From ensuring independence in flight planning to offering top-tier onboard services, private jets deliver a comprehensive experience. Justinas Bulka, CEO of "KlasJet," a company specializing in VIP flights, sheds light on frequent destinations, mission specifics, and the services wealthy clients request today.
– What defines a VIP flight, and how does it differ from regular flights?
– A VIP flight is a unique experience, guaranteed by the distinctive design of "KlasJet" aircraft, which are impressive both externally and internally. Private flights are typically organized for closed groups (tickets are not sold to the public), and every travel detail is tailored to individual client needs—from airport greeting and transportation to the final destination, whether a hotel or home. During these journeys, we ensure the highest level of comfort, catering to every need: privacy, food, and other personalized preferences.
– How many passengers and crew members can fly on these jets?
– Our aircraft offer business-class seating capacities ranging from 56 to 104, depending on the chosen model. Each flight is operated by a professional crew—two pilots and three to four flight attendants, ensuring impeccable service for every passenger.
– What are the most frequent destinations?
– We fly to numerous airports, often beyond capital cities, to remote or challenging locations, such as mountainous areas or islands. Approximately 65% of our flights occur in Europe, 25% in the Middle East, and the remaining 10% are distributed between Asia and Africa. Annually, we visit about 85 different countries and roughly 300 unique airports, providing clients access to even the most remote places.
– How often do Lithuanian clients use your services?
– Our primary market is abroad, with only a handful of Lithuanian clients. Flights originating from Lithuania are rare—just 1–2 per year. Currently, we collaborate with the basketball club "BC Wolves," which has recently achieved excellent results both locally and internationally.
While Europe remains our focus, we are expanding into other markets. During the winter season, some of our aircraft are based in the Middle East, where demand for such services is growing rapidly.
– Why do wealthy clients choose private jets?
– The main reasons clients choose us are privacy and flexibility. We ensure that clients can access the airport via private jet terminals, and we only publish photos with clients’ consent, always respecting their preferences regarding publicity.
Flexibility is our second key advantage, meaning the ability to adapt to clients’ needs and schedule flights at times convenient for them. This is especially important for sports teams with strict schedules, music stars who wish to travel according to precise timelines, and participants in special missions requiring exceptional attention and organization.
VIP flights are tailored to clients’ needs, with primary focus on landing location and timing. Clients prefer direct flights, with layovers only occurring in exceptional cases where they cannot be avoided.
Smaller, more private airports are often chosen to avoid large passenger flows and ensure quick and convenient service. The most important goal is to provide maximum flexibility and meet the individual preferences of our clients.
– Is client information completely inaccessible, or are there exceptions?
– Ensuring client privacy is extremely important to us, so due to confidentiality agreements, we cannot disclose specific names or details about our passengers. We adhere to the strictest privacy standards and always respect our clients’ preferences. However, whenever possible, we actively share information on our social media platforms, such as LinkedIn and Instagram.
Our aircraft are distinguished by their unique design and exclusive paintwork, making them easy to recognize. From publicly available information, we can mention that one of our planes was featured in the filming of an HBO series, and European Commission President Ursula von der Leyen shared a photo of our aircraft when we assisted in repatriation missions following the withdrawal of U.S. troops from Afghanistan. Additionally, our aircraft are regularly used by representatives of Europe’s largest sports clubs and at least six national teams participating in European championships.
– Do clients often prefer less-known or hidden routes to avoid public attention?
– Our clients’ choices vary greatly based on their needs. Sports teams usually travel to specific destinations for matches, from small airports like Gibraltar to exotic locations such as Uganda or Baku. Here, accuracy and the ability to adhere to tight schedules are essential.
Music stars often reserve an aircraft for an entire tour to travel flexibly after concerts, adjusting to their schedules. VIP jet services ensure maximum flexibility, privacy, and access to less-known or hard-to-reach locations, meeting the desire to avoid public scrutiny.
– Do you offer unique routes, such as to inaccessible locations or luxurious islands?
– Private flights often lead to unique and hard-to-reach places, depending on specific client needs. We’ve flown to remote luxury destinations like the Maldives and challenging airports like Gibraltar or Innsbruck.
One memorable mission involved transporting a lion in the cabin to Tanzania as part of a zoo exchange program. We’ve also conducted humanitarian flights during the pandemic, transporting ill patients from South Africa to Europe or Africa to South Korea.
In October 2023, we operated flights from Tel Aviv, Israel, during a challenging period when such services were in high demand.
– How often are VIP flight routes tied to the business needs of wealthy travelers, such as flying to cities hosting high-level business meetings or events?
– VIP flight routes are often closely connected to clients’ business needs, as we serve passengers traveling to major business meetings, events, or other high-profile occasions. We monitor global events, such as football championships, Formula 1 races, fashion weeks, and tourism agency gatherings, tailoring our services accordingly.
This field is dynamic and requires quick and precisely organized responses to ensure accessibility to any corner of the world. We are ready to meet various client needs, making our team’s contribution invaluable. I am proud that "KlasJet" currently has one of the strongest teams in the company’s history—experienced professionals and enthusiastic employees who are constantly improving. We also greatly value the support of "Avia Solutions Group," which helps us achieve the highest quality standards.
– What are the latest technologies and equipment typically found in modern aircraft of this type?
– Since most of our flights are within Europe and last around 2 to 2.5 hours, clients value high service quality over exceptional technology, which we focus on. We have a customer service department that handles clients’ needs, and our flight attendants constantly improve their skills through specialized training. They deepen their knowledge of wine, different cultures and languages, and learn how to handle various situations to ensure impeccable service. These efforts help us maintain high standards and continually improve service quality, which makes our clients return to us.
– What are the main services provided?
– The main services offered during VIP flights are often related to high-quality meals. We collaborate with specially selected restaurants, ordering dishes tailored to clients’ preferences, coordinating menus with the client and the restaurant’s chef. We also request photos of the dishes to ensure quality and meet expectations. Additionally, our aircraft are specially customized for each client: when flying sports teams, the aircraft’s interior is often adapted to match their team colors and symbols. The seats are business class—wider with more legroom; this additional comfort is highly appreciated by basketball teams.
Other requirements often relate to privacy, specific departure or arrival times, or obtaining special permits, which pose challenges for our operations team, as these need to be resolved quickly, accurately, and to high standards.
– What are the distinctive preferences of such travelers?
VIP travelers, contrary to stereotypes, are usually polite and respectful of common rules. They are interested in "KlasJet’s" history, aircraft design, and other details showcasing our uniqueness. The main requests often involve catering—addressing specific dietary needs, religious considerations, or culinary preferences.
Time is another critical factor, with many clients prioritizing precise departure and arrival times at specific locations. Unique requests often align with cultural traditions or personal beliefs, ensuring comfort and relaxation without disruptions.
– How do clients prefer to spend their time in the aircraft—do they work or relax?
– Our flight clients are usually focused, especially when the flight is work-related. However, there are occasions when the atmosphere of the flight feels more like a vacation or even approaches the vibe of a party. Nonetheless, passengers understand that it is essential to follow all safety requirements while on board, especially in the case of potential turbulence.
Since most of our flights last about 2 hours, most passengers spend this time calmly – resting or enjoying the service provided to them. After the flight, passengers often disembark feeling rested and in a better mood than before the flight, which shows that their experience on board was pleasant and met their expectations.
– How much do VIP flights typically cost, and what factors influence the price?
– VIP flight prices vary significantly, depending on multiple factors such as the route, season, aircraft location, its occupancy, and the time required to position the jet at the client’s desired starting point.
The price includes everything: airport parking fees, fuel, crew wages, flight permits, and other operational costs. Due to these variables, the cost can differ even for the same request made at different times. Each booking is tailored to meet client needs while providing the highest quality and comfort levels.
– Let’s talk about the pilots in your company. What nationalities are they? What are the requirements for them?
– "KlasJet," like the entire "Avia Solutions Group," to which it belongs, is an international company that collaborates with pilots from various countries around the world, with no single nationality dominating.
Pilots must meet the standard requirements set by the European Aviation Association, including having sufficient experience and a required number of flight hours. Moreover, before starting their work, pilots are required to undergo various tests and participate in simulator training.
A major advantage we have is being part of the "Avia Solutions Group". This allows us to closely collaborate with other companies within the group, such as our sister company, "BAA Training," which operates its own pilot academy. This cooperation helps ensure that pilots are well-trained and thoroughly prepared to fly our aircraft.
– How personally interested are you in this field, and do you fly such aircraft yourself?
– I’ve been working in aviation for six years, and this field is particularly fascinating to me. It demands constant involvement as it operates 24/7 and is directly influenced by global events—from fluctuating fuel prices to political situations that can either restrict operations or create new opportunities.
One of the greatest advantages of this job is the strong, motivated, and professional team. I am proud that our team is the true engine driving „KlasJet“ forward and making extra steps daily toward success.
Personally, I travel mostly during the off-season—usually visiting clients or attending international conferences. I fly in various classes, depending on availability. When traveling in business class, I try to assess the services, innovations, and ideas provided by other airlines that we could adopt for our aircraft. This field requires constant learning and improvement, so we always strive to enhance the quality of our services and the experience of our clients.