Private Jets And Superyachts Scrambled After Europe’s Newest Quarantines

Brits in Croatia were given bad news on Thursday (20 August): They had until Saturday morning to get back home or spend two week in quarantine on their return. But to private jet companies this meant big business.

“As the travel restrictions have come into place we have had many U.K. based clients fleeing back home in order to avoid any 14 day isolation on return to the U.K,” says Charles Robinson, founder of JustJet, a private jet brokerage.

A premier league footballer had given Robinson strict instructions before he went on holiday to the South of France: Get me out of here if quarantine restrictions come in.

“He was set to return to the U.K. on the 17th of August,” says Robinson. “Of course the isolation came in on the 15th so we had to get him out almost immediately. We had an aircraft on the ground in Nice within two hours.”

This type of booking is now common among the jet set. Before setting off the wealthy are now requesting an aircraft be scrambled if there is any risk of quarantine restrictions being imposed on the country they are in.

“For many of our clients, self-isolating really is not an option,” Robinson explains. In the case of the footballer, the premier league is due to start again on 12th September making a two week quarantine unthinkable.

Even non-private jet regulars are paying for charter flights to get home. Lawyers might have court hearings or surgeons appointments that they cannot reschedule if they are forced to quarantine.

First France, Now Croatia And Austria

After the U.K. imposed a mandatory quarantine on all arrivals from France last week, WingX which collects aviation data, said there was a “pre-deadline rush” for private jets to get clients home before the quarantine rules came into effect.

Now Air Charter Service, a private jet charter firm, is busy ferrying people back from Croatia and Austria and has opened a 24 hour helpline on the back of a surge in demand.

An eight-seater superlight jet from Dubrovnik to the U.K. can cost between £25,000 ($33,250) and £29,000 ($38,570). But for many this is a price worth paying: Private jet travel in Europe is now 2% above the same period last year according to WingX.

Where Are The Jet Set Holidaying Now?

With their favourite spots (Balearics, South of France, Croatia, Monaco) now hampered with quarantining rules, where are the rich now booking their holidays?

Greece is a current hot spot according to private jet companies. Air Charter Service says it has been busy rearranging holidays to Greece from elsewhere in light of the new rules. U.K. outbound flights to Greece are up by 80% so far this month says WingX.

Alongside the arrival of private jets superyachts are coming in their hoards. The number of superyachts in Greece is at a three year high according to Bloomberg. Turkey is currently hosting its largest volume of superyachts since 2017. The Maltese Falcon, one of the world’s largest sailing yachts, has spent most of the summer cruising Turkey’s south coast.

Other yachts have made their way from favoured cruising grounds in France and Monaco to Italy, where there are currently few restrictions for travellers.

Dilbar, the world’s largest private yacht by gross tonnage, recently set off from Monaco to the Italian island of Sardinia. However with the number of coronavirus cases in Italy now at their highest level since May, it might not hang around for too long. Private jets are already circling nearby Olbia.