Astute Explores Hamburg Christmas Markets

Following our post about visiting the European Christmas markets this winter, we paid Hamburg a visit for a short, snowy trip to the markets there. 

An early morning flight had us watching the sunrise over the clouds, before touching down with a full day ahead to explore and experience everything that Hamburg has to offer at Christmas. 

The city centre contains several smaller clusters of stalls on the walk to the Rathaus, which is where the main attraction lies. We also managed to pass by the Winterwald, where dense trees and wood chips on the ground create a mini winter forest atmosphere amid the bustle of the city. The stalls here are almost entirely dedicated to food, housing many sweet and savoury german treats alongside some international specialities, such as freshly made paella, pizza and kebabs - including one large wooden hut boasting a log fire which was smoking meats and fish.  

Overlooked by the city hall and a huge Christmas tree, the main market has everything you'd expect from a German experience at this time of year.  You're immediately greeted by large stalls selling Gluehwein - the original and some varieties, accompanied by the aroma of cooking meats further down. Walk in between the huts to find stalls selling all sorts of gifts, from candles and ornaments through to fur goods - you're sure to find a perfect souvenir! All the foods sold here are traditional German, and there is still a huge amount to choose from. We tried out some Bratwurst and Currywurst right before it started to snow, where a hot cup of mulled wine and some pancakes went down perfectly. 

There are a handful of other markets scattered across the city, some of which we did not have the chance to visit. The atmosphere at the central Christmas market outside the Rathaus certainly crowned it as the highlight of the city, and is an absolute must-see. The majority of the markets are open for business until December 23rd, so there's still time to go and experience it for yourself! Private jet charter makes it possible to visit Hamburg just for the day, eliminating the need for an overnight stay and avoiding the chaos of flying commercially over the Christmas period. 

Whatever your plans for the festive season, we would love to help you organise your trip. After all, life is about adventure so why stay grounded? 

Get in touch with one of our private jet charter expert and let us tailor a schedule to suit you +44(0) 203 880 9005 

www.astuteaviation.co.uk

How much does it cost to hire a Private Jet?

The cost of chartering a private jet can vary largely, but it may not be as expensive as you might think.

There are several factors which will shape the cost hiring an aircraft, some having a larger impact than others. 

• Size of aircraft

• Distance of Flight 

• One Way or Return

• Airport Landing & Handling Fees 

• Empty Legs

Our previous post on this topic describes how each of these factors could impact the cost of private jet charter, and how we do our best to tailor every detail of your trip to be as cost effective as possible.To give you a better idea of the approximate cost of hiring an aircraft, we decided to use one of our most common aircraft and routes and show the breakdown of the total price. 

We have used the example of four passengers travelling from Farnborough Airport to Geneva, in a Citation XLS based at London Luton Airport. This jet was manufactured in 2006, and boasts a luxurious, quiet cabin with plentiful luggage space - whilst offering excellent time efficiency and value for money. The total quoted price for this journey was £11,572. 

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outbound flight

Luton to Farnborough Airport (repositioning): 39nm/26 minutes

Farnborough to Geneva Airport: 407nm/1 hour 20 minutes

Total flight time: 1 hour 46 minutes

Hourly cost for Citation XLS hire: £2684

Total cost to hire aircraft for outbound flight: £4742

inbound flight

Geneva to Farnborough Airport: 407nm/1 hour 28 minutes

Farnborough to Luton Airport: 39nm/26 minutes

Total flight time: 1 hour 54 minutes

Hourly cost for Citation XLS hire: £2684

Total cost to hire aircraft for inbound flight: £5100

The remaining £1730 covers the airport landing and handling fees at Farnborough and Geneva airport for the outbound flight, and at Farnborough airport for the inbound. Fuel stops would also be included in the charter price if they are necessary for your flight and aircraft type. Crew costs and catering are all a part of the hourly hire cost for your private jet, meaning there are no extra expenses outside of your quote provided by us. 

Private jet hire does not need to be complicated with many separate payments. We organise absolutely everything and provide you with one simple quote, so you can remain focused on the bigger things. 

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Whatever your reason for flying , we would love to help you organise your trip. 

Get in touch with one of our private jet charter experts today and let us tailor a schedule to suit you +44(0) 203 880 9005

www.astuteaviation.co.uk

How much does it cost to charter a Private Jet?

how much does it cost to charter a private jet? 

The cost of chartering a private jet his based on a number of factors, of which the main are:

• Size of Aircraft 

• Distance of Flight 

• One Way or Return

• Airport Landing & Handling Fees 

• Empty Legs 

 

Size of Aircraft

The size of the aircraft is key when choosing the correct private jet for your trip! It wouldn't make sense to charter a jet for two people from London to Paris on a 16 seat 'Ultra Long Range' 'Global Express', the cost would be disproportionately large. It might be surprising to find that this happens more often than might be expected, purely due to a lack of understanding. 

A more appropriate private jet for this kind of short range trip could be a ultra light Citation Mustang. Fast, inexpensive in comparison, and with plenty of luggage space to bring back all your continental purchases. 

Distance of Flight

There are circumstances where the number of passengers becomes irrelevant when deciding on the size of the aircraft required for a journey. For example, if the requirement is for two people to charter from London to New York, a larger private jet is required purely due to the fuel needs.

The use of a larger jet will also generally result in a reduced flight time. Generally a private jet is charged at an hourly rate, so the longer an aircraft is airborne, the more it will cost. 

One Way vs. Return

It might seem logical to assume that a one way private jet flight would cost less than a return, however there are factors that mean this is not the case. Generally it will only cost slightly more, or perhaps even the same to return on the same aircraft. 

This lack of difference in price is due to the jet still needs to return, even if the passengers are not, so the cost of this return leg will need to be recouped from the single outbound journey. 

Landing and Handling Fees

Landing and handling fees are commonplace at every airport in the world. Each airport will charge a fee for the landing and handling of the aircraft. These costs will vary based on the weight of the aircraft and where in the world you are landing.

Airports like London Farnborough are fairly costly to land at, but more than make up for the cost with its proximity to central London, and dedication exclusively to private aircraft.

The other factor to consider is the parking cost associated with the airport in question. Parking a private aircraft can be a very expensive ordeal. Parking can be so expensive in fact that it can often be more economical to fly the aircraft back to its home base in order to avoid these parking charges, these are referred to as 'empty' legs. 

Empty Legs

Empty legs present a significant money saving opportunity, as operators will offer these legs to paying customers at a substantially reduced rate. The downsides to this are apparent: the route is set (however operators can usually be persuaded to make minor detours if desired), and the date and time of the flights are not adaptable, so you would need to align your schedule with the movements of the aircraft. 

Another situation where an aircraft will have an empty leg, would be when passengers are wanting to be collected from anywhere other than its home base. This will also be offered out at a reduced rate. 

Whatever your reason for flying , we would love to help you organise your trip. After all, life is about adventure so why stay grounded? 

Get in touch with one of our private jet charter experts today and let us tailor a schedule to suit you +44(0) 203 880 9005

www.astuteaviation.co.uk