AND THEY SAID IT WOULD NEVER 'TAKE OFF'

PrivateFly, the private jet booking service, launched its first generation mobile app in 2010; it was the first of its kind. Back then, it was the only app to give instant private jet prices and global aircraft charter.

Adam Twidell, founder and CEO, said: "I remember having several conversations with industry colleagues who thought it was a great PR stunt, but unlikely to be widely used by private jet customers. Fast forward five years and I’m delighted to have proven them wrong. Today, the app drives 10 per cent of our business and has become an integral part of our customer offering.

"Apps are now recognised as key ingredients in the commercial strategy of online travel businesses – from hotels, to car hire and of course, airline flights. So why should private jet travel be any different?"

PrivateFly recognises the potential of optimising its service for users on the move, even on their way to the airport. Its first generation app gave rapid response private jet charter at the touch of a button. And, since then the app has been updated to include location-based services such as the ‘Jet Me Home’ function; discounted empty leg flight search; and features for existing clients to review and manage their booked flights.

The company has recently launched its IOS app in French – reflecting its growing client base in France and the importance of the French market for business aviation in Europe.

Below are 10 topline facts about the PrivateFly app:

1. Since 2010, the PrivateFly app has been downloaded over 100,000 times & now drives 10 per cent of the company’s flight bookings.
2. Who is using the PrivateFly app?
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3. The average time spent per customer on the app is 2 minutes and 35 seconds (which is enough time to get a clear idea of prices and aircraft options).
4. 1,091 different global airports worldwide were used in PrivateFly’s app searches during the last six months. Airports seeing the most searches include New York’s Teterboro airport; LA Van Nuys in California; Paris Le Bourget; Geneva in Switzerland; and London Luton airport.
5. The most popular aircraft viewed on the app is the Citation XL.
6. The average flight value via the app is £11,800 ($17,840) - smaller than PrivateFly’s average from across all channels. But the biggest app sale was a $500,000 multi-leg flight from the Middle East to Europe in June 2013.
7. You can ‘Jet Me Home’ – a one-touch instant price for a private jet home.
8. App users want to fly faster: The average lead time (number of days between booking and take-off) via PrivateFly’s app is eight days, versus 12 days for bookings from those using its web platforms or phone in the past six months.
9. An empty leg flight search is available on the app, for discounts of up to 75% on one-way flights.
10. Clients can also use the app to review and manage their booked flights, such as adding new passengers and viewing their crew details.

Adam Twidell continued: “Our goal at PrivateFly is to make private jet charter as efficient as possible, for both the customer and the aircraft operator. Our app has played an ever-increasing role in delivering this over the past five years. Our next generation updates are currently in development and we’re looking forward to launching several exciting new features later this year.”

The PrivateFly app is free to download from the App Store for iPhone and iPad users, and from Google play for Android phones and tablets.

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