Bankstown Airport a hub for business travellers turning to private jets

Business travellers can now book private flights at lower rates from Bankstown Airport with jet owners taking advantage of disruptions to major commercial airlines.

Private jet charter business Navair, which is based at Aeria – the home to Bankstown Airport – is offering return flights between Australian capital cities for under $10,000 for up to four people.

“It’s the business people who have to get stuff done today and can’t risk a flight cancellation or a delay,” Navair pilot and chief executive Rick Pegus told AFR Weekend.

“Airlines have been more reliable in the past, but on this side of COVID, corporates are saying they can’t afford to lose a day or a couple of hours due to a cancellation. They’re finding that time is just too precious at the moment.”

Understandably, demand for private jets has reached record highs as large businesses invest in their own planes to save time and money and avoid the uncertainty that can now come when travelling on a commercial airline.

Mr. Pegus says it’s companies like these that are booking the most flights, a large amount of them travelling between Sydney, Brisbane, and Melbourne.

“If they’re travelling with a team of three or four people, it’s not that much more expensive than flying commercial. They’re also saving on things like hotel rooms because they can fly there and back in a day. Then there’s not having to pay for transport to-and-from their airport, parking costs and snacks because that’s all included,” he told AFR Weekend.

Read the AFR Weekend story here.

More details on the Navair deals can be found here.