Lisa Sayer, Founder and CEO of JetASAP and a veteran of the private aviation industry for more than two decades, explains how her company is a “real disruptor” in the industry, offering a “do-it-yourself” charter service that goes well beyond the mainstream market. .
How would you describe the JetASAP service in relation to the travel industry?
“We tend to describe ourselves as the ‘home advisor’ of private jet travel because we are a neutral platform that does not charge the user. We could also say that we are the “Airbnb” of private air travel in the sense that we allow people to directly procure planes that are not in use and are offered for hire.
“We are the first and only service that allows retail customers to directly search and book private travel at wholesale rates with complete transparency and without having to pay commissions, membership fees or other fees. “
How is JetASAP different from existing private on-demand charter services?
“When using on-demand charter jets, customers primarily rely on brokers to find and book non-binding on-demand trips. We are different because we allow private customers to book private trips directly and free of charge in complete transparency. This is unique in the industry and is a game changer for democratization.
“To provide a relevant example, this is similar to when Zillow launched in the real estate sector. Before that, the MLS (real estate listing service) was very difficult to access directly without the help of a real estate broker.
“Once Zillow arrived, anyone could look for homes directly without an intermediary. At present, it is difficult to access information from charter operators without brokers, and JetASAP acts like Zillow in this case, providing immediate direct access.
With the popularity of jet cards, why should consumers choose JetASAP?
“While jet cards sometimes have the advantage of being available with guaranteed availability within a certain number of hours, and although some allow funds to be used with on-demand travel at lower rates, there are risks.
“Operators can use the money for operations rather than keeping it in receivership and then becoming unable to fulfill the agreement due to bankruptcy or other reasons. There is a very real danger in trusting a company with so much cash up front when the on-demand charter market can often meet the needs of a traveler.
“In addition, a lot of companies offer jet cards that allow retail customers to put money into an account (typically US $ 100,000, but as little as US $ 25,000) and then pay a fee. fixed hourly rate for different classes of aircraft. These fares tend to be higher than the on-demand fares, as providers charge hourly one-way fares to provide point-to-point pricing.
“For example, if a typical light jet costs US $ 2,500 per hour, a jet card provider might charge US $ 5,000, but then only charge the flyers for the time they use. However, the calculation is the same and it can be detrimental to a traveler when an on-demand charter operator can operate point to point. “
What is the difference between JetASAP and existing membership services?
“As with jet cards, member companies charge an annual fee to belong and then charge additional fixed hourly point-to-point fares on a variety of aircraft, usually with guaranteed availability within a certain number of hours.
“However, like with jet cards, hourly rates can be very high compared to on-demand charter in some cases. Additionally, these businesses can end up shutting down, leaving many members with no membership fees. A recent high-profile bankruptcy left members with millions in non-refundable deposits that had yet to be used.
“That said, jet cards and memberships are popular because most travelers are unfamiliar with charter booking and love the predictability, convenience and consistency of human support and a generally closed group of aircraft operated by one company, plus guaranteed uptime, when offered.
“However, as travelers become more savvy, they are looking for another solution that allows them to control their travel without paying exorbitant fares, and that is the mission of JetASAP.”
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