Potential charter flights to Windhoek and Victoria Falls

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15 May 2020, 21:28

SafariSean

Potential charter flights to Windhoek and Victoria Falls

I've been looking at 737 charter cost and am wanting some input. If we offered round trip flights from Miami for $6500 would anyone be interested? There would be about 85 to 100 passengers on board.

15 May 2020, 21:34

Saeed

Isn’t this irrelevant, when the countries are not open to receive visitors??

And home countries are not allowing citizens to travel to certain countries?

This is how it stands right now.

I don’t know about others, but personally I would not fly on a specialized charter flight like this, in the current international travel climate.

15 May 2020, 21:38

SafariSean

The aircraft would be a 737 that has 215 seats. The seats are larger than commercial aircraft and we would bot exceed 50% occupancy. All travelers would be tested by the Avid quick test and temp screening. Operational costs for this class of aircraft is around $20,000 per flight hour plus crew per diem. 6 rotations every 15 days would require 2 deadhead flights to get everyone there and back.

15 May 2020, 21:39

larryshores

Yes.

15 May 2020, 21:40

Saeed

Might wish to check this

I think once international travel is open, regular airlines would be happy to start flying.

15 May 2020, 21:42

ledvm

The problem is that when you land in Vic Falls right now...you go into a government quarantine facility.

I have seen pics from the inside, from a temporary resident, and while not as horrible as I might have thought...certainly not somewhere you want to spend time on an expensive vacation.

~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
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15 May 2020, 21:43

Opus1

I would but would only need a one way ticket...

15 May 2020, 21:45

SafariSean

Obviously this couldn't happen today but there may be an opportunity to enter these countries at some point. This would be at least business class service and reduce exposure by not traveling through commercial airports. I fully realize that hunters doing discount hunts wouldn't be I interested but even if we put 2 rounds of flyers together for August and September it might be feasible.

15 May 2020, 21:54

SafariSean

I'm not confident that either SAA or Air Namibia will ever operate as before and traveling through European and South African hubs may not be possible long after Zim and Namibia relax travel restrictions.

15 May 2020, 21:56

SafariSean

quote:
Originally posted by Opus1:
I would but would only need a one way ticket...

you can charter a flight today! That quarantine is going to sick but hell if you're going one way it won't matter.....

15 May 2020, 21:57

SafariSean

quote:
Originally posted by SafariSean:
quote:
Originally posted by Opus1:
I would but would only need a one way ticket...
you can charter a flight today! That quarantine is going to suck but hell if you're going one way it won't matter.....

15 May 2020, 22:00

Opus1

Let's see how quickly Qatar Air gets back to flying and when Namibia opens back up. I fly QA on miles so it's basically free including business class all 4 legs. So paying would suck, but I need to be there ASAFP.

Please let us know if this becomes a reality.

15 May 2020, 22:02

SafariSean

[QUOTE]Originally posted by Saeed:
Might wish to check this

I think once international travel is open, regular airlines would be happy to start flying.[/QUOTEim not convinced they're going to start up quickly and TSA lines boarding ect in a major commercial airport isn't real appealing to many.

15 May 2020, 22:11

SafariSean

100 travelers would be enough $$ to book flying on let's say August 15th and returning September 15th. If any of my Zim friends think that they may have a client interested send me a message and I'll start putting names on a list. I will also fully disclose full cost and if any $$ are left over refund that amount but I'm close if you do the math.

15 May 2020, 22:13

ledvm

Once I am certain there is no quarantine...I would definitely consider it to VF.

15 May 2020, 22:31

fairgame

quote:
if any $$ are left over refund that amount but I'm close if you do the math.

So the money is paid to you and not the airline?

15 May 2020, 22:41

SafariSean

I'm trust worthy I don't think you're going to find anyone that's going to argue that. But yes someone will have to pool the $$ this is a private aircraft leasing company. I would be very willing to work with others in Zim and make certain that all money can be publicly tracked.

15 May 2020, 22:45

SafariSean

Obviously this concept is in infancy any input on successfully developing this would be greatly appreciated. The plane is in California so its possible that we could board folks there, maybe KC or Denver and then Miami or DC. Take off burns more fuel but I think there's room within the price to do the pickups.

15 May 2020, 23:13

SafariSean

I just spoke with the charter company again and the rep pointed out that the plane would be light with only 50% occupancy and that they are not constrained to the most economical speed like big commercial companies so flight time would be less than the big carriers. I included Windhoek because it would be silly to fly right over the country and not stop providing there's enough travelers to make the extra fuel for takeoff feasible.

15 May 2020, 23:43

SafariSean

I've received a couple of emails about smaller charter aircraft cost. A Bombardier International capable 20 passenger luxury charter would be about $15,000.00 per passenger fully loaded. The dead head flights are the killer..

16 May 2020, 00:17

Use Enough Gun

quote:
I would but would only need a one way ticket...

16 May 2020, 00:33

cal pappas

I would be interetsed at $6500.
The problem as I see it would be getting 100 hunters all hunting in the same month. I am planning a Zimbabwe hunt but it is from 7-25 to 8-25.
Cal

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16 May 2020, 01:04

tanks

Problem is it would be another $5K round trip charter from Victoria Falls to Zambezi valley.

Fly to Harare, I might be interested for $6.5K

16 May 2020, 01:19

fairgame

quote:
Originally posted by SafariSean:
I'm trust worthy I don't think you're going to find anyone that's going to argue that. But yes someone will have to pool the $$ this is a private aircraft leasing company. I would be very willing to work with others in Zim and make certain that all money can be publicly tracked.

Yeah right, and you want 100 of us to pay you $6,500?

16 May 2020, 01:32

fairgame

quote:
Originally posted by tanks:
Problem is it would be another $5K round trip charter from Victoria Falls to Zambezi valley.

Fly to Harare, I might be interested for $6.5K

Take the bus it is just down the road.

16 May 2020, 02:29

tanks

quote:
Originally posted by fairgame:
...

Take the bus it is just down the road.

Maybe in your world it is down the road. Not in mine, it is a 6 hour drive via private vehicle from Harare, I'd submit much longer from Victoria falls.

16 May 2020, 02:34

Opus1

Well in African parlance that's just around the corner. See you just now.

16 May 2020, 07:14

Alfredo C

Not me. Nobody is going ANYWHERE until Country's open their borders to tourists and international travel resumes....at that point why would I pay $6,500 to travel to Vic Falls then need transportation to my destination?

Whether SAA flies or not, there are other options. I plan on flying Emirates through Dubai and onward to Harare.

Your plan doesn't make sense to me but good luck to you

16 May 2020, 08:23

Saeed

What gives you the idea that if the country is CLOSED to visitors, they will turn the other way and allow a charter flight in??

A couple of weeks ago I was reading about France turning back such a charter flight used by rich idiots who went to the South of France from the UK.

Immigration were waiting for them at the airport, and would not let them off the plane, turned around and sent them home.

I am just as anxious as anyone to go hunting - I actually have several travel plans for the summer, and later in the year.

But there is no way in hell I am going to be dreaming of making my own plans!

We need a Star Trek Transporter, that should work!

16 May 2020, 12:39

Beretta682E

It’s just hunting - a discretionary vacation at best.

The risk in using private charters is

(1) credit risk of the charter company. What happens if they get you to Africa and would be around to bring you back.

https://www.businessinsider.co...randed-rescue-2019-9

(2) hunter get sick, has family death, family health emergency, business emergency - how does one get home before a scheduled flight ?

(3) you won’t have emergency medical evacuation.

I get private flights in lockdowns for emergency get back home scenarios. For discretionary vacations it makes little sense.

My Brazilian fishing outfitters was looking at it and I said - let’s go next year. I would not risk it this year.

Also one is going after the us government has shut down travel. So guess what sitting in Harare or elsewhere asking the us embassy to get you home won’t go to far.

I would Wait till regular airline flights resume.

Mike

16 May 2020, 12:57

Saeed

I would Wait till regular airline flights resume.

Bloody hell!

Even a Blaser lover has some common sense!

16 May 2020, 19:37

Alfredo C

quote:
Originally posted by Saeed:
What gives you the idea that if the country is CLOSED to visitors, they will turn the other way and allow a charter flight in??

A couple of weeks ago I was reading about France turning back such a charter flight used by rich idiots who went to the South of France from the UK.

Immigration were waiting for them at the airport, and would not let them off the plane, turned around and sent them home.

I am just as anxious as anyone to go hunting - I actually have several travel plans for the summer, and later in the year.

But there is no way in hell I am going to be dreaming of making my own plans!

We need a Star Trek Transporter, that should work!

+1!