There’s no getting around it: As news reports continue to expose corporate (and government) excesses in spending, public outrage lingers. Unfair or not, the corporate jet has perhaps become one of the easiest targets for shareholders, the media and people looking for evidence of corporate greed and fiscal mismanagement.
However, it’s important to recognize that this public sensitivity doesn’t mean private air travel isn’t a practical, financially smart option for many business travelers. The benefits for companies that use private jets can be significant.
Flying privately increases work productivity during travel. In addition, doing business in a global economy often exposes high-profile corporate executives to security threats, and sticking with private flights reduces some of that personal risk. In many cases, it makes good business sense to fly privately when lost hours on the ground can mean a corresponding loss in revenue.
Full disclosure
Still, with the convenience of private air travel comes the responsibility to establish and enforce corporate guidelines about private jet use. Most business aviation experts agree that companies should seek to be as transparent as possible when communicating with shareholders and employees about the business reasons behind owning or using private aircraft.
To help make the case for private air travel, keep meticulous records of each flight including destination, purpose and costs, along with potential revenue impact. Also, if corporate executives are allowed to use a company jet for personal use, provide documentation that outlines how the company will be reimbursed for those costs.
Share the wins
Make sure to communicate the successes that result from private air travel. If your CEO was able to avert a customer service nightmare by hopping a last-minute private flight to the client’s location, release the details of the trip and the amount of revenue that was protected. Openly discuss how back-to-back sales calls at multiple client locations spread around the country brought in unexpected revenue in just a few short days — and cost less than multiple longer trips.
When the trip is appropriate and aligns with the demands and goals of the business, allow employees at all levels of the company access to the company’s private plane. Leading an organization with the example of open and proactive communication about private air travel can head off resentment from employees and mistaken assumptions by shareholders. And that can translate to even more business success in the future.