If you have a billion dollars or more, of course eventually you will find yourself owning a private jet because, well, what else can you do with that much money. But be aware, once you taste the lifestyle offered by a private jet, it may become impossible for you to go back to commercial airlines.
Apart from the obvious conveniences offered by a private jet , such as take-off timings befitting your needs, complete privacy during the flight, and food options of your choice, flying privately has evolved into a complete experience that promises to transcend our perception of the level of comfort we can experience thousands of feet in the air.
When we travel to another city or country for a meeting, it’s usually an overnight trip as it becomes hectic to travel back and forth the same day considering waiting times at the airport. To save on costs, we then try to fit in multiple meetings in a day so that our trip justifies the travel cost.
For the rich, cost is not an issue, so having a meeting in one city and then another in a different city on the same day is made possible with the option of a private jet. Not only that, but if mid-air you find out that you need to be somewhere other than your current destination, changing the course of your flight is not an issue at all.
You simply instruct the pilot to go somewhere else, and it’s done. Such flexibility allows the traveler a stress-free environment, providing enough freedom to focus on issues and to make valuable business decisions.
Although humans began flying around in self-made aircrafts much earlier in the 20 th century, the aviation industry has gradually advanced over the years to offer more technologically superior flying machines that offer increasing comfort to their guests. In the 60s, people started focusing on the development of private aircrafts, and hence the Learjet 63 came into existence with its first test flight conducted in the mid-60s.
From the cost perspective, you bet the private aircrafts created at that time were extremely few and, of course, extremely expensive. Only the richest of the rich got their hands on a private jet. In the 70s, they became particularly famous when celebrities such as the famous rock band Led Zeppelin started using private flying options.
The Boeing 720B, which was used by Led Zeppelin, was named the Starship, and had a bar as well as an electric organ so that John Paul Jones could play some tunes for the amusement of the aircraft’s other guests.
Led Zeppelin is not the only one to have utilized a private jet to its full potential back then. The founder of Playboy, Hugh Hefner, also indulged in complete customization of his jet which came to be known as the Big Bunny . The jet could accommodate up to 38 guests, and also had a living room, a bar that remained fully stocked, and for his legendary parties a discotheque.
Although many would argue that flying in a commercial airline’s first class is a much more feasible option compared to flying in a private jet, as it costs only a few thousand dollars at max for a long-haul flight, Eric Roth, who is the president of private jet interior designing company International Jet Interiors, slightly disagrees. While he does agree that in some foreign carriers the level of luxury is somewhat comparable to the private jet one, he still argues that there are many additional benefits of choosing the latter.
We have already mentioned the unbeatable advantage of absolute privacy in a private jet, so that’s the first benefit of choosing to fly privately compared to the first class of even the best commercial airline in the world. Secondly, since there is minimal chance of you being distracted by someone, commercial airlines offer the perfect environment to work in peace.
Not only that, but the interior of a private jet can also be customized according to your preference. For example, Roth notes that in recent times customers are shifting more towards a modernized and minimalist style, which is reflective of the changing demographics of private jet customers.
It’s this absolute freedom to choose that makes private jets so attractive to the rich, and justifiably as well.
