Vistajet reports rise in passengers turning to private flying during COVID-19

Business Aviation shutterstock_482765689.jpg
Media_works / Shutterstock.com

Private aviation company VistaJet announced that it had recorded “exceptional performance” and “all-time record-breaking” results in 2021. This was boosted by an increase in the demand for private flying during the pandemic.  

According to a VistaJet statement dated January 25, 2022, the Dubai-based private carrier sold more than 22,000 annual subscription hours in 2021. This reflects a significant increase of 90% in comparison to figures of 2020.  

The boom is a result of an influx of business travelers choosing private aviation over commercial flying to avoid ever-changing travel restrictions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic.  

VistaJet’s founder Thomas Flohr said that through 2021 the company expanded its fleet by 30 planes, bringing its total number of aircraft to 200 jets. Vistajet, which is the launch customer airline of Bombardier Global 7500, the ultra-long-range jet, also stated its intention to purchase more Global 7500 jets in 2022.  

“2021 has been an incredibly strong year for Vista and we have delivered all-time record-breaking figures as a result of the huge demand for our subscription, Membership, and On Demand offerings. There is clearly a paradigm shift in the global client’s view of private aviation,” Flohr said.  

He continued: “We are seeing contract sizes grow significantly across VistaJet […]Having a fleet of Global 7500 now fully operational has been a game-changing moment since its launch in 2021, and we will build on its success by adding even more new Global 7500 aircraft to strengthen our global offering by the end of 2022.” 

VistaJet also shared a positive outlook for 2022. As the demand for private aviation is currently “thriving”, the airline does not expect the trend to change for at least the next 12 to 18 months. As a part of its strategic sustainability objectives, VistaJet also revealed plans to complete the refurbishment of its Bombardier Global and Bombardier Challenger jets by the end of 2022 as well as to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025. 

The statement continued: “VistaJet is proud to have been able to offer global access to Sustainable Aviation Fuel to all its clients and it remains confident in becoming the first in the industry to achieve carbon neutrality by 2025.