private jet

Louis Vuitton Personalized Men's Luggage for the Private Jet Traveler

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Men's Style

Louis Vuitton has launched a collection of personalized men's luggage designed as the perfect accompaniment to traveling by private jet, ideal for a posh Father's Day present. The collection is introduced under the famed French luxury goods house's "Mon Monogram" program, harking back to the golden age of travel when aristocrats, sportsmen and military officers would have their custom-made luggage emblazoned with their monogram, emblem, racing or regimental colors. Vuitton has selected four different styles of cases ideal for taking aboard everything from a small sport plane you pilot yourself to a tricked-out G-IV. On offer are the Pégase 45 ($2,800) and 55 ($3,270) wheeled cabin cases (top), the iconic Speedy 40 (bottom left, $1,030) and classic Keepall 55 (bottom right, $1,370). Pick a luxe destination and arrive in style.

[via JustLuxe]

Tags: Louis Vuitton, luggage, mens style, Mon monogram, private jet, travel

British Airways Partners On New U.S. Private Jet Service

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

British Airways is launching a private jet service within North America and the Caribbean. The partnership with CitationAir, the private jet charter subsidiary of Cessna Aircraft, allows BA to skirt around its foreign carrier status. The service dubbed PrivateConnect promises "no-frills" private jet service that allows passengers to book online and pay with a credit card. The cost ranges from $6,000 to $10,000 per plane per hour depending on the type of aircraft and will be available to anyone who has has flown with the carrier in the past 12 months or is a member of the BA executive club program as well as organizations that have a corporate account with British Airways. BA already flies to 19 destinations in America and has an arrangement with American Airline for domestic flights in the U.S. As part of the arrangement, CitationAir customers will receive complimentary chauffeured transportation from the FBO to the British Airways terminal when flying internationally on BA.

Tags: british airways, cessna, citation air, private jet, private jet service, private jets

WannaJet Aims to Make Private Jets Available to Commercial Fliers

by Annie Scott (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Services

Thought it may sound glamorous, most frequent fliers -- even those who tend to fly business or first class -- never consider a private jet for their trip. WannaJet, a new company founded by Parisian Philippe Bo (above), is aiming to change that.

The former CFO and Vice President of Finance at GE had been shuttled all over the world on commercial airlines. With the knowledge that a huge portion of private jets sit on the ground, unused, he had an idea to bring the convenience and comfort of private flying to an entirely new demographic by creating a sharing service with no membership fee and never more than six passengers per plane. The prices can be as low as a first class ticket: a private jet from New York to Boston starts at just $446.

Here's how it works: WannaJet doesn't own any aircrafts, but arranges charters on a by-request basis. You may be flying with strangers, but you'll have an empty seat next to you (as well as a luxe plane and no commercial airport hassles), and you won't be bearing the full brunt of the cost for things like fuel, maintenance and other fees which prevent most of the population from being able to fly privately. If you want to fly from New York to Boston on a particular day, you start by checking whether or not they already have a partially-filled plane going. If they don't, you can request a new plane. You will be told your price before you book (unlike with other per-seat charter companies). The price model is built for four to six passengers. If only three people have booked tickets 72 hours before the flight is scheduled to depart, they will be offered the chance to pay 30 percent more each, or the flight will be canceled -- and WannaJet will book you on a commercial flight of equal value at no charge. You also earn frequent flier minutes (not miles) on WannaJet flights, which can be used toward future WannaJet travel. Sounds fair!

WannaJet launched in the USA on June 9, 2010 with a presentation and cocktail fete held appropriately at New York's Intrepid Museum. We interviewed Mr. Bo at the party about how the service works and the charities WannaJet will be supporting.

Luxist: A private jet from New York to Boston for $446 seems just unbelievable. How are you able to offer such low prices?

Phillipe Bo: It's because you can divide the price of the jet by four or five passengers. If you divide it by four or five -- and provided that you book a return flight, because you get a 20 percent discount -- you get a revenue that is basically around $4,000 - $5,000.

Gallery: WannaJet Launch at The Intrepid Museum in New York City

Tags: phillipe bo, private jet, wannajet

Continue reading “WannaJet Aims to Make Private Jets Available to Commercial Fliers”

The Classicist: Bespoke British Luxury from Norton MacCullough & Locke

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, The Classicist

In previous columns we've been known to wax nostalgic about the golden age of luxury travel, and the vintage luggage that embodies the glamour and decadence of a bygone era when journeying to a foreign land involved adventure, romance and style. Such exquisitely crafted pieces, like the mysterious bespoke Hermès crocodile suitcases made for Out of Africa author Karen Blixen which we wrote about last week, evoke a time when the journey was as important as the destination and every conceivable creature comfort was taken along for the ride. Not everyone is ready to consign such a stylish mode of sojourning to the past, however. Hence we take pleasure in introducing Norton MacCullough & Locke, a new London firm committed to producing the finest custom-made trunks, jewelry boxes and homeware in the essence of 1920s bespoke British luxury, founded by veterans of Hermès, Claridge's and Patek Philippe.

Norton MacCullough & Locke creates individual, hand-crafted pieces in their workshops in England, with the aim of preserving traditional leatherworking techniques and bespoke craftsmanship. Their beautiful pieces feature details such as gold plated locks and hardware, Alcantara linings, precisely fitted removable trays, and engraved mirrors on the inside lids of dressing cases. Designed and made with the finest materials available, the firm's specialist leather, metal and woodworking artisans employ traditional techniques and hand-finishings, ensuring that each piece is unrivalled in its exclusivity, aesthetics and attention to detail. In other words, the sort of luggage suitable to traveling by private jet.

By designing and creating products that are specific to the individual client's aesthetic sensibilities and lifestyle requirements, each Norton MacCullough & Locke piece is truly unique to its owner. Each bespoke order is developed through a series of personal consultations with the client; from concept and design through to personalization and material selection. The firm is continuously developing its extensive range of precious metals, exotic woods and leathers. While bespoke commissions are limited only by the imagination, some of the items they create include jewelry boxes, trunks, hat boxes, suitcases, humidors, watch cases, travel desks, attaché cases, games sets and drinks cases.

Gallery: Norton MacCullough & Locke

Tags: Berkeley Hotel, bespoke, England, exotic wood, games, gold, humidors, John Galliano, leather, London, luggage, Norton MacCullough Locke, private jet, suitcase, UK

Continue reading “The Classicist: Bespoke British Luxury from Norton MacCullough & Locke”

Airborne: The New $9 Million Cessna CJ4

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

Despite some recent troubles as reported by my colleague Deirdre Woollard, Cessna is finally set to begin deliveries of its long-awaited $9 million Citation CJ4 light business jet later this year, featuring improved performance and the company's most stylishly decorated and ergonomically designed cabin ever. Electronically-controlled twin Williams-Rolls FJ44-4A turbofan engines allow for a maximum cruising speed of 500 mph at 35,000 ft. and are quiet and fuel efficient. New swept-back wings borrowed from the Cessna Sovereign help out on aerodynamics for short takeoffs, quick climbs and improved acceleration. Plush new "luxury sedan" style seats and a new sidewall configuration provide more leg, seat and shoulder room. It's also outfitted like a high-end media room thanks to its revolutionary Venue Cabin Management System with amenities such as XM radio, CD and hi-def Blu-Ray DVD player, seat monitors, moving maps and input stations for MP3 players, gaming systems and more.

[via JamesList]

Gallery: Cessna CJ4

Tags: business jet, Cessna, citation cj4, jet, private jet

View the Total Solar Eclipse From 40,000 Feet

by Amy Cortese (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Events

Been there, done that? How about total umbral immersion 40,000 feet in the air?

For thrill seekers, that's the pitch from Rick Brown, a self-described "eclipse-chaser" who has chartered an Airbus jet that will fly into the path of a total eclipse of the sun set to occur on July 11. (And you thought that was just a Carly Simon lyric).

Total eclipses typically occur only once every year or two. And viewing them can be a challenge: they are often only visible from remote parts of the Earth, and even if you make the trek, clouds or weather can obscure the view. On July 11, for example, the moon's shadow, or umbra, will sweep across the South Pacific in a narrow band, only making landfall on Easter Island and a few atolls in French Polynesia. The "totality," as the period when the sun is completely blocked by the moon is called, will last just four minutes on the ground.

Enter Rick Brown and his EFLIGHT 2010. The forty or so eclipse-chasing passengers high above the clouds will watch as the moon's shadow approach them from over 200 miles away before basking in the darkness of the lunar shadow and gazing at the sun's pearly white corona for nearly 10 full minutes - which Brown says will be a record viewing time.

Tags: adventure travel, Airbus, astronomy, Easter Island, Eclipse Chasers, jet charter, polynesia, private jet, solar eclipse, tahiti

Continue reading “View the Total Solar Eclipse From 40,000 Feet”

$29.5 Million Legacy 650 Jet Ready for Takeoff

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings

For $29.5 million Brazilian executive jet builder Embraer will deliver a brand new Legacy 650 (above) to you by the end of the year. An amped-up version of the popular Legacy 600, the sleek craft can fly up to 3,900 nautical miles nonstop with four passengers, or 3,800 nautical miles with eight passengers – over 500 nautical miles farther than the 600 – thanks to new highly efficient and more powerful Rolls-Royce AE 3007A2 engines. That means the 650 can take you from London to New York, Dubai to London, Miami to São Paulo, Singapore to Sydney or Mumbai to central Europe in one go. The interior features three distinct cabin zones and a spacious galley, as well as the largest inflight accessible baggage compartment of any executive jet, and can of course be customized to your specifications, whether you want leather recliners or a zebra skin waterbed.

Tags: Embraer, Embraer Legacy, EmbraerLegacy, private jet, PrivateJet, Rolls-Royce

Free Yourself from Flying with the Rabble

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels

With economic conditions beginning to turn, the elite are finally being freed from the prison of commercial air travel. After a severe 2008 and 2009, it looks like the private aviation business is getting ready to come back, with research firm Argus showing 5.3 percent growth from January last year to January this year. According to Flexjet president Fred Reid, there was a "very distinct, small, consistent upturn in demand" that began late in 2009.

Late-model business jets aren't as cheap as they used to be, and the surplus on the market has dropped a bit, but new aircraft deliveries haven't returned to earlier levels. Flying hours have fallen, and constraints in the credit markets make it difficult for people to put the requisite cash together to buy and operate a private jet. Following five years of record growth, the NY Times reports, last year was dismal. In the second half of 2009, business jet shipments plunged 33.7 percent year-over-year to 870. High-end propeller plane sales fell 17.6 percent to 441 for the same period.

But, that's all in the past.

Source

Tags: air travel, AirTravel, commercial aircraft, CommercialAircraft, private jet, private jets, private plane, PrivateJet, PrivateJets, PrivatePlane

Continue reading “Free Yourself from Flying with the Rabble”

The Brands That Chinese Millionaires Love

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wealth

If you are driving a Bentley, rest your left hand gently on the rearview mirror just out the window -- this is how other drivers will notice your stunning Patek Philippe watch. At least, this is how you should roll if you're a millionaire in China.

According to a survey by Hurun magazine, China's wealthy love watches by Cartier and Patek Philippe and like to slip behind the wheel of Bentleys. Vacations in the United States are also favored. But, for cigarettes and first-class flights, Chinese millionaires like to keep it local. Air China tops the list for luxury flights, and Chunghwa is the favorite tobacco, according to Hurun, with Chinese who have at least $1.46 million in wealth. Unlike cigarettes, though, the favorite cigar brand, Davidoff, is from abroad.

The average respondent to the Hurun survey takes 15 days off a year, on average, has three cars and owns five watches that cost at least $10,000 each.

According to Rupert Hoogewerf, chief researcher and founder of Hurun, the Chinese "have a greater awareness of brands." He continued to Bloomberg News, "They are also more international-minded and keener to give their children a foreign education." Four out of five are planning to send their kids to school abroad for high school and beyond, with the United States the preferred destination.

Being wealthy doesn't mean this community is finished coveting. Now that they are taking more time off, 50 percent want to buy a yacht, and 15 percent would love a private jet.

Source

Tags: bentley, brands, cartier, china, cigar, cigarettes, cigars, davidoff, patek philippe, PatekPhilippe, private jet, PrivateJet, tobacco, yacht, yachts

Four Reasons Business Jets Are Back in Style

by Tom Johansmeyer (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wings

Private jet travel is back! When we were in the depths of the financial crisis, the best way to fly was a sure way to attract criticism, especially when the Detroit auto executives showed up before Congress a year ago and had to explain why ailing companies were forced to shell out for the perk. Well, the private jets are coming back into style, but it's more for pleasure than business.

Business jet manufacturers delivered only 615 in the first three quarters of 2009, a steep decline of 37.8 percent year-over-year, according to the General Aviation Manufacturers Association. According to Jack Petlon, CEO of Cessna, though, there are signs of life. "With the financial collapse that occurred there was a lot of anger, a lot of hurt, a lot of people reaching out and striking at what became an image and the image was a corporate business jet," he told Forbes. He continued, "We as an industry are now spending our time righting that wrong perception."

Here are four facts you may not have know about business (and private) aviation:

Source

Tags: business, business jet, business jets, BusinessJet, BusinessJets, cessna, congress, National Business Aviation Association, NationalBusinessAviationAssociation, private jet, private plane, PrivateJet, PrivatePlane

Continue reading “Four Reasons Business Jets Are Back in Style”

$1.5 Monaco Grand Prix Gift Package With Custom Supercar

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Luxury Cars & Autos, Wings, Events, Sports, Holiday Guides, Wealth

Last month we reported that the glossy chronicle of the filthy rich Robb Report is offering the world's most expensive Christmas gift this year - a matching custom private jet and megayacht set costing $500 million. The profligate publication has a few more eye-popping offerings as part of its Ultimate Gift Guide, a seasonal smorgasbord of over-the-top exclusives. Among the most enticing is a $1.5 million Monaco Grand Prix gift package, consisting of the following: a VIP experience at the 2010 Monaco Grand Prix F1 races in May; round-trip private jet travel from North America to Nice, France, and helicopter transfer from Nice to Monte Carlo for a party of four; five nights' accommodation in the top-floor suite at the luxe Monte Carlo Bay Hotel & Resort; privileges aboard a private 170-ft. yacht that will provide a prime vantage of, and tender service to, four days of racing and activities; and last but not least a custom Spyker C8 Aileron Spyder (above) "as a keepsake".

Tags: Christmas, Formula 1, Formula1, France, holiday 2009, Holiday2009, Monaco, Monaco Grand Prix, MonacoGrandPrix, Monte Carlo, Monte Carlo Bay Hotel Resort, MonteCarlo, MonteCarloBayHotelResort, private jet, PrivateJet, racing, Robb Report, RobbReport, Spyker, yacht

Robb Report Offers the World's Most Expensive Xmas Gift for $500 Million

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Yachts & Sailing, Wings, Wealth

Looking for a really unforgettable Christmas present for that special someone this year? That glossy chronicle of the filthy rich Robb Report has just the thing - a matching custom private jet and megayacht set costing $500 million. The eye-popping present, the world's most expensive, is part of the profligate publication's Ultimate Gift Guide, a seasonal offering of over-the-top exclusives. The recipient will receive an Airbus A380 (above), the world's largest jumbo jet, and a bespoke megayacht, both customized by renowned designer Patrick Knowles. The interiors will complement each other creating what Knowles calls a "custom personal brand" for the lucky owner. There's one catch - considering the backlog on A380 deliveries and the time required to design and build a custom megayacht, the giftee will have to wait at least six years to get their hands on the toys.

Tags: Airbus A380, AirbusA380, gifts, megayacht, Patrick Knowles, PatrickKnowles, private jet, PrivateJet, Robb Report, RobbReport, worlds most expensive, WorldsMostExpensive, yacht

Donald Trump's Plane For Sale

by Deidre Woollard (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Wings, Celebrity Shopping

A helpful reader directed us to a rather interesting listing, Donald Trump's personal jet. Trump's flashy Boeing 727-100 has shown up on the Controller website. Lest you have any doubt that it is his, the plane has the Trump T on the tail and a 30-foot Trump logo on the side done in gold leaf. A plane like this usually has 134 seats but this plane was reconfigured to hold just 24 passengers in the lap of luxury.

The 1968 vintage plane was originally operated by American Airlines according to Aviation.com. It has been refurbished with soft beige leather armchairs around a conference table. A separate dining area has seating for five around a wood table and additional seating on an adjacent upholstered sofa. A master bedroom offers a posh place for mid-flight nap.

The listing with AvPro in Maryland says it has new paint and is current with all avionics. It has logged a total of 41,833 hours with 29,664 total landings. Why is Trump selling? Is a new, even more lavish plane in the works, or is Trump, like the rest of us, feeling the pinch of a struggling economy?

UPDATE: CNN Money has a quote from George Sorial from Trump's organization who says that Trump is upgrading to a larger aircraft.

[Thanks, Jay!]

Gallery: Donald Trump's Plane For Sale

Gallery: Trump Projects

Source

Tags: donald trump, donald trump jet, DonaldTrump, DonaldTrumpJet, private jet, private jet for sale, PrivateJet, PrivateJetForSale

Naomi Campbell's Birthday Surprise for Russian Billionaire Boyfriend

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Events, Celebrity Shopping

Naomi Campbell just surprised her Russian billionaire boyfriend Vladislav Doronin with a lavish jet-set birthday surprise in Morocco, the London Mirror reports.

The supermodel chartered a private jet to fly them there as a surprise for Doronin, who's been called the Donald Trump of Russia. There she presented him with a lifesize sports-themed cake with a boxing ring, race cars and rackets on it.

The pair partied all night before boarding a jet to Abu Dhabi and then Tanzania for her charity work for the White Ribbon Alliance. Of course, as we've reported previously Doronin has been very generous as well.

Campbell has been earning praise of late for looking better then ever despite her 39 years. Her longtime hairstylist Amoy Pitters, who tended to the precious tresses for recent A-list events like Black Girls Rock and the Clinton Global Initiative gala, deserves her share of the credit.

Pitters, whose other celeb clients include Sheryl Crow, Ashanti, Ciara, Iman, Rihanna, Alicia Keys, Mary J. Blige and The Pussycat Dolls, is famed for her unique, signature method of hair extensions, indistinguishable from - some would say better than - the real thing.

Tags: Amoy Pitters, AmoyPitters, celebrity, hairstylist, Morocco, Naomi Campbell, NaomiCampbell, private jet, PrivateJet, Russian billionaire, RussianBillionaire, supermodel, Vladislav Doronin, VladislavDoronin

EXCLUSIVE: Blue Star Jets President Todd Rome's Ten Essential Luxuries

by Jared Paul Stern (RSS feed) —

Filed under: Luxury Travel & Hotels, Wings, 10 Luxuries

Click above to see Todd Rome's 10 Luxuries

Todd Rome co-founded Blue Star Jets in 2001 (with CEO Ricky Sitomer) in response to the inefficiencies in the private jet marketplace. It is now one of the world's largest private aircraft charter brokers, offering an unparalleled level of personalized service; their motto is "Any Jet, Any Time, Any Place." Blue Star Jets grants clients freedom from the financial constraints of fractional jet ownership; the savings of paying only for trips taken; and the flexibility to choose the best aircraft according to a trip's specific budget requirement. With its ShareAJet Exchange, Blue Star Jets has lowered the barrier of entry for the private aviation industry for commercial fliers.

By creating a network of charter companies, Blue Star Jets now has access to over 4,000 aircraft worldwide, ranging from helicopters to Boeing business jets. Prior to Blue Star Jets, Mr. Rome ran a successful broker-dealer firm on Wall Street. He is also Co-Chair of the Diabetes Research Institute, and has made numerous appearances on CNN, CNBC and FOX, among others. When not traveling or working at his office in New York, Mr. Rome enjoys spending time with his family at home in the Hamptons, where Blue Star Jets was one of the key sponsors of the Mercedes-Benz Polo Challenge. In the gallery, Rome reveals his 10 essential luxuries and explains what makes them a must.

Gallery: Blue Star Jets President Todd Rome's 10 Luxuries