VistaJet Jettisons Aircraft Positoning Fees

Membership jet charter firm VistaJet has eliminated hourly ferry flight fees for new program customers globally. “The move signals a significant commitment to VistaJet’s mission to be the first operator to offer a truly global service,” said the company. “Customers now have complete freedom when booking, without bearing the burden of paying a ferry flight hourly rate for an aircraft to return to a home base or service area, and enjoy transparent pricing.”

Positioning fees have traditionally been a “frustrating and unexpected cost” for business aviation clients, VistaJet noted, adding that depending on location, this can add tens of thousands of dollars to the cost of a flight.

“When you call a taxi, you don’t worry about paying for its journey to you,” said company founder Thomas Flohr. “Today’s entrepreneur or business executive will be flying to America one week, Asia or South America the next, and Europe in between, so it’s become critical to offer them a truly global service…[with] one-way pricing.”

According to VistaJet, eliminating aircraft deadhead fees is made possible by its €2.25 billion ($2.5 billion) investment to expand its all-Bombardier fleet globally, as well as establishing a global customer base through its 10 sales offices on five continents. “Our business model, built on removing the notion of a home base for aircraft, means customers pay only for the time they are in the air,” the company said. “When a VistaJet program customer books a flight, we will simply move the nearest airplane to pick them up.”

Unlike most charter operators, VistaJet owns each of its fleet's 70 silver and red Challenger 350s, 650s, and 850s, and Global 5000s and 6000s. It added 15 business jets to its fleet last year.