As Goa opens for tourism, private jets take super-rich to their villas

PANAJI: With the state opening for tourism, those who are willing to spend over Rs 10 lakh for a trip are flying down to Goa in private jets. With nine private jets landing in Goa over the past 10 days, the state is fast emerging as the top destination for people who own second homes or have leased luxury villas in the state.
Most of the flights come from Mumbai and Delhi, India’s two worst-affected Covid cities.
Over the past few days, Goa International Airport has hosted all sorts of business jets—from Gulfstream-200s to Bombardier Global 6000s—bringing to the state a variety of persons like the family of L K Advani’s son and the Shah family that owns the diagnostics chain Metropolis Healthcare.
“Goa is currently one of the top destinations for private charters, and there is a constant demand on this route. People want to go to their vacation homes,” said co-founder of bookmycharters.com Sachit Wadhwa.
Private jet operators have witnessed a 60% increase in enquiries, while Goa Airport officials said it is getting more requests for these flights, mostly from Delhi, Mumbai and Pune.
“On a daily basis, we are receiving requests for non-scheduled operator charters, and we clear the requests if they meet all requirements,” said Goa Airport director Gagan Malik.
“Right now, people cannot go abroad for a holiday. So, the best possible option, it seems, is Goa,” he said.
The Goa government has not made it mandatory for fliers to obtain an e-pass, and anybody arriving by road or flight can simply show a Covid-free certificate issued by an ICMR-approved lab or get tested in Goa for Rs 2,000.
“Goa has a practical standard operating procedure (SOP), and it is attractive,” said a stakeholder.
The advantages of booking a private jet are obvious—arrive at the airport around 30 minutes prior to departure, avoid crowds in the terminal building, long queues for security and boarding, and travel only with familiar passengers. A flight from Delhi to Goa on a King Air B200 twin turboprop would cost Rs 10.2 lakh, while a trip on a twin-engine Hawker Beechcraft mid-size jet would require Rs 24 lakh for the same journey.
After a strict two-month lockdown, on May 26, the civil aviation ministry allowed private jets and charter flights to resume operations in the country, saying that the SOP for private fights is similar to the norms for scheduled passenger flights.
The price to charter a private jet depends on multiple factors—the number of passengers, type of the aircraft, duration of the flight, landing and airport charges, and if the client wants the aircraft to remain till the return journey.
Fares start at around Rs 70,000 per hour for turboprop aircraft, which can accommodate eight passengers, and go up to Rs 6 lakh per hour for larger aircraft.