Swine Flu Suspected Behind Rise in Private Jet Rental
Media Line News Agency
September 04, 2009
Adam Gonn/The Media Line
Is swine flu behind the recent increase in private jet rentals in the gulf region?
One of the world's leading private jet operators, International Air Charter, based in the United Arab Emirates, is reporting a 50% increase in demand over Ramadan for flights in Saudi Arabia.
The King Abdul Aziz International Airport which is the main airport in Saudi Arabia's financial hub Jeddah and the main gate for pilgrims arriving to perform the Umrah, has been packed over the last three days according to local newspapers.
A statement from International Air Charter explained the surge in demand was due to "clients recogniz[ing] the strategic benefits of charter jet services, particularly in terms of convenience and time saving," .
But with ever more frequent media reports of swine flu (N1H1 virus) related deaths, are clients choosing private jets over commercial flights for financial or health reasons?
"Whenever there is a global health scare there is a short term boost to private jet usage amongst the 'well-heeled' and their families, and this is the case at the moment" David J Bentley, an analyst with Big Pond Aviation, told The Media Line.
The Umrah is the part of the annual Hajj pilgrimage preformed during Ramadan, while the main Hajj is not until later this year many prefer to preform the trip during Ramadan.
So far four Saudi Nationals have died of swine flu and reports of people who have been diagnosed with the virus when returning home after a visit to Saudi are increasing.
While the effect of swine flu on the private jet market has been positive the same cannot be said for the commercial flight industry. On August 10, Iran Air, the national airline, announced they were canceling all their flights to Saudi over Ramadan due to swine flu. The decision affected some 300,000 passengers and represents a large part of the people who travel on Iran Air´s international routes.
The increases in demand however appears to be concentrated to Saudi as jet charter companies in the UAE are "not experiencing an increased demand", reported Rafat Hamdani, a salesperson with UAE with Worldwide Air Charter, a UAE based private jet company.
The Chief Executive Officer of UAE based, low cost air-line Air Arabia was quoted as saying "swine flu is a bigger threat than the economy" to the airline industry.
2009. The Media Line Ltd. All Rights Reserved.
Is swine flu behind the recent increase in private jet rentals in the gulf region?
One of the world's leading private jet operators, International Air Charter, based in the United Arab Emirates, is reporting a 50% increase in demand over Ramadan for flights in Saudi Arabia.
The King Abdul Aziz International Airport which is the main airport in Saudi Arabia's financial hub Jeddah and the main gate for pilgrims arriving to perform the Umrah, has been packed over the last three days according to local newspapers.
A statement from International Air Charter explained the surge in demand was due to "clients recogniz[ing] the strategic benefits of charter jet services, particularly in terms of convenience and time saving," .
But with ever more frequent media reports of swine flu (N1H1 virus) related deaths, are clients choosing private jets over commercial flights for financial or health reasons?
"Whenever there is a global health scare there is a short term boost to private jet usage amongst the 'well-heeled' and their families, and this is the case at the moment" David J Bentley, an analyst with Big Pond Aviation, told The Media Line.
The Umrah is the part of the annual Hajj pilgrimage preformed during Ramadan, while the main Hajj is not until later this year many prefer to preform the trip during Ramadan.
So far four Saudi Nationals have died of swine flu and reports of people who have been diagnosed with the virus when returning home after a visit to Saudi are increasing.
While the effect of swine flu on the private jet market has been positive the same cannot be said for the commercial flight industry. On August 10, Iran Air, the national airline, announced they were canceling all their flights to Saudi over Ramadan due to swine flu. The decision affected some 300,000 passengers and represents a large part of the people who travel on Iran Air´s international routes.
The increases in demand however appears to be concentrated to Saudi as jet charter companies in the UAE are "not experiencing an increased demand", reported Rafat Hamdani, a salesperson with UAE with Worldwide Air Charter, a UAE based private jet company.
The Chief Executive Officer of UAE based, low cost air-line Air Arabia was quoted as saying "swine flu is a bigger threat than the economy" to the airline industry.
2009. The Media Line Ltd. All Rights Reserved.