Man tries out ‘Uber’ for private jets and flies 'like a millionaire' for under $550
Did you know there was a better, more comfortable way of flying that doesn't come at an absurd cost?
YouTuber DownieLive showed how surprisingly affordable this new way of travel is.
"It is very simple," the YouTuber, known as Mike, demonstrated.
"You type in where you want to go and what dates you want to fly," he said, describing how the app called Airble works like Uber.
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"It gives you a list of planes that are available for you on that date and you just pick the one that you want."
Airble uses a system called Deadhead Flights which is when a pilot or crew needs to return to their home base after a flight.
Since these flights usually have empty seats, Airble offers them to the public at a 'hugely discounted price.'
Mike booked himself a private jet from Vancouver to Kelowna for just $542.29.
That might not sound cheap now, but that's only about $150 more than a standard economy ticket ($398 for a four-hour flight) and far cheaper than business class at around $810.
Plus, the flight was only an hour, saving him several hours compared to driving or flying commercial.
And that's not all.
You’d think a cheaper private jet flight would mean some sacrifices, but Mike was pleasantly surprised.
At the private section of the airport, he was met with zero queues, private terminals, no liquid restrictions, exclusive lounge access, and even a private escort to the plane from the pilot.
The plane Mike was taking was known as a Piagio Bounty and it's designed a little differently from commercial jets.
For one, it has a unique forward wing not found on conventional planes, and the propellers are at the back, making it a quieter journey all round.
"It also allows us to fly up to 41,000 feet at an impressive speed of 360 knots," pilot Jeremy described.
In the video, the YouTuber also reminded his viewers that it wasn’t his online fame that got him this premium experience. It’s available to anyone willing to pay, adding that the app is currently available on official app stores.
"Anyone can fly private for $500," he concluded.
"I really like that technology has made this possible. We're only here because of this app [Airble]."
With that said, however, Airble only currently operates in the US and Canada. So those in the UK and other countries will have to wait for the service to expand.