Private Jet Charter Blog | Luxury Travel Blog

The SPE Offshore Europe Conference 2015, Aberdeen

In a little over a month, one of the larger events in the Oil & Gas calendars takes place – the SPE Offshore Europe Conference, or OE 2015 as it is being called on social media.

Held biennially, the 2015 event is being hosted at the AECC in Aberdeen, and will feature over 1500 exhibitors and tens of thousands of visitors from across the industry, with the primary focus being on the upstream sector.

The event attracts technical experts and industry leaders from across the globe, and given the two day nature of the event, many choose to charter a private jet in order to capitalise on their increased flexibility and efficiency.

We have already had a high number of enquiries for private jet charters to Aberdeen from countries far and wide, including the Middle East, the US, and Brazil, as well as a large number from those intimately associated with the industry closer to home, such as Russia and Norway.

Villiers Jets are capable of handling any private jet charter requirements you may have to this years SPE Offshore Europe Conference, whether it be for an individual or for larger corporate requirements. For all details please contact us.

Singapore – The Jewel in the Crown of Asian Private Jet Charter

As we have said before on these pages, when considering the private jet charter industry in Asia, it is difficult to ignore the growing stature of Singapore as a cornerstone of the business in this increasingly lucrative market.

Perfectly positioned for access to the mainland China, and conveniently located to take advantage of high business jet demand in the thriving economies of Malaysia and Indonesia, Singapore is equally well placed to service growing regional demand for medium haul private jet charters to the Middle East and Australia.

The evidence that the city state is fast becoming a strategic focal point for regional private jet charter is reflected in the statistics, which indicate that year on year Villiers Jets have witnessed a threefold increase in the number of charter enquiries handled out of Singapore. Busier routes include charters to Jakarta, Seoul, and Manila, as well as a steady and consistent level of enquiries between Singapore and Europe.

With the growing level of traffic we are witnessing in Asia, Villiers Jets are increasingly well placed to service any business jet or private charter enquiries with a strong presence in Singapore, the Middle East and Australia. For private jet charter to our from Singapore, request pricing today.

Private Jet Charter Guide to Ibiza

Everybody has heard of Ibiza. The world famous White Isle, arguably the jewel of the Balearics, is synonymous with the hedonistic party lifestyle that draws in six million odd tourists like a magnet every year, largely during the height of the season between June and October.

As the years have gone by and the number of visitors has increased, drawn by the legendary nightclubs, incredible restaurants, and not least by the island’s outstanding natural beauty, the island has managed to maintain its charismatic allure and unique energy. Ibiza’s reputation as THE place to be in the summer has blossomed, maintaining it’s position in the pantheon of holiday destinations for those who come for the furious clubbing scene, whilst broadening its appeal to the international wealthy, who now consider a stop at the island on their super yacht as obligatory as a pit stop in Santorini, Sardinia, and St. Tropez.

Ibiza – Background

The island is home to a population of approximately 133,000 people, many of whom are split between the islands two biggest towns – Ibiza Town, on the south of the island, and San Antonio, on the north west of the island. The height of the season, when most tend to visit, is between June and October, with July and August being the hottest months, when average temperatures hit about 30°C.

Ibiza International Airport is located 7km’s southwest of Ibiza town and also serves as the principal airport for Formentera, a smaller island south of Ibiza also popular with visitors.

Getting There

Ibiza gets extremely busy in the summer, with direct flights often subject to delays, crowded airports, and anti social departure and arrival times. We regularly see a surge of demand for private jet charter to Ibiza over the height of the season, not only from the UK and other European hot spots such as Geneva, Cannes, Nice and Palma, but as far afield as the US, Middle East and Moscow.

Fortunately Ibiza is well equipped to deal with this increase in traffic, with two dedicated private jet terminals that are open 24 hours at Ibiza International Airport, meaning that those coming in on private flights can travel at reasonable hours and avoid the worst of the congestion and hassle of transiting through the commercial air terminal.

The Beaches

We’ve done the hard work and put together the details of three beaches which are always popular:

Cala Jondal Beach – a beautiful pebble beach surrounded by craggy rocks and pine trees, which runs gently into the sparkling turquoise water on the south of the island. It is incredibly popular with boat owners, who moor up in the bay before heading to one of the fantastic restaurants or bars on the beach for lunch. Chief among these is the Blue Marlin, one of Ibiza’s most famous beach clubs.

Las Salinas Beach – This is the southern most beach of the island, a mile long crescent of sand along which some of the most exclusive bars on the island are found. This is a very trendy beach, populated by the rich, beautiful and famous, with crystal clear water and a glamourous yet relaxed atmosphere.

Cala Salada Beach – A small cove with incredible aquamarine water, protected by pine trees and rocky bluffs, which make this beach most accessible by private boat. Of course, this means that very few, if any, tourist boats reach Cala Salada, in turn making it popular with locals (who swear by the incredible restaurant located at the beach) and the discreet and wealthy, who value being able to moor their boat and have a swim in peace and quiet.

The Nightclubs

Ibiza is most famous for its super clubs which, during the high season, attract some of the top DJ’s from around the world. Each of the clubs have different events, themes and DJ’s on the differing weeknights, so it is important to be aware of their calendars. Those that regularly attract the biggest names and throw the most spectacular parties include:

Amnesia – Located between Ibiza town and San Antonio, Amnesia offers the classical Ibiza experience – heaving dance floors, incredible sound systems, cavernous rooms, and an eclectic mixture of music. The upper floors of this club are all VIP, with incredible views of the DJ booth and the scenes below.

Space – Between Ibiza airport and Ibiza Town, this nightclub has a long and distinguished history when it comes to clubbing in Ibiza. Famous for offering daytime clubbing through many of its years, this club has five different areas as well as a dedicated VIP area that is second to none.

DC-10 – This incredible nightclub was set up in a disused old aircraft hangar at the end of the Ibiza airport runway, and rapidly became one of the island’s favourite nightclubs, doing very little by way of marketing and being very much under the radar – a fact that makes it one of the most popular and famous clubs on the island today and a mecca for those in the know.

Pacha – One of the oldest on the island, created out of a little finca in 1973, this nightclub has not only dominated the scene in Ibiza for years but has gone on to become a global brand in itself. It is still at the forefront of this global franchise and is still the playground of the rich and famous, well known for its VIP service and big name DJ’s.

Bars & Restaurants

Blue Marlin – The height of VIP Ibiza style, the Blue Marlin is where everybody wants to get a table during daylight and evening hours. Nestled on Cala Jondal beach, the restaurant serves incredible Mediterranean food, and once night has fallen stays open to 4am, meaning once you have settled in to its gilded luxury, there will be no need for you to move anywhere else – except, perhaps, back to your yacht.

Sa Trinxa – If you’re looking for great music in a beach side Ibiza bar institution, then look no further. Sa Trinxa, at the far end of Las Salinas beach, has incredible views, a relaxed but fun atmosphere, great music, and delicious fresh food. It is a popular afternoon spot for those warming up after the night before, and attracts a fun international crowd.

Cotton Beach Club – Located at the western end of the island, this spectacular white washed restaurant is the perfect place to enjoy a long lunch before watching the quintessential Ibiza sunset as it slips lazily beneath the horizon. The food is delicious, with a wide variety on the menu provided by a world class team in the kitchen.

Cafe del Mar – Still one of Ibiza’s top tourist spots, Cafe del Mar has remained true to its principle aim – providing the perfect environment in which to sit and drink incredible cocktails to great music whilst watching jaw dropping sunsets. The bar is located in San Antonio, and also serves excellent food ensuring that you have to find a good reason to up sticks and head elsewhere.

Pura Vida – To the east of the island lies the safe, quiet, and breathtaking Playa Niu Blau, on which sits this exquisite restaurant serving sumptuous fresh food from a fusion menu. Once you’ve had a chance to finish up at this restaurant, one of the best on the island, it is only a short hop down the road to…

Nikki Beach Club – This institution probably needs no introduction, suffice to say that since opening in 2013 at Santa Eulalia, it does everything NIkki Beach tends to do, and does it well. Leaving aside its stunning location and exceptional views, it also has a beach club, pool, exceptional restaurant, and summer chic in abundance.

For all private jet charter requirements to Ibiza this summer, please contact us at Villiers Jets for a quote.

Villiers Jets Summer Statistics, June 2015

Mid-July, and we’re now well into the summer, consistently one of the busiest periods for private jet charter in the course of the year. Those of us in Europe and the US are busy enjoying, or looking forward to enjoying, a well earned summer vacation; whilst conversely many in the southern hemisphere will be looking for a mid winter escape to the sunshine.

Looking back to June this year, this was reflected in the statistics, which suggest that flights in Europe are up year on year. This has largely been driven by activity in Western Europe, whilst activity in the Mediterranean, particularly Spain, has declined. The same can be said of the Russian market, which has also continued to struggle in the context of

The main destination for private jet charters departing Europe was another European destination. This was followed by Russia and Eastern Europe (although numbers are down on previous years), the US, and then the Middle East. Though private jet charters to the far east were few by comparison, the number of flights to Asia in June represented the best year or year percentage increase of all regions.

The busiest city paring for the month was from Geneva (IATA: GVA, ICAO: LSGG) to Paris Le Bourget (IATA: LBG, ICAO: LFPB). This was followed by flights from Moscow Vnukovo International (IATA: VKO, ICAO: UUWW) to Nice Cote d’Azur (IATA: NCE, ICAO: LFMN).

Houston by Private Jet

One of the most dynamic cities in the southern United States, Houston in the fourth biggest city by population in the US after New York, Los Angeles and Chicago. The city itself is a melting pot of diversity, powered by an almost tangible sense of energy, charisma and confidence that sets it apart from almost any other city in the State. And to be honest it is well deserved.

Houston is a major city in global terms, with enormous interests in business, commerce, trade and culture. It also boasts a significant presence in education, science, and technology. This strong underlying infrastructure, and its important geographical location (Houston is located on the Gulf of Mexico), have lead to the city being recognised globally for its importance to the oil and gas industry in particular. Over 5,000 energy firms have a base in the area, supported by countless other companies that provide support to the industry such as hardware manufacturers. The Offshore Technology Conference (OTC) is held annually in Houston, which is the largest oil and gas trade show in the world.

As with any city of such stature, but in particular given its importance in the oil and gas sphere, Houston is a very busy place as far as business jet charters are concerned. There are three principal airports that serve Houston and to which we regularly see charter enquiries. These are:

George Bush Intercontinental Airport (IATA: IAH, ICAO: KIAH)

Bush Intercontinental is situated 37km’s north of downtown Houston, and is one of the busiest airports in the continental US. The airport is capable of handling all different class types and sizes of aircraft, with two FBO’s on site to look after all private charter flights and VIP requirements.

William P Hobby Airport (IATA: HOU, ICAO: KHOU)

William P Hobby Airport is Houstons oldest airport, and served as its primary international gateway until it was superceded by George Bush Intercontinental in 1969. Located 11km to the south east of the city centre, Willaim P Hobby is the preferred entry point for international and domestic private jet charters. The airport is open 24 hours a day and is capable of handling all sizes of air traffic.

Given it’s popularity with private and executive jet charters, there are five FBO’s on site at William P Hobby, meaning it is one of the most well serviced airports for those arriving by private jet. A new international terminal is currently under construction, which is due for completion later this year.

Ellington Airport (IATA: EFD, ICAO: KEFD)

Ellington Airport is unusual by comparison to George Bush Intercontinental and William P Bobby in that it is used for both military and public flights. 28km’s to the south of the city centre, the airport is approximately a 25 minute drive from downtown Houston. The airport is served by one FBO and is capable of handling all categories of private jet aircraft.