April is National Stress Awareness Month, an annual campaign that has been running since 1992 to bring awareness to and combat this physical, mental or emotional ailment that plagues so many lives. According to the American Institute of Stress, “33 percent of Americans live with extreme stress [and] 73 percent of people have stress that impacts their mental health.”
Many things cause stress. Add on the weight of running a company, managing employees, or communicating with prominent investors, it’s easy to see how anxiety can run high. As a private jet company, we work with many high-ranking executives who come to us with all the business pressures in addition to stress tied to managing travel, specifically flying. We also know that many of the stressors linked to air travel can be eased or even prevented.
Whether you classify your stress as Aviophobia (fear of flying) or you land somewhere in the middle on the “stress of flying scale” like 40 percent of the population (Washington Post), private air travel could be the solution that you need to overcome worries and lower your blood pressure so that you have the energy and capacity to handle business that really matters.
Here is how chartering a private aircraft can ease your stress:
Table of Contents
1. Save Time
Rushing through long check-in queues and security lines in order to make it to your next business meeting is a hassle. Even the TSA-PreCheck lane on a high volume travel day becomes backed up — and there is always an unaware flyer who still insists on taking their shoes off.
When flying private, showing up hours before your flight becomes a thing of the past. Take your time and arrive at the terminal only minutes before your flight in most instances, which means you’ll always be on time for your most important appointments.
2. Ditch The Crowds
Pre-2020, crowded airports ranked high on the stress-o-meter. Add an international health pandemic to the mix and you have a simple recipe for off-the-charts anxiety.
Charting a private jet allows flyers to skip the throng of people regularly ignoring your 6-foot personal bubble or sitting next to the person pretending like they don’t have the sniffles.
Know who you are flying in advance and easily book shuttles for groups of employees to important events, conferences, or meetings on one flight. When flying private you also have the freedom to choose the optimal size aircraft for your group so that everyone has the space they need to fly comfortably.
3. Create More Control
Flying commercially is attached to a long list of regimented rules. While these rules we all know too well, such as luggage weight limits or limiting the size of carry-on liquids, have long been the standard and many exist for safety reasons, they add to the inconvenience and stress of flying. Posing inside a body-scan machine like a criminal with your hands above your head is also pretty awkward and embarrassing.
Typically, there are no luggage weight or size restrictions when flying private, as a charter company like PJS will help you choose the right size aircraft for your needs. Security checks are still performed but in a more intimate setting. So go ahead — pack those 5 pairs of shoes for your company incentive trip to Cabo.
4. A Relaxing Environment
Flying private gives you the ability to choose your inflight experience. From a customized menu to in-flight entertainment, you’ll feel more like you’re in the comfort of your own home than flying 30,000 feet in the air. With a quiet environment and personalized service, simply sit back, relax and let your cares float away. Business travelers may find more time to be productive, but we recommend putting your feet up for a while.
5. Flexibility
Commercial flight schedules are limited to specific days, times, and locations. In many cases, you end up arriving much earlier or later than desired due to a lack of options and flexibility.
Chartering a private flight lets you create an itinerary that fits your schedule, not the other way around. PJS, for example, even has jets available at a moment’s notice and odd hours for that last-minute business meeting or you can avoid flying in the day prior to your meeting, wasting precious time outside of the office.
Our flight operations team is always available 24/7 to help navigate tight schedules and even create a backup plan so that you’re on time every time.
