A bespoke, individually ticketed business jet service between Stansted and New York’s LaGuardia airport is set for take off this spring.
Bliss Jet will offer one-way rates of $11,995, claimed to be comparable with regular airlines’ first class fares on the key transatlantic route.
Discounted fares for passengers booking in advance or purchasing multiple seats will also be available.
The goal is to provide the closest offering to the “halcyon days” of Concorde – in terms of style and speed.
Bliss Jet will offer a maximum of 10 seats on long-range Gulfstream G450 and G550 business jets between the two cities.
The aircraft will be flown by established US charter operators, including White Cloud Charter and Jet Access Aviation, between LaGuardia airport and a VIP terminal at Stansted.
Regular services are being timed to get passengers into their city hotel rooms, or back home by midnight local time.
Bliss Jet flights will depart LaGuardia at 11am local time on Sundays to reach Stansted at 10.30pm, while on Thursdays, flights will depart from London at 8.15pm to arrive in New York at 11.15pm local time.
With 800,000 first and business class seats offered by airlines between London and New York each year, the route is described as one of the most robust in the world.
Bliss Jet will run the only intercontinental flights from the more centrally convenient LaGuardia instead of JFK and Newark International Airports.
Door-to-door journey times will be reduced by as much as four hours each way compared with scheduled airlines helped by a 30-minute check-in, the company claims.
President and CEO David Rimmer said: “The difference between Bliss Jet and the former failed all-business class models EOS, MaxJet and SilverJet is that they were all fundamentally traditional airline models – trying to mirror the private jet experience.
“Bliss Jet, however, is based entirely on a’ la carte, and for the first time travellers can purchase a seat – one way or return – without the full charter cost of $100,000-plus for a business jet experience.
“We are excited to bring individuality to a mass-market product and offer frequent flyers on one of the world’s busiest routes something very different and delivering the most precious commodity – time.”
He suggested that Bliss Jet will appeal to hedge fund companies, the investment banking fraternity, senior executives, plus those from the music, film and sport industries.
In-flight service includes free Wi-Fi access, pre-ordered meals and entertainment options.
Chauffeur services for onward travel will be available for an extra fee plus soon -to-be appointed concierge service partners.
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