Off to LA in style
This crazy saga started three weeks ago with a FlyerTalk thread and a charter company offering $4 private flights over Valentine's weekend. Sure it was only a handful of empty legs, but it was intriguing enough to start investigating. The company giving away flights was JetSmarter.com, a charter broker that has developed an app that displays real time empty leg availability. Some 30% of all private flights go empty as they fly to pick up paying clients. How to monetize these empty legs has always been a challenge for the industry. JetSmarter seems to have broken thru the clutter with a great app and membership program. Non-members can book an empty leg at a nicely discounted price based on distance and aircraft type.
But the coolest feature is the membership programs that lets members fly free on as many legs as they wish. Find a leg, click Book Now, then Confirm and it's yours. The entire plane for the federal excise tax of $4 per passenger. $4 per passenger regardless of distance or plane type. Annual membership costs $7,999 and that price is grandfathered for as long as you remain a member. Typically 40-60 legs pop up every day, mostly US and Canada but some intra-Europe as well. These require quick decisions as the flights depart with the next 12 to 36 hours. When Mrs. SFO enthusiastically endorsed it and gave the green light to book anything departing Denver, this one was going to be no brainer.
After teasing us with some close ones in the last week, Denver-LA popped up Tuesday morning. And not just a light jet, but a gorgeous midsize Hawker 850XP. Even better was the Denver departure was from close to our home Centennial airport and heading for Van Nuys. Book it Danno. Shortly after you touch Confirm, a JetSmarter rep texts you to discuss departure time window. Today's flight was a 5PM departure from Signature FBO, right next to JetLinx, our regular charter company. Perfect. Now what to do in LA. With a 6:15P arrival, it looks like dinner tonight, poolside tomorrow and and then home tomorrow by 7PM. Mrs. SFO mentioned The Beverly Hills Hotel and the Polo Lounge. Done. For our return, amazingly UA was offering 2 saver mileage F seats on their 3:45P LAX-DEN flight… unless another empty leg opens from LA.
Our regular Denver driver Sam dropped us off at Signature Flight Operations at Centennial at around 4:35P.
Inside we met our pilot Sean and 5 minutes later walked onto the tarmac to our fabulous Hawker 850XP.
A happy Mrs. SFO.
Time to check out the galley.
And the very nice lav.
After we settled in, our pilot Sean reviewed the emergency procedures. Since the plane had arrived last night in crappy weather, we were also going to visit the deicing area to hose down. A final walk around and we were ready to go.
After deicing we were ready to taxi to runway 17L.
Pilot Sean came back to check on us and visit a couple of times during the flight, and we passed the rest of our seemingly short time on board plotting our next trip and using the on board Wifi system. And finally, our descent on a beautiful Southern California evening.
Lining up for runway 16R at Van Nuys.
And Signature VNY East.
What a spectacular flight and really the only way to fly, especially at the incredible price of only $8. We bid adieu to pilot Sean and co-pilot Jim. And our prearranged driver Jimmy was waiting at the bottom of the stairs and we headed out onto the 405 for the short 20 minute drive to our hotel on Sunset Blvd.
Next up: The Beverly Hills Hotel and The Polo Lounge