It sounds far-fetched: a private flying experience for a cost comparable with an Economy Class ticket on a standard commercial airline. But as Peter Summers found out, JetSuiteX is making this a reality.
Picture this: you want to take a quick trip to Las Vegas from Los Angeles. You’re sick of the hassle at the airport and the customer service of the major airlines, so you skip LAX and drive to Hangar 2 at Burbank Airport. Your car is valet parked and you make your way into the hangar a mere 30 minutes before departure. Once inside, you are greeted by an amazing sight: a gleaming white Embraer ERJ 135 sitting proudly in the centre of the building. ‘JetSuite’ is painted in red and grey on its two Rolls-Royce AE 3007A1 engines and there’s a large red and grey X on the tail.
Your bags are handed over to the welcoming customer service employees who point you in the direction of the waiting room. But your attention is drawn to the open hangar door which reveals two more ERJ 135s waiting on the ramp outside, basking in the Californian mid-day sun. The planes have been refurnished with just 30 leather seats, each with a 36in (91cm) pitch, a power outlet, Wi-Fi and an entertainment system, and the overhead bi…
