US Part 135 operator Worldwide Jet has experienced its busiest December in more than 10 years. Flight hours for the private jet company's premier services increased 20 per cent from 2019 to 2020, with a mix of CEOs, celebrities, professional athletes and families travelling to popular leisure destinations such as Hawaii, the Caribbean and Mexico.

President and CEO Andrew Kaufman attributes the increased demand to pandemic fatigue and a desire to travel with a luxury charter jet company that can be trusted to keep passengers and crew members safe. “People are tired of the pandemic and bored at home. Even if the destination we fly to requires them to quarantine for two weeks, they'd rather escape and hunker down there,” he says. “We're also seeing an influx of passengers from cold weather climates who want to escape big storms.”

Based in Phoenix, Arizona, Worldwide Jet boasts a fleet of 12 jets, providing premier charter flights to nearly 500 destinations around the world. The firm was on track to have one of its best years ever in 2020 until the pandemic hit.

“We began monitoring COVID-19 in January and immediately knew we had to be agile,” Kaufman continues. “I'm so proud of our senior management team, many of whom have been working in our industry since the 1990s. They began implementing procedures quickly and worked to create our innovative CovidClean programme, which has been so successful, it has become a safety and cleaning protocol model for others in our industry.”

Early into the pandemic, Worldwide Jet had enhanced its cleaning protocols and had thermometers on board by February. It saw what was coming and consulted with a physician and nurses, seeking guidance from the Centers for Disease Control, World Health Organization and the Food and Drug Administration. After the rapid rise in COVID-19 in March, Worldwide Jet launched its CovidClean programme in April. A comprehensive list of safety protocols appears on Worldwide Jet's website.

Kaufman said his team is constantly assessing CovidClean protocols and adjusting procedures. “This month, we will begin implementing testing of flight crews every 72 hours, beginning 72 hours prior to reporting for their duty rotation, and every 72 hours while on rotation,” he explains. “As the logistical hurdles of this large-scale programme are addressed, we hope our increased testing protocol will be in full effect by the end of the month.”

Kaufman said the strict testing measures are necessary. “As COVID-19 continues to ravage the world, and with the development of these new and more contagious strains of the virus, it is imperative that Worldwide Jet continues to lead the way providing the safest work environment for its employees, and the safest way to travel for its clients.

“The pandemic was a game-changer for us, and now that we have the CovidClean programme in place, it's here to stay. Even after vaccines are administered, and even after it seems safe, we'll always operate as if another pandemic is coming.”