About three months ago, a Gulfstream G650, a leading luxury business jet, flew into New Delhi from the US. The aircraft, which was chartered for a one-way trip, would have normally returned empty legged to its home airport. But this is the Information Age. Many high net worth individuals in the country were notified of the empty leg charter space in the aircraft thanks to JetSetGo, a New-Delhi based startup that aggregates private jets, much like Uber does with cabs. Soon enough, a member of one of India’s top business families chartered the aircraft to Nice, in France, for about £58,000 (around Rs 58 lakh).
Likewise, around the same time, JetSetGo got 19 inquiries for an Airbus Corporate Jet that was to return to Europe without passengers after being booked for a one-way trip to New Delhi. Eventually, a US-based industrialist chartered the jet for 95,000 euros (approximately Rs 70 lakh).
For the affluent, there is nothing that money can’t buy. “We have organised around four to five birthday parties, for eight- to 16-year-olds, on a private jet in the last seven months,” says Kanika Tekriwal, 27, CEO and co-founder of JetSetGo. The cost of chartering a private jet for a birthday party starts at around Rs 60,000 an hour and can even touch Rs 2.5 lakh per hour, depending on the aircraft. “We have also organised bachelor parties and pre-wedding photo shoots among other experiences on a private jet,” adds Tekriwal, whose company received funding (amount undisclosed) from cricketer Yuvraj Singh earlier this year.
Another notable experience that Tekriwal’s JetSetGo organised recently was a tailor-made, seven course meal for a couple who wanted to go on a date in a private jet. The menu included ostrich eggs, crabmeat risotto, parma ham and pate among other delicacies. The culinary air experience cost around Rs 5.5 lakh, which is roughly the cost of a mid-sized sedan.
This story is from the November 13, 2015 edition of Forbes India.
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This story is from the November 13, 2015 edition of Forbes India.
Start your 7-day Magzter GOLD free trial to access thousands of curated premium stories, and 9,000+ magazines and newspapers.
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