ONEflight International, Inc. announced the appointment of John Elway as a brand ambassador for the global private jet firm. The three-time Superbowl© champion, two as a player and one as the general manager, and current President of Football Operations for the Denver Broncos joins a growing list of public figures partnering with ONEflight, including ABC©’s Shark Tank television series personality and entrepreneur Robert Herjavec.
“I enjoy my membership so much that I am delighted to endorse ONEflight by becoming a brand ambassador and spokesman for this rapidly growing private jet provider,” said Elway. “I look forward to our long relationship and am excited to be a part of the ONEflight family as they continue their expansion into the future.”
Founded in 2010, the Colorado-based private jet firm revolutionized the industry when it pioneered Book a Jet, a proprietary digital booking platform designed to streamline privatized aircraft reservations that were previously done by calling a travel agent. BAJ allows members to securely search, select and book a private aircraft based upon availability, size, pricing and amenities. ONEflight clients include actor and producer Kurt Russell and American winemaker Michael Mondavi.
“John is a very big name both locally in Colorado and nationally,” said Ferren Rajput, Founder and CEO of ONEflight International. “From Florida to California, everyone knows John Elway. He is a proven winner on and off the field and we are fortunate that he has chosen to put his celebrated name behind our company. I don’t believe someone like John would blindly do that. We’re the quiet company in Denver that’s making a big impact on the aviation world. I believe John sees our commitment to our clients and the best-in-class technology we provide for the private jet space. He is a great addition to our roster of esteemed clients who act as spokespeople for us.”
Elway was introduced to ONEflight International by a friend and existing member earlier this year. Acting as a brand ambassador for the private jet firm, he will be primarily involved in the company’s marketing outreach, such as television commercials and event sponsorships, in order to emphasize ONEflight’s dedication to customer service and the BAJ digital platform.
“After careful review of their industry unique jet club program as compared to others, I joined ONEflight. I appreciate the exceptional service and benefits of their BAJ membership. It is important to know that I can rely on them 100 percent, even on short notice, to get me where I need to be and have the comfort and guarantee that safety is a top priority,” said Elway.
ONEflight International “is similar to a country club in the sky,” said Rajput. Clients sign up through an upfront initiation fee then choose a membership package based on the number of flight hours they require. ONEflight contracts with 480 FAA-backed charter operators for a fleet of over 5,000 private jets available to their clients all over the world. With so many planes at their disposal, clients may select their preferred aircraft model upon booking each flight. Memberships also offer complimentary in-flight catering, an executive car service to and from the airport as well as fixed annual rates on plane models and packages.
Social distancing catapulted private travel
Elway’s partnership with ONEflight underscores the growing demand for non-commercialized travel across the globe. Rajput reported the firm saw a 115 percent increase in its client base since the beginning of 2020 around the onset of the pandemic. As COVID-19 prompted worldwide lockdowns, travel restrictions and social distancing measures, Rajput believes many travelers who previously flew commercial airlines turned to private jet charters for health and safety reasons.
“Everyone is fearful of COVID-19, especially given the rise of the Delta variant. Masking requirements and social distancing measures are not issues when you fly private because it’s just your inner circle who are boarding.” ONEflight adheres to strict safety standards, mandating travelers provide COVID-19 declaration forms before every flight to ensure the crew’s safety in the event a traveler contracted the virus and plans to board.
Pleasure travel eclipsing business
The pandemic also shifted the reasons why people travel. Global business travel expenses dropped by 52 percent in 2020, according to McKinsey & Company. Despite the vaccine roll out over the winter, remote work and flexible work arrangements are now standard practices after nearly two years of office building capacity restrictions and social distancing requirements that drove professionals to home offices.
“Business travel was approximately half of our client’s travel pre-COVID. Businesses have moved to their homes, so the need for this type of travel dropped dramatically. On the other hand, pleasure travel such as weekend getaways and extended vacations went up dramatically, from 50 percent of our business to 95 percent,” said Rajput. “Even with freedoms coming back due to vaccine availability and access, we’re only seeing 10 to 15 percent of our clients using the service for business as of right now. There will surely be a comeback, but it’s far down the road.”
Technology reshapes the private jet industry
Another economic condition driving demand for ONEflight’s services is the rising shift toward automation and emerging technologies to produce greater efficiency for day-to-day activities. ONEflight’s BAJ online reservation system was the first of its kind for the private jet industry and its adoption was swift. Upon its unveiling in late 2017, approximately eight percent of members enrolled immediately. By the end of 2018, 95 percent of ONEflight members had embraced BAJ.
“ONEflight’s online BAJ booking platform is a simple tool that I can easily search and select my own flights 24 hours a day with just a few fingertip swipes,” said Elway. “The new app in development will be even more revolutionary.”
ONEflight’s membership program and online platform has experienced a significant uptick in new clients year over year with a 95 percent retention rate according to Rajput, highlighting one more industry in which technological advancements and digitization transformed the market. The move toward technologically enhanced private travel like that offered by ONEflight appears here to stay.
“People who jumped into private travel over the last few years are not going back to the airlines. While the airlines have bounced back since COVID, our clients will continue to fly private with us. We expect this company to grow multiple fold over the next five years,” said Rajput.
