The golden age of flying returns
 

UK's Astralis Club eyes international VIP B747 flights - ch-aviation.com

The Astralis Club (London Heathrow) is a new UK-based virtual carrier looking to offer premium international services using VIP-configured B747-400s.

Managing Director, Tony Easton, says the aircraft will be converted and outfitted to feel more like a private club than an airliner with several lounges, a piano bar, a bistro restaurant and other amenities.

“Air travel lost its glamour during the 1960s," he said in a statement. "Today, the endless queues, delays and fight for space render air travel little more than a tolerated necessity – and the death of Concorde added a huge prestige gap. The British Astralis Club changes this by returning international air travel to its ‘golden era’ of the 1930s, '40s and '50s – a time when the journey, as well as the destination, were a pleasure to be savoured in the company of a small and exclusive group of like-minded travelers."

Initial services will cover London to Dubai and London to New York. No timescales have yet been disclosed.

Astralis Club operates alongside The Flight Company International Ltd which provides aircraft acquisition and sales (airline and corporate) services, international aviation consultancy, and the provision of bespoke aviation solutions.

;)

Unfortunately history is littered with these premium airlines. BA LCY Club World survives because it's part of IAG, same goes for OpenSkies. La Campagnie got off to a bad start and still struggles to fill a 757 in all biz and the jury is out on its longevity. I believe Qatar stopped their premium only A320 LHR service.

MaxJet, EOS and Silverjet couldn't fill 757 and 767s. People want to fly as cheap as they can and nothing more. If they want the pomp and ceremony they can upgrade to biz on one of many other flights operated on these routes every day. NYLON is all about frequency. One a day to DXB is unlikely to pull in good yields.

Still. People don't seem to have issues getting investment for doomed to fail airlines.

This hare-brained scheme has a cat in hell's chance of success. There is a market for a low-cost premim product but that is now being catered for by Norwegian, and I suspect in the future, will be by Jet Blue. A shame that those at the helm just don't get it and the investors will see their cash go up in smoke.

I'd imagine people who book first or business class not only want the luxuries but also the convenience of frequency. Hard to do with a couple of aircraft. Unless they get a fair few, operating just one initially would be a disaster. One tech issue that causes an overnight and your passengers paying thousands will go elsewhere in future.

I think the only way one of these 'all the frills' services could work long term would be if they could reduce the flight time. As previously stated, it's just as easy to get a business or first service on a regular carrier so you need something particularly unique to make it work. In other words another Concorde. Concorde worked for people who's time was literally cost money. Although, it would still be significantly challenging to make a supersonic operation break even to say the least.

Precisely the same two routes as operated by Silverjet : 2007 until 2008 and R.I.P.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Silverjet

Astralis' proposal seems to be a variation on the previously mentioned themes, being envisaged as a "VIP First Class Plus" service. However, in this case the overheads would be horrendous and consistently high load factors would be essential. Also, as pointed out, a couple of tech delays would be terminal - no pun intended!

History has a habit of repeating itself.

That name jumped off the page when I saw it - he used to be the CFI at Fairoaks Flight centre !!

What's a "virtual" carrier? Does that mean I will also get a virtual salary? Are these some of those FS2000 jokers? :confused:

What the hell is a virtual carrier? Please tell me I haven't just replied to a thread about some sim nerds wet dream.

Blimey that lot will add some figures to the load sheet.

Will punters still have to queue up and have their body search at security?

Is there a market for luxury leisure air travel, as opposed to services aimed at the business segment?

As has been pointed out, to business passengers, frequency is everything; but for wealthy leisure passengers the "experience" is going to more important than frequency. Services like the Orient Express prosper, and there are luxury cruises available in the market - and I'm not thinking about the so-called "luxury" cruises where enormous ships resembling floating tower blocks carry 5000 "cattle".

Perhaps a 747 kitted out in the way that has been proposed may work operating round the world air cruises for people with money. It would have to by-pass the main passenger terminals, to maintain it's exclusivity - so operating instead from GA or similarly "exclusive" terminals.

Such an operation would certainly be niche, but might possibly work. I agree however with earlier posters, if they are seriously suggesting attracting business passengers then they are on to a big loser.

Round the world air cruises has been done already. BA did a couple using Tristar in the late 70's early 80's.

My brain is a bit fuzzy these days but I seem to remember Alan Whicker did a programme on one.

I suppose the success of this new venture depends on the pricing. The wealthy to very wealthy won't be interested but I think the aspiring nearly wealthy might!

And are still being done-

Four Seasons Private Jet Experience

Around the world in 25 days for only 137,000USD!

Also to be done by Crystal Cruises

Apart from all the above good reasons against this - he is at exactly the wrong point in the economic cycle. The UK is pitching down (pun intended) to a much lower cruise level [sorry, couldn't resist]. One of the reasons that La Campagnie has survived this long is that they launched as the outlook was improving and they may not make it through descent..

If you regularly have big money for travel then Netjets and their ilk will do you nicely. If you want super luxury once in a while, the Suites and their type will do you nicely to, wait for it, DXB, LHR and JFK. Anyone really want to go head to head with the mega carriers?

Next crazy money losing scheme please ...

The Golden Age Of Flying Returns
 

‘I agree with you whole-heartedly about EOS, Maxjet and Silverjet but your comments sadden me somewhat, as you comment with little knowledge of the Astralis business model, which is unlike any other! What Astralis will be providing is well above the semi business/first class offering these earlier businesses provided and we do not require ‘high-yields’ to make our highly exclusive and ultra-luxurious service work – in fact it wouldn’t work with high yields, as these simple two words also state ‘no comfort – no luxury!

Also, the statement about people only wanting low-cost, minimum services is rather quashed with the latest and excellent Emirates ‘high-end’ offering.

If you guys are a real supporters of aviation perhaps you should be supporting those with new ideas and the bottle to try them and make them work – just look at all the doubters of the low-cost carriers, I bet many now wished they had owned shares in EasyJet, from the start!

‘Just saying’!

That was I- who is that?

No, they most certainly will not!

Thank you - bang on! I hope you perhaps may now have read some of my earlier replies.

Why don't you contact me by email?

The wealthy remain wealthy, whether in the climb, cruise or descent and will always require exclusivity, luxury and exemplary service!

And I concur - anybody would be unwise to take on the legacy/mega carriers with a product the same as theirs.

Astralis fills a niche - simples!