Private jet charter firm PrivateFly has reported an 85% rise in enquiries from agents in the past two weeks.
The company said it believed more agencies would be arranging private jet travel as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic.
The company said it had seen an increase in requests from both new and existing agent partners including Virtuoso, Advantage Travel Partnerships, Black Tomato and Ten Group. The spike in enquiries comes despite restrictions still being in place.
PrivateFly’s prices start from £6,500 for a short one-way journey, such as London to Nice, on a six-seater light jet.
Hannah Needs, PrivateFly’s head of partnerships, said private jet proved to be an “attractive revenue opportunity”, in light of “airline commission rates declining”.
She added: “With travel restrictions easing in much of Europe from 15th June, we are very busy indeed with enquiries from travel agents, concierges and yacht brokers.
“They are telling us their clients are desperate to get away but are reluctant to fly on airlines until the risk of Covid-19 has reduced significantly – particularly those with families, or those who are older or in higher risk groups. Agents are increasingly looking at private aviation as a solution, so holidays can go ahead safely and with peace of mind.
“Private jet travel is obviously more expensive than airlines but for clients prepared to spend more, it offers far greater control over your environment, both in the air and on the ground.”
She added: “At PrivateFly we’ve worked with the travel trade for many years, as our technology and 24-hour expert team make it much easier for agents to provide rapid and transparent quotes for accredited private jet charter, with full support and account management. We work mainly with travel companies serving the luxury and corporate segments, but recent enquiries are also coming from those who haven’t booked private jets before and are now keen to offer this. What’s more, with airline commission rates declining in recent years, it’s also an attractive revenue opportunity at a challenging time.”