to, but wanted to go? Have your preferences changed with the pandemic?
I study the world, try to travel quite a lot, often on jets. Ibiza, Maldives, traditional popular holiday: Crimea, Sochi, Europe. The plans are to discover Russia: Altai, Baikal, Murmansk (I want to see the northern lights and whales), Kamchatka.
Tell us more about the charity initiative you are launching as part of the Global Group Business Aviation & Concierge.
We have developed several charitable programs. One flight – one assistance: when paying, the customer’s consent to participate in our initiative is requested. We offer to choose a charitable foundation or a specific child that the customer would like to support. In fact, when paying for the services of the company, part of the profit is transferred to the one whom the client chose. If desired, he can transfer additional funds on his own. Why it matters: our clients are wealthy people, to whom we simply convey information. Most of them are already engaged in charity, and we expect support from them in this matter. It costs us nothing, and for those in need we help and give hope.
