Birmingham, Alabama-based operator Southern Sky Aviation Charters says it has adapted over the last year by keeping up with the changes. “2020 was a challenging year for everyone; aviation saw some of the most drastic changes in history,” says VP of aviation Jeff Cotton. “We started the year with our primary aircraft, a Citation V and a G100, and have since added a Beechcraft King Air 200 and a Citation XLS. Meeting the new demands of private charter travel required growing our fleet, as well as expanding our areas of operation.”

With COVID constantly moving the goalposts, the company has been busy keeping up with the recommendations of government agencies and health care teams. Charter demand has varied during the early stages of COVID but demand for charter has recently increased to record levels, according to Cotton. “This increase includes many first time charter customers and families that are looking for a safer alternative to airline travel. Business travellers have utilised charter more to avoid spending more days out of the office and home. We have been following CDC guidelines to keep our passengers safe and have implemented new policies to keep our aircraft clean and disinfected. Passenger safety is a top priority for us.”

International travel has become difficult with changes to TSA policies changing almost daily. Southern Sky has worked closely with international handlers to ensure seamless international travel to destinations such as Mexico and the Caribbean.

“We are very proud of the progress that our charter department has made in the last couple years, and we look forward to making our department grow. New projects include many safety projects and a larger charter fleet,” Cotton concludes.