Swine flu is wind beneath wings for charter flights

The ultra rich have found a new way of combating the swine flu pandemic. Instead of travelling by regular flights and risking exposure, they are opting for charter planes.

Swine flu is wind beneath wings for charter flights

The ultra rich have found a new way of combating the swine flu pandemic. Instead of travelling by regular flights and risking exposure, they are opting for charter planes.

Amey Gore, spokesperson, Airnetz, a leading charted flight company, said that the company's website had witnessed one lakh online hits in the last 10 days.

"Clients say they don't mind spending more, but want to be extra careful in view of the swine flu situation. This is helping our business," explained Gore.

Airnetz, which has 15 corporate clients in Pune, has hired doctors to screen their passengers for swine flu.

Business booming
"Business has picked up in the last 10 days. We have received 30 enquiries for the Mumbai-Pune, Mumbai-Ahmedabad, Mumbai-Shirdi and Mumbai-Delhi routes. This is a five per cent improvement on the enquires made during the corresponding period last month," said Omkar Mestry, the COO of the company.

Arun Lohia, CEO, Bafna Aviation, said, "In the last 15 days, our company has booked seven trips from Mumbai to Pune compared to four trips a month in the last six months."

Airport Director Captain S K Mahajan, however, said there had been no decrease in usual air traffic. "We have not encountered any decrease in air traffic. People are travelling as they did before, as airports are taking adequate precautions to screen people," he added.

Is it the economy?
Zubin Jogina, spokesman, Jogina Helicraft Charters, said, "It is true that charter services are in demand these days. However, I feel that it has more to do with the reviving economy and not swine flu."