oenophilist

Hi,

I would like to suggest the creation of a new forum section call "Private Jets". With the advent of JetSmarter, as well as several other new programs (e.g. Victor, Cojetage), private jets are now becoming accessible to a broader community of travelers. These flights have already been featured in trip reports, where there has been some active debate on the topic of flying private. The nature of these programs will be of interest to a broader section of the FlyerTalk community.

I think the most appropriate place for this is a general Private Jet category in "Miles and Points" under the "Airlines and Mileage Programs" section. Alternatively, it could be positioned under "Special Interest Travel" in the "Travel & Dining" forum.

Many thanks!

nsx

I suppose you could start a thread in the Ride Services forum and see what happens.

MSPeconomist

Are there any existing threads discussing private jet travel, perhaps in Travel Buzz?

oenophilist

There are threads in multiple forums about private jets. Most of them are in "Trip Reports", where they have spurred discussions about private jet travel and the various apps. But they are also spread around TravelBuzz and others as well.

In addition, I have received and sent private messages discussing JetSmarter, which seems to be the most popular service right now. Many of these private messages would be appropriate on a forum if one existed.

http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...ee-flight.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...iness-jet.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...stream-iv.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...ger-604-a.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...vate-jets.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...rter-jets.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...ker-850xp.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/milea...ted-dates.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...et-travel.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trave...periences.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/briti...ine-board.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...elicopter.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/delta...etsmarter.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...-jetsuite.html
http://www.flyertalk.com/forum/trip-...e-charter.html

oenophilist

Just to add: I think the volume is a little lower than what you would normally have for a request for a new forum, but the problem is there is no forum that really is most appropriate for the discussion.

CMK10

Hmm this is interesting. There's currently no home for such topics. Though I do wonder if enough people here would really want to talk about such things. After all, Flyertalk is very heavily miles and points based, private jets tend to run counter to that. But let's see where the discussion goes.

GUWonder

Some LH privat jet discussions have taken place in the LH/LX forum; some DL privat jet discussions have taken place in the DL forum. Other discussions that are broader in scope have shown up elsewhere on FT, including perhaps in Travelbuzz.

Earning miles and status has been done before with the DL and LH offers.

I don't see a big demand on FT for this kind of dedicated forum, but I do note that some positioning flights on private jets can be great deals.

nsx

That's an important criterion.

Over the years I have seen at least two attempts at a subscription business with quasi-scheduled trips serving smaller airports (e.g. Santa Barbara) with high-performance propeller aircraft carrying 4 to 6 passengers. Those offerings also have no obvious home on FT.

oenophilist

I agree that that is an important criterion. The challenge that I have right now is that there is no clear home for the discussions, and so they are rather spread out throughout FlyerTalk. That being said, given the greater availability of private flights to the general public, and given that the FlyerTalk community is likely going to be consuming these products in greater numbers, it is worth investigating and at least monitoring.

tcook052

I'd be against placing such a forum in the "Miles and Points" section as I don't believe private jet flights accrue either. If anything it's a "Special Interest" forum although am not convinced it's really needed. Just MHO.

jason8612

It's an interesting thought. I wouldn't mind seeing a forum for private jets (or some subforum) for it. Lately I've been seeing ads for jetsmarter and other similar companies.

Canarsie

Although I am keeping an open mind about this growing trend towards the use of private jets for air transportation, I believe that the industry is still too nascent for it to warrant its own forum...

...however, I would consider combining private jet travel with air taxi services such as SeaPort Airlines, of which there are at least seven discussions — such as this one — peppered around FlyerTalk.

Those airlines offer travel without some of the hassles normally associated with commercial airlines — such as having to go through an airport security checkpoint and paying for parking as two examples.

Other airlines which could potentially belong to this growing category could also include Surf Air, ImagineAir, Southern Airways Express and JetSuite.

The combination of private jet transportation, air taxi services and other unconventional methods of traveling by air could reside in a forum called Alternate Air Travel or something similar to that......and I completely agree with this statement as to where this proposed forum would possibly be located on FlyerTalk.

oenophilist

That sounds like an interesting proposition, and I believe it would satisfy the need. I had been trying to think of other potential topics that could be grouped together to gain critical mass. Those make sense.

JDiver

Other categories for consideration for inclusion might be charter discussions, catching rides on corporate aircraft (some people do), medevac, voluntary / charitable flying of patients to medical treatment and surgery (notably Angel Flight) and Angel Flight West, etc. Those private pilots among us might even be able to wangle a thread or two there.

MSPeconomist

I could see the inclusion of helicopter services too, both excursion and as airport transportation (HKG and NRT for example, although I know it once was available for JFK and SFO but I suspect that those services might have ceased operation as I haven't heard about them recently).