Home to more than 5.5 million people, Scotland is a uniquely proud nation with a long standing aviation tradition. Air Charter Scotland began operations in Glasgow 20 years ago with a Cessna fleet, manufactured by Textron, an American aviation aircraft manufacturing corporation. Alongside Textron, we have been able to thrive, and have overcome challenges allowing us to go from strength to strength. 

Air Charter Scotland started with a small fleet of Cessna piston-twins, and later leased a privately owned CitationJet 1. Under new ownership in 2006, we continued to grow, and over two decades later, we have flown 20 Cessnas, a record that Textron Aviation believes is unique. 

Our commercial Director/Grounds Operations Manager, Derek Thomson, has experience with several business aircraft types and says one of the reasons for Cessna’s success in the Air Charter Scotland fleet has been Textron Aviation’s continuous improvement in customer support, including its willingness to recognise our charter operator’s challenges and work together as a team. 

Speaking on the citations Derek said ‘I believe Citation dispatch reliability is an important factor, and the aircraft are very efficient, and then there’s the cost of acquisition, we encourage people to buy something more modest as they explore private jet ownership and the Citation is the perfect option for that’.

Both Brexit and Covid have had a significant impact on the aviation industry, with Thomson saying that ‘The ravages of Covid hid the worst machinations of Brexit, it’s created around three times more work to plan a trip’. However, our flights operations team continues to excel, ‘we saw borders changing by the hour and there was always concern we’d have a crew stranded, but we made certain everything was 100% perfect and managed to come through it’.

Our formative relationship with Textron Aviation is a testament to our ethos, and has allowed us to deliver unique capabilities as efficiently and safely as possible over the last 20 years. If you would like to create your bespoke private jet charter trip, get in touch with our team. You can call us today for a personalised consultation with one of our private aviation experts at +44 (0) 203 598 5392 or email us on info@aircharterscotland.com. 

Flying by private jet is so much more than simply a means of getting from A to B. Whether you’re travelling for business, active adventures, or some much-needed time away, Air Charter Scotland prides itself on creating unique and memorable flying experiences for our discerning clients – the experience of arriving well is a key part of that journey. 

As a leading private jet operator, we have extensive knowledge of the world’s airports, with our pilots undergoing the required additional training to land at many exclusive destinations. Our team of private aviation advisors are always on hand to advise clients when it comes to selecting the most suitable airport to match their requirements. With worldwide travel now cautiously resuming, we welcome the recent government announcement with further exciting destinations added to the Green List.

Reaching these exclusive destinations by private jet charter has many advantages. Not only will your flight be faster, easier and more comfortable, you’ll have the added benefit of selecting the most convenient airport for your departure and arrival.

We challenged our team to pick their top 5 most window seat-worthy runways and airport approaches from across the world.

Our top 5 most memorable runways

1. Gibraltar International Airport, UK

On Spain’s Southern coast lies the British Overseas Territory, Gibraltar, famed for its 426m high rock, and its unusual airport! Winston Churchill Avenue is the main arterial road that heads towards the Spanish border and cuts directly through the airport. Via a tunnel? We hear you ask, no, directly through the airport, meaning that the road needs to be shut down each time an aircraft arrives or departs.

2. Barra Airport, Scotland

We’ve all been making the most of staycations while international travel has been on hold, exploring the best of what the UK has to offer. Located off the Western tip of Scotland is Barra, an idyllic island in the Outer Hebrides with a most unique runway. It’s only five feet above sea level on a beach. In fact, Barra airport is the only transport hub in the world where scheduled flights use a tidal beach to take off and land and pilots often have to navigate severe weather conditions.

3. Nice Airport, France

If you’re taking a trip to the Côte d’Azur on France’s South-east coast, you’re most likely to arrive via Nice airport. The five-star hot spots Monaco, Cannes and St. Tropez are all minutes away from the one of the world’s most fashionable runways
and the descent into the French Riviera is unlike any other. The mountainous coastline rolls into the Mediterranean Sea and the runway appears to rise purposefully out of the sky-blue waters. So, whether you’re heading to the destination du jour for the year-round sunshine or business, you won’t forget your arrival in a hurry.

4. Courchevel Airport, France

The opening of the 1995 James Bond classic Goldeneye features Pierce Brosnan as 007 taking a nose-dive, on a motorbike off the side of a mountain, which also happens to be at the end of a runway, after an unmanned, taxiing aircraft! Arguably
one of the most unforgettable pre-credit scenes in any Bond film, ever, and so is the runway where it was filmed – Courchevel International Airport, situated almost 2,000 metres above sea level in the French Alps. What’s more – the runway is one of the steepest in the world, with a gradient of 18.6%!

 5. Princess Juliana International Airport, St. Maarten

The Caribbean is synonymous with exclusive, luxury resorts and idyllic beaches.The airport on the Dutch side of the Dutch-French Island of St. Maarten has a relatively short runway to navigate, pilots fly extremely low over the beach as they descend onto runway 10. This makes for a memorable experience before you’ve even touched down.

No matter your destination, or chosen arrival airport, Air Charter Scotland provides an exceptional private jet experience that offers a tailored service to every client. With a fleet of luxury light to heavy jets. We have the experience and expertise
to make your journey unique and personal.

Contact our expert charter team here.

Air Charter Scotland are delighted to announce that we have introduced a second Cessna Citation 525 M2, from our newest London Biggin Hill Airport base, coinciding with the first lifting of travel restrictions from 17th May.  Comfortably configured for six passengers, G-CMTO has a max range of 1,548 nm, suitable for Portugal, where scheduled air fares are now trebling owing to to a surge in demand.

Aviation set to recover from the global pandemic before other industries

Testament to the widely held view that business aviation will be the first sector to recover from the harsh impact of the pandemic, Air Charter Scotland has added five business jets to our charter fleet since August 2020 – all managed for private owners. Air Charter Scotland’s COO Derek Thomson commented that “we’re especially pleased to be introducing this second charter aircraft from Biggin Hill for Jet Agent, and anticipate considerable demand.”

“Business aviation provides a safe and secure cabin environment, at a cost that truly isn’t far off fully flexible, business class fares to Europe, if measured on a per passenger basis.  Scheduled services are slowly being restored, but not at the same frequencies as before, rendering commercial air travel far less convenient for business travel, which often requires visiting two cities in a day,” said Derek.  

“Business charter in Europe connects 1,400 city pairs (500 more connections than the scheduled airlines provide), with all flights departing from quiet, private terminals too.”

Just like sister aircraft G-KSOH, added to Air Charter Scotland’s AOC in March, Biggin based aircraft management company Jet Agent ( www.jet-agent.com ) is marketing the popular light jet. 

Anatoly Parkhomchuk, Managing Director of Jet Agent commented:

“Following outstanding operational and commercial performance of G-KSOH provided by the team at Air Charter Scotland, we have every confidence that G-CMTO is in the best hands.  We look forward to further expanding our fleet with Air Charter Scotland.”

“Business aviation provides a safe and secure cabin environment, at a cost that truly isn’t far off fully flexible, business class fares to Europe, if measured on a per passenger basis.  Scheduled services are slowly being restored, but not at the same frequencies as before, rendering commercial air travel far less convenient for business travel, which often requires visiting two cities in a day,” said Derek.   Business charter in Europe connects 1,400 city pairs (500 more connections than the scheduled airlines provide), with all flights departing from quiet, private terminals too. 

Contact our expert charter team here.

After almost a year of staying home, travel is now permitted between England, Scotland and Wales. Even more encouraging is the indication that international travel from the UK may be possible to select destinations from as early as mid-May. So why not return to the skies in style by booking an empty leg flight with Air Charter Scotland?

What is an empty leg flight? 

A private jet empty leg is the term given to flights that are scheduled without any passengers. These operate when an aircraft needs to reposition for its next booked charter flight or to return to its home base.  Private jet charter is a bespoke travel solution and often the aircraft operator will not have a booking for the one-way charter matching its repositioning route and time. As such, the operator can offer the empty part of the flight at a discounted rate. 

What are the benefits of booking an empty leg flight?

Private jet empty leg flights cost significantly less than the full charter price. The price of an empty leg will vary according to the type of aircraft, number of passengers on board and the distance and time of travel. Travellers can usually save around 50% on regular charter rates by booking an empty leg flight, in some cases this can be as high as a 75% discount. 

The cost-saving does not detract from the experience of private jet travel. Private jet empty leg flights still offer:

• Luxury. From spacious and comfy seats to the highest standards in customer care, with private jet empty leg flights the journey will feel as important as the destination. 
• Efficiency. Whether it’s saving time when boarding or quicker travel times, private air travel will get you where you need to be faster. 
• Safety. As past winner of BACA’s Passenger Charter Operator of the Year, it is no surprise that at Air Charter Scotland our flight safety record is second to none. Our passengers can rest assured that they are in the safest of hands. 

How to book a private jet empty leg with Air Charter Scotland?

Private jet empty legs are ideal for travellers looking for a one-way flight. They can be subject to change, but if your plans are flexible then empty leg flights can be a great way of experiencing private jet flight for a fraction of the price. Air Charter Scotland can offer private jet empty leg flights to a range of destinations both within the UK and abroad. Visit Empty Legs – Air Charter Scotland to book your luxury travel experience or sign up to our mailing list to receive our empty leg notifications.