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Jet Set Lifestyle | Champneys Forest Mere

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Jet Set Lifestyle | Champneys Forest Mere

A secluded lakeside resort, Champneys Forest Mere offers a tranquil escape in the heart of the South Downs. Whether it's a spa day or a weekend break, this comtemporary yet classic manor house is the perfect place to recharge your batteries. 

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Approaching the resort already fills you with a sense of serenity, as you drive up a winding driveway and are greeted by sweeping views of the lake, with the building tucked behind amongst the woodland.  The fundamentals of your whole Champneys experience are based around holistic wellbieng, which is why you'll immediately be greeted with a hand-crafted welcome drink  to begin your detox and relaxation process from within.

All stays (day and overnight) allow you unrestricted access to the hotel's facilities, including the gym, fitness classes and the famous pool and spa area. There are also guided resort walks so you can explore some of the 160 acres of woodland and meadows in the surrounding area of outstanding natural beauty. There are also a multitude of beauty treatments, from massages through to facials 

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After being equipped with a one of the famous Champneys robes and flip flops, you'll not want to waste any time in getting over to the spa. The changing rooms alone are plush and luxurious, complete with a separate sauna, steam room  and relaxation area before you even make it through to the poolside. These lead through to the magnificent pool area, which sits under huge windows and a glass panelled ceiling which floods the space with natural light. Spend a few hours on the  heated water beds in between swims, either poolside or in the lounge that also boasts suspended pods and an electric fire.

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Forest Mere Champneys | Private Jet Charter | Astute Aviation | Jet Set Lifestyle.jpg

The thermal poolside suite is what really sets Champney's apart from any other spa and health club. Complete with a jacuzzi, steam room, laconium, experience showers, and a snow room. The laconium is perfect for people who don't enjoy the intense heat in a sauna, as the heat radiates evenly from the stone walls and benches, and the temperature sits a little lower. The recommendation is that you cycle between the different temperatures, and really allow your body to benefit from the sensations in order to relax - and moving between hot and cold environments helps to stimulate your circulation and improve oxygen intake. Outdoors is a heated bath with jets, which is fantastic even during the winter months. 

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The entire resort has been meticulously designed to offer a wholesome experience to cater for your mind and body. The bedrooms are light and spacious yet extremely cosy, and everywhere you go reflects the same bright and airy feel whilst also feeling instantly like home. And, as you'd epxpect, the bathroom is well stocked with Champney's own toiletries for your stay. 

Champney's ethos is all about health, which starts from the inside, so the resturant menus are bursting with high quality, nutritious foods throughout the day - from smoothies to fresh fish and perfectly grilled vegetables. There are several different restaurants and lounges, offering a multitidue of choice whether you'd like a buffet lunch or just a coffee whilst you look out over the lake from the orangery. 

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Champneys Forest Mere | Private Jet Hire | Jet Set Lifestyle.jpg
Champneys Forest Mere | Astute Aviation | Jet Set Lifestyle | Private Jet Charter.jpg

Where Champney's is set in the heart of the South Downs national park, it's beautifully rural. Arrive by road, or if you're coming from further afield in the UK, Champney's have the option to land on site in a helicopter. The closest private jet airport is London Farnborough, and we can arrange a transfer by helicopter (or road) from here directly into the resort. 

For more information, visit www.champneys.com, or call the resort directly on 01428 726000. If you would like us to look into your travel arrangements, click below to get in  touch with one of our experts.

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Which is the best airport for ski flights?

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Which is the best airport for ski flights?

There's still plenty of time to enjoy what's left of the ski season. Private Jet Charter is arguably one of the best ways to make the most of your trip, allowing you maximum time on the slopes and the shortest possible travel time. We took a look at the most popular ski destinations in europe, and the best airports to fly in to.  

Pretty much every ski resort in the Alps has the capability for a helicopter to land, so a transfer from the closest airport straight in to your chosen resort is the quickest way to travel. We can include the price for this in one simple charter quote to get you skiing in as little time as possible! We are also able to arrange road transfers in many cases, though travel times will be considerably longer and variable due to the alpine roads.  

Astute Aviation | Private Jet Charter | Ski Slopes | Private Jet Hire | Alps

Courchevel

In the heart of the three valleys, Courchevel is a hugely popular skiing destination in the Alps. The closest airport able to accept all flights is Chambery, which offers a one hour road transfer to the Courchevel resort, or 20 minutes by helicopter. However, Courchevel airport became able to accept commercially chartered flights in certain aircraft, reducing transfer time even further and giving you even more time out on the slopes. For more information on flying straight in to Courchevel, see: Courchevel now able to accept charter flights, or get in touch with one of our charter experts to organise this for you.

Flying in to Courchevel also brings you far closer to other popular resorts. Meribel is approximately two hours from Chambery by road, or 30 minutes by helicopter - but only a 45 minute drive or 5 minute helicopter flight from Courchevel. 

Val D'Isere

Famous for it's social scene and nightlife for after a day on the slopes, Val D'Isere has a lot to offer. Its high altitude means it generally gets the snow and also keeps it for the longest! The most straightforward way to get there is via Chambery airport then a 40 minute helicopter transfer to the resort; but flying in to Courchevel can also be an option, reducing the helicopter flight time to just 5 minutes. A road transfer takes approximately two hours from either airport. 

Verbier

One of the finest resorts in the Swiss alps boasting amazing scenery and a great nightlife, Verbier is popular for Skiers from all nationalities. Sion airport is right on the doorstep, so a helicopter transfer from here takes just 10 minutes - or approximately 55 minutes by road. 

St Moritz

Arguably one of the most famous and luxurious resorts for skiing in Europe, St Moritz is well known for its unique slopes and amazing nightlife. Samedan Airport is a dedicated private jet airport, and sits just a 10 minute drive from the resort. Both the airport and resort sit at a similar altitude, so an aircraft approach in to Samedan offers unrivalled views over the mountains. 

Chamonix

Chamonix boasts the longest ski run in the world at 24km long, and an extensive 261 other runs to surround one of the most expansive resorts found in the Alps. Private jet passengers fly in to Geneva airport, and can get to Chamonix by helicopter in just 20 minutes. 


For reasons as to why private jet travel to ski destinations is so popular, have a read of our post on why you should charter a private jet to the ski slopes. Get in touch with one of our charter experts today and let us tailor a schedule to make the most out of your trip. After all, life is about adventure so why stay grounded? 

Astute Aviation | Private Jet Charter | Skiing | Private Jet Hire | Jet Sharper

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How much does it cost to hire a Private Jet?

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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. 

Private Jet | Jet Hire | Luxury Travel | Private Jet Charter | Jet Smarter | Citation XLS

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. 


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. 


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

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Private Jet to The Monaco Grand Prix

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Private Jet to The Monaco Grand Prix

The Monaco Grand Prix is the one event throughout the year that everyone has a ring around. Whether looking for a high octane thrill, or simply looking to observe while sipping Rose Champagne from the deck of a yacht.

Private Jet to Monaco

The Monaco Grand Prix attracts people from all over the world, from the rich and famous to the devoted petrolhead, this event serves up for anyone. This is one of the busiest events on the calendar for private jet charter companies like us, people flock from every corner of the globe for this event, many of which choose to charter a private jet. 

There are a number of widely unanswered questions when it comes to chartering a private jet to the Monaco Grand Prix so I thought we would take some time to explain. 

So which airport should you fly into?

 

Nice Côte d'AzuR | DISTANCE FROM MONACO - 11.60 MILES

Cannes-Mandelieu | DISTANCE FROM MONACO - 26.99 MILES

La Môle – Saint-Tropez | DISTANCE FROM MONACO - 59.72 MILES 

 

There are many myths around which is the closest & best airport for getting to Monaco, however in distance Nice is the clear winner here.  Not only is Nice the closest airport to Monaco, it also has the least expensive landing fee so it takes a clean sweep for points here.  Many people have suggested that La Môle is the best airport for Monaco, but as we can see it's actually the furthest away taking around an hour by road to reach Monaco. 

 

So how much does it cost to charter a private jet to Nice?  We  get asked this question very regularly so we decided to give you an idea based on a full weekend return.

 

LONDON - Nice | CITATION CJ1 | 5 PASSENGERS | £8600

This option is perfect for couples or small groups. This aircraft is ideal for any flight within Europe and very cost effective which makes the Citation CJ1 one the worlds most popular private jets. Flight time in this aircraft is around 1 hour 55 minutes.

 

LONDON - Nice | Citation cj2  | 8 PASSENGERS | £14,300

This option is perfect for medium sized groups. This aircraft is fast and offers great seating capacity for a Light Jet. Flight time in this aircraft is around 1 hour 50 minutes.

 

LONDON - Nice | Gulfstream G-IV | 13 PASSENGERS | £17,200

This option is perfect for large groups and VVIP's looking for extra room and luxury. The Gulfstream G4 is one of the most widely used private jets in the world, offering a stand up cabin and great range this aircraft is perfect for almost any flight.  Flight time in this aircraft is around 1 hour 32 minutes.

 

Monaco grand prix private jet

So we have figured that flying into Nice airport is the best option, but how do you get from the airport to the race? Well there are a number of different options, you can of course drive, but during the Grand Prix, the roads are super busy and parking is really, really tough. We recommend that you fly by helicopter directly into Monaco from Nice Airport. This is super fast easy and allows you to take in the beautiful French Riviera from the air.   This option is so popular we generally offer these as a package.  You can either charter an entire aircraft or hop on one of the shuttle flights, for which the price varies.

Helicopter Charter Monaco

So to conclude, if you're looking to charter a private jet to the Monaco Grand Prix you should fly into Nice airport and take a helicopter transfer from Nice directly to Monaco. For more specific information or to request a bespoke quotation, please get in touch. 

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COURCHEVEL NOW ABLE TO ACCEPT CHARTER FLIGHTS

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COURCHEVEL NOW ABLE TO ACCEPT CHARTER FLIGHTS

You heard right, courchevel is now accepting fixed wing chartered flights  

Until last June, the only way in and out of courchevel airport has been by helicopter, now the game has changed. Courchevel airport is nestled high in the alps meaning approaches are steep and runways are short, making it near impossible for fixed wing aircraft to fly in.

As you will most likely know, commercial aircraft will fly into larger 'hub' airports due to aircraft performance and commercial constraints. These airports such as Geneva, Chambery & Grenoble are located fairly close to most ski resorts, but you are still looking at a lengthy road journey from these airports to any of the alpine ski resorts. Most of our clients decide to fly into either St-Moritz of Geneva as these offer the best onwards connections either by helicopter or executive road transfer. 

Transfer by helicopter has long been the preferred option when heading for any of the main ski resorts, purely due to the time you gain actually in resort. By road Courchevel is around 2.5 hours from Geneva and similar from nearby airports. By helicopter you are looking at anything from 20-60 minutes from any of the main hubs, this time saving on a return trip and means that you're gaining almost an entire day on the slopes, well things have just taken another step in the right direction. 

The Alpine Operator 'Alpine Airlines' is now offering direct, fixed wing charter flights for up to 5 passengers on its fleet of Vulcanair P68. This is a huge step forward in charter for ski! 

So how long will it take to fly from your chosen Hub, to Courchevel? 

  • GENEVA - 20 minutes

  • ST MORITZ - 50 MINUTES 

  • CHAMBERY - 15 MINUTES 

  • GRENOBLE - 20 MINUTES 

however you're not tied to leaving from any of these hubs, this will still be a fully chartered flight so you have the freedom to decide when and where you would like to depart, the only constraint is the aircraft's range! That said this aircraft will fly you from Paris to Courchevel non-stop in roughly 1 hour 30 minutes. 

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The big question here is in regards to safety, is this pushing it too far? 

Well in actual fact, the pilots that crew these flights are exceptional mountain aviators. They have thousands of successful landings in their log books for this airport, and with a strict training and currency stipulation from the French Civil Aviation Authority this is safe, time efficient and beautiful way to fly directly into the alps.  

 

For more information please feel free to contact one of our charter team, we are more than happy to help with any questions or queries.  

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How much does it cost to charter a Private Jet?

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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

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