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SUCCESS⁄text luke.clark images executive.jet.asia⁄lufthansa

John Travolta has a fleet of them parked

outside his Los Angeles mansion. Donald

Trump seldom shows up at a Manhattan

party without his. And David Beckham

and his teammates often journey across

Asia in one of them.

For many, the thought of being

ensconced inside that tiny, leather-clad

flying capsule, soaring anonymously to

any city of your choice carries a rich and

heady allure. For others, a private jet

represents a winged seal of approval to

say you’ve arrived.

As worldwide demand for private

jets emerges from the clouds of reces-

sion, one factor has changed about

global demand for private jets. Among

the Hollywood stars and oil magnates,

operators are expecting a growing level

of demand in the next decade from Asia.

For the first time, Asia is seeing the rise

of a jet set generation.

B U LLI S H B O O K INGS

With around 240 private jets in the

region, Asia-Pacific accounts for less

than four per cent of the worldwide

corporate jet market. Yet observers say

the market is growing at 10 per cent

per year. Demand is expected to come

especially from second-generation

Asian business leaders in the private

sector, eager to enjoy the time savings,

improved access and bragging rights

offered by an executive jet.

Ready,Jetset,Go

In November, The New York Times

reported surging sales for business

jets, from US$2 million to over US$45

million a plane. Business jet manufac-

turer Honeywell International expects

to sell a record 800 business jets next

year, while giants Airbus and Boeing

are expanding their lines of airliner-

based business jets.

And manufacturers see Asia among

key growth markets. Engine maker

Rolls Royce estimates that buyers

in China, India and Russia will take

delivery of 500 to 700 business jets

over the next 10 years.

GIVING IT A TRY

Brendan Sobie, deputy Asia editor of

Flight International, says the corporate

jet market in Asia remains “micro-

scopic”, in large part due to conservative

business norms of the past.

“Acceptability of corporate jets in

Asia is far behind other regions, partly

because corporate culture frowns on the

use of private aircraft. But this is slowly

changing,” he says, adding that a web of

regulations has also prevented access to

ownership and landing rights.

Sobie sees signs of life, saying Asia’s

private jet market has attracted particu-

lar attention recently. “The manufactur-

ers are really pushing to expand their

sales in this region.”

One operator entering the market

is Singapore-based Executive Jet Asia

(EJA), set up in November 2004 with

offices in Singapore, Jakarta, Bangkok

and Kuala Lumpur. Alongside players

Private jets have always carried the upholstered allure of the luxuri-ous. Is Asia ready for the corporate business jet?

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like Singapore’s MyJet, and Guam-

based ShareJet, EJA’s mission is to

make ownership and usage of an

executive jet achievable.

Through its plan, you buy a part

interest in a seven-seat executive jet

aircraft based in Singapore, Malaysia,

Thailand and Indonesia. Owners then get

to use their jet year-round within the four-

hour flight range of the aircraft, while

getting a return on their investment

revenue sharing—such as chartering the

aircraft to non-owners.

According to chief operating officer

Douglas Robinson, a private jet takes

the headaches out of travel for business

leaders. He says, “Executive jets are

normally not subjected to the same

onerous requirements faced by scheduled

commercial flights. With the exception

of China, most other countries have very

few restrictions. All that is required is

to file a flight plan and in many cases,

only one to two hours’ advance notice is

required before take off.” Prices range

from US$3,500 to US$7,000 per hour,

depending on the size and model.

E AR LY DAYS IN A S IA

For many Asian travellers, the first taste

of private jet travel may be in Europe

or the US. Lufthansa German Airlines

recently launched its new Lufthansa

Private Jet (LPJ), offering customers

access to over 1,000 western European

destinations. As soon as you exit your

jumbo in Frankfurt, you’ll be driven by

chauffeured limousine to your private jet.

“It is for anyone seeking comfort,

personalisation and value for money,”

says EVP sales and marketing representa-

tive Thierry Antinori. “Many travellers

seek complete privacy for travel plans,

plus the ability to access remote locations

at will. This service offers the chance to

have your travelling team fully focused

on the task at hand.”

Available throughout Europe, LPJ

covers different tariff zones at differ-

ent prices, depending on aircraft

type. Pitched at CEOs, executives and

celebrities, Antinori expects good

reception from Asian customers.

“There is a demand to fly with

Lufthansa to Europe, then connect

via LPJ point-to-point anywhere in

Europe. The concept of flying with

private jets is rather new in Asia, but

there will definitely be a market. Top

executives now want to be able to

meet and do business effectively every

day—travelling or not.”

To EJA’s Robinson, offering a similar

Asia-wide menu of destinations is not yet

possible. He says, “It is our intention to

offer tarmac transfers to executive jet for

first class passengers, such as Lufthansa

is doing. But I think this is some way

away. The corporate aviation market in

Asia is in its infancy.”

One industry member has a warning

for those eager to try a private jet—they

might just be addictive.

“Owning a private jet is very much like

owning a car. When you don’t have one,

you don’t miss it. But once you’ve had one,

you can’t do without it.”

O N E I N D U S T R Y M E M B E R H A S A

W A R N I N G F O R T H O S E E A G E R T O T R Y A

P R I V A T E J E T — T H E Y M I G H T J U S T B E

A D D I C T I V E

44 January ⁄March 2006

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