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PrivateFly

From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
PrivateFly
IndustryAviation
FounderAdam Twidell & Carol Cork
Headquarters
United Kingdom
Key people
Adam Twidell CEO
Servicesprivate jet charter, Jet Card, City Pairs
OwnerDirectional Aviation
ParentDirectional Aviation
Websiteprivatefly.com

PrivateFly is a global private jet charter broker company with websites covering 19 countries: (Australia, Canada, China, Czech Republic, France, Germany, Hungary, Italy, Netherlands, New Zealand, Poland, Qatar, Russia, Slovakia, Spain, Switzerland, UAE, United Kingdom, and the United States).[1] The company's main headquarters are in St Albans, Hertfordshire, England. The company is a member of ACANA,[2] BACA,[3] EBAA[4] and NBAA[5] aviation industry bodies. In 2018 PrivateFly became part of Directional Aviation's OneSky portfolio of companies.[6]

The company uses technology to disrupt the traditional jet charter brokering model launching a website with online estimates and quotes,[7] and also offering apps for iPhone, iPad[8] and Android[9] devices.

It provides a white-label service[10] and partners with several companies including Lastminute.com,[11] Manchester Airport Group[12] and Addison Lee.[13]

History

[edit]

PrivateFly was launched in 2008 by ex-RAF and NetJets pilot, Adam Twidell[14] and Carol Cork.[15]

The company expanded and had several veteran figures from the travel industry on the board including Martin George[16] and Damon de Laszlo.[17]

It received awards including the Smarta's Top 100 small businesses for 2010,[18] Best Business Award "Best Innovation",[19] Flight Global's Site of the Year Webbies award[20] and Everline Future 50.[21]

PrivateFly was listed 4th in The Sunday Times Fast Track SME Export Track 100 (Britain's SMEs with the fastest-growing international sales) [22] and 46th in The Sunday Times Fast Track Tech Track 100 (Britain's fastest-growing private technology companies).[23]

In 2011, it raised a £2 million investment through several investors[24] to help further develop their European expansion.[25]

In 2016, the company opened an office in Fort Lauderdale, Florida [26] It became the first UK Argus Certified Broker in 2016.[27]

PrivateFly runs an annual poll to find the Top 10 Airport Approaches. Previous winners include Sion Airport,[citation needed] Barra Airport,[28] Sint Maarten Airport,[29] Queenstown Airport,[30] Nice Airport[31] and Malta Airport.[32]

In September 2018 PrivateFly was acquired by the Directional Aviation OneSky group.[33]

In August 2020, PrivateFly launched a new Private Jet Card offering guaranteed aircraft availability and fixed hourly private jet prices for flights in the Europe and USA.[34]

In 2022, PrivateFly has reported a record-breaking increase in jet card sales for the first quarter of this year, experiencing a 258% surge in demand compared to the same timeframe last year.[35]

References

[edit]
  1. ^ Spranklen, Annabelle. "Young billionaires seek out bigger, long-range private jets during the pandemic". Tatler. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  2. ^ "Private Fly". Air Charter Association of North America. Retrieved 1 March 2014.
  3. ^ "PrivateFly Ltd". Baltic Air Charter Association. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  4. ^ "Membership". European Business Aviation Association. Archived from the original on 25 March 2014. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  5. ^ "Premium Listings". National Business Aviation Association. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  6. ^ "Flexjet, Sentient Jet Parent Acquires Technology Driven Private Jet Charter Broker PrivateFly". 5 September 2018.
  7. ^ "The hottest website in travel?". The Times. 23 May 2008. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  8. ^ "PrivateFly launches iPhone application for private jet charter quotes". Elite Traveler. 3 February 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  9. ^ "PrivateFly.com launches android app for instant private pricing on the move". Handbook of Business Aviation. 20 July 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  10. ^ "Private jet website touts white label deals". Travel Industry Digest. 12 October 2009. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  11. ^ "Lastminute.com offers private jet charters". Travel Weekly. 15 July 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  12. ^ "Manchester Airport Group, first in UK to offer online private jet booking service". Eva International Media Ltd. 4 May 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  13. ^ "Taxi jets to Europe target high-flyers". London Evening Standard. 22 September 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  14. ^ "How I made it: Adam Twidell, founder of PrivateFly". The Sunday Times. 8 September 2013. Archived from the original on December 3, 2013. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  15. ^ "Carol Cork on starting private jet booking platform PrivateFly.com". Vitesse Media. 12 June 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  16. ^ "PrivateFly announces Board changes to support new expansion phase". BlueSkyNews. 25 August 2016. Retrieved 25 Aug 2016.
  17. ^ "PrivateFly Ltd". DueDil. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  18. ^ "St Albans jet company scoops awards". Great British Life. 2010-06-23. Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  19. ^ "Privatefly.com bags double award win". Global Business Jet. 1 March 2010. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  20. ^ "Webbies 2010: privatefly.com scoops website of the year in the Flightglobal Webbies". Flightglobal. 4 February 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  21. ^ "Everline Future 50: PrivateFly". Real Business. Retrieved 27 February 2014.
  22. ^ "The Sunday Times Fast Track SME Export Track 100: PrivateFly". Fast Track. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  23. ^ "The Sunday Times Fast Track Tech Track 100: PrivateFly". Fast Track. Retrieved 20 September 2016.
  24. ^ "Private Jet Booking Network PrivateFly.com Raises £2 Million". TechCrunch. 28 September 2011. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  25. ^ "PrivateFly Launches in France, Germany & Central Europe". The Convention News Co. 14 June 2012. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  26. ^ "Charter Broker PrivateFly Opens U.S. Office". Fly Corporate. 24 May 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  27. ^ "PrivateFly goes for Broker". AIN Online. 19 April 2016. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  28. ^ "The world's top 10 most scenic airport approaches and landings". Daily Telegraph. Retrieved 20 November 2013.
  29. ^ Fox, Linda (January 29, 2013). "Geek alert – heavenly descents or top 10 airport approaches". Phocuswire.
  30. ^ "World's 10 most scenic airport approaches". CNN. 24 December 2015.
  31. ^ "Nice Côte D'Azur Airport wins top spot in annual poll conducted by PrivateFly". Nice Airport. 13 May 2014. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  32. ^ "World's 10 most scenic airport approaches for 2016". CNN. 21 April 2016.
  33. ^ "PrivateFly Joins Flexjet, Sentient Jet in Directional Aviation Family – Robb Report". Robb Report. 12 September 2018.
  34. ^ "Corporate Jet Investor". Retrieved 2021-02-24.
  35. ^ "PrivateFly jet card sales soar by 258%". Business Airport International. 2022-04-07. Retrieved 2023-04-27.