For tour operators and travel companies, series aircraft charter is more of a necessity than a choice. ACC Charter’s Series Charter Specialist, Neil Smith, explains how, when dealing with the demands of a growing inclusive travel (IT) market, series aircraft charter can be a highly effective tool.
Demand Still Exists for Travel to Niche Destinations from Regional Airports
In a decade characterised by political and economic uncertainty, package holidays provide unmatched peace of mind for holidaymakers. IT has undergone significant growth – the market is getting bigger and demand with it.
Over-tourism in landmark hotspots such as Barcelona, Palma and Santorini, coupled with the advent of low-cost long-haul flights, means customers are increasingly considering alternative, under-served travel destinations, such as Cape Verde.
“While the consumer’s choice of travel options is ever-increasing with the rise of low-cost carriers, a market still exists for travel from regional airports to the more niche destinations. This has been clearly demonstrated by some of the major tour operators announcing hundreds of thousands of additional seats for their summer 2019 programmes from airports such as Doncaster/Sheffield, Cardiff, East Midlands and Birmingham. This is where ACC Charter sees its market,” says Neil.
Series Aircraft Charter Availability in the Face of an Uncertain UK Travel Market
The aviation industry has been extremely vocal about the disruption caused by the lack of clarity delivered by the ongoing Brexit negotiations.
“The UK travel market faces uncertainty and this is already impacting the supply of traditional, high-quality carriers willing to place their fleets into the UK market,” says Neil.
“In situations like these, knowledge is everything – knowing who has availability, where and when. This is where having a market-leading wet leasing division comes in very handy.
“As part of ACC Aviation, ACC Charter is able to draw on our ACMI leasing division’s up-to-the-minute market intelligence and partnerships with reputable global airlines to locate available aircraft anywhere in the world.
“We pride ourselves on having a diverse network of airline relationships and are often aware of the fleet development plans of Europe’s charter airlines some time ahead.
“We also have several exclusive agreements in place with national flag carrier airlines, allowing us to utilise their aircraft while on turnaround in the UK and Europe.
“These relationships mean we have a number of operators who can provide us with aircraft on a seasonal basis for summer or winter, utilising their spare capacity to meet our customers’ needs.”
ACC Aviation, Providing Robust Operational Support Worldwide
“Hope for the best and prepare for the worst” has long been a travel industry maxim. And, considering the events of the last 10 years or so, reliability and security are more important now than ever before.
“ACC Aviation provides operational support to many of Europe’s leading scheduled airlines by locating short-term supplemental lease capacity when it is needed. This same capability can be called upon to provide robust operational support to ACC’s series charter clients,” says Neil.
“Aviation isn’t a 9-5 industry, especially as a company that operates globally, which means being on call at any time is of vital importance. ACC maintains a dedicated staff around the clock, capable of providing an immediate overview of worldwide availability.”
Need Series Aircraft Charter Assistance for Your Summer Programme?
Neil and the rest of ACC Charter’s team of aircraft charter experts are on hand 24/7, ready to assist with any requirements you may have for seasonal series flights. Call us anytime, from anywhere in the world, on +44 (0)1737 232230, fill in our online enquiry form or email us.
