Lithuanians love luxury and choose private flights – only slightly more expensive than Uber

Many people sometimes dream of a private flight on a rented plane, but not everyone knows that more and more Lithuanians are enjoying these services.

To Nida in just one hour! Get to the coast of Lithuania quickly and conveniently only at a time that is convenient for you and only with a plane dedicated to you! ”- announce the social networks of the aircraft leasing company. A fast and unusual trip to the Lithuanian coast attracted quite a lot of Lithuanian interest, people asked how much such entertainment costs.

According to the flight organizers, the Vilnius-Nida-Vilnius flight costs 700 euros. The plane has capacity for 4 people, including the pilot, so three passengers would have to pay a little more than 230 Eur each. Renata Kudabaitė, representative of Airhub airline, says that if you want, you can fly not only to Nida, but also to the whole world, and the interest in this service is really high.

We are a pilot training center, whose main activity is the training of both private and commercial pilots, but we are also an aircraft rental company. New planes like ours have repeatedly crossed the Atlantic, so it all depends on the will of the people. These long-haul trips are not in demand among Lithuanians, but we are seeing a growing demand for private flights in directions like Nida, Palanga, Tallinn, Saaremaa, Riga, Berlin, etc.

Private flights to Nida are our students’ idea. Our students have the opportunity to take training flights from Vilnius International Airport and, let’s face it, this is a very important piloting experience and at the same time very fun. During one of these flights the idea was born that it would be a great idea to fly to Nida, combining training with entertainment. In fact, the entire amateur pilot license training course is a very fun and exciting process. ” Delphi says R. Kudabaitė.

According to R. Kudabaitė, at present, due to the decrease in the supply of scheduled flights, the company is attracting a lot of interest from those who want to learn to fly private jets or even buy these types of planes.

“People fly on business trips, family vacations and feel safe because there are no passengers other than themselves or family. They can also choose the aerodromes / flying clubs closest to the exact direction for landing, which is very convenient and saves time, avoiding large airports and unnecessary contacts with other passengers, ”he said.

Those who want to travel to the coast of Lithuania or another city can take luggage with them. The weight distribution of the aircraft is adjusted before each flight. Depending on the number of flights and the route, up to 20 kg of luggage can be transported.

It is true that passengers will have to go through all the usual checks at the airport, but this takes place at a separate checkpoint where there are no passengers. Therefore, according to the carriers, everything is carried much faster and safer.

As the world battles the COVID-19 pandemic, private jet flights attract a variety of people, from travel enthusiasts who want to travel somewhere to relax and are interested in piloting, to bankers, lawyers or doctors who need to travel for business and plan to purchase such aircraft for personal use. However, the representative of the company is not hiding: the main objective of the company is to attract as many people as possible who want to obtain an amateur pilot license.

“For those who want to go from point A to point B, we have the option of offering to rent an aircraft, and they work with the pilot or instructor to organize the route and destinations according to their needs. Our goal is to attract as many people as possible who want to get an amateur pilot’s license, then rent or buy planes, we could serve them, or maybe even want to transfer them to a private jet plane. “

Holders of a pilot license can charter a plane and travel alone with their family, with no additional crew.

“The cost per hour of renting a plane, including fuel, is around 270 euros. Estimating the cruising speed of the plane to be 270 km / h, it costs 1 EUR / km, which is only slightly more expensive than Uber. As we have 4-5 aircraft that we can lease, we can offer to lease the aircraft for a whole month, during which it is possible to fly the entire training program and obtain an amateur pilot’s license, “said a company representative.

The company’s headquarters near Vilnius International Airport also has a flight simulator, where each potential customer can familiarize himself with the flight rules and test himself in the pilot’s seat before boarding the actual plane. The flight simulator is a real copy of the plane, only the price per hour is almost 5 times lower.

Benas Laurinaitis, pilot and head of UAB Aeroservisas, also agrees that the need to travel by private plane has increased.

“Now the cream in the business sector is being skimmed by very popular private operators. This was due to the reduction in the supply of large campaigns and the poor choice of the number of addresses. The private flight service is increasingly used by Lithuanian entrepreneurs and companies with foreign capital when it is urgent and convenient to attend a business meeting, seminar, exhibition or other international event ”, says B. Laurinaitis.

According to the interlocutor, there are people and campaigns in Lithuania that use the service of private flights, but there are not hundreds. Private flights, the interlocutor assures, are rarely made to or from Lithuania, and most trips, even after requesting such services in Lithuania, are made from or to foreign countries. When asked if planes are more frequently rented for business trips or vacation destinations, Ben responds that Lithuanians are not willing to spend on leisure travel. “Lithuanian carriers work more with the Russian market. The rich book flights from Moscow to hot countries and vice versa. There are also flights of this type from Lithuania, but very rarely,” says the interlocutor.

According to the pilot, although the demand for private flights has increased, the price has not been affected: “Whoever plans in advance wins, then there is a greater variety of planes, a lower price, but in most cases this service is needed unexpectedly and suddenly. However, most of the price of the flight is fuel, and now it has not become more expensive, so prices have remained the same as last year. “