BEDFORD — How do busy executives get themselves and their team to scattered locations efficiently? Rent a private jet, of course.
Magellan Jets, a 15-year-old company headquartered in Quincy, aims to provide the safest, most convenient service to their clients.
After the initial impact of COVID-19 cut Magellan’s business by 90 percent in just two weeks, the owners took a hard look at what their customers needed as they resumed traveling.
Safety was top of the list, said Anthony Tivman, president and co-founder of Magellan. Already, customers flew with only their own party on the planes, so exposure to others was minimal. But, not non-existent, especially while waiting to board from a common area.
The company prides itself on valuing privacy. They took a look at the most popular places for their customers to fly from and landed on Hanscom Field in Bedford for a new initiative: their own terminal with parking, a lounge with a courtesy bar and private conference space.
Their clients no longer need to mix with passengers of other private jet services that fly from Hanscom. They can meet with local associates or even have a birthday party for family in the terminal and never leave the airfield.
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Some customers make as many as four stops in one day, then return home in time for family activities, Tivman said. With access to around 5,000 domestic and international airports, as opposed to the 400 or 450 available for commercial flights, private flyers can get closer to their destinations and finish the leg of the journey with a car service.
The opening of the first private jet terminal at Hanscom is paired with a new initiative. Magellen’s aircraft and sales management division partners with jet owners to purchase, manage and optimize their planes, making jet ownership easier and less expensive. “We’ll buy hours from aircraft owners,” Tivman said.
Flying private means comfort in addition to privacy, safety and convenience. At Hanscom, clients will be escorted from their vehicles into the terminal. If they have special requests for drinks, the beverages will be available.
“We’re able to change peoples’ lives,” said Vice-President John Amato. Not all travel is business. The client may need to visit a deathbed or the planes could be used to assist in evacuating people from a natural disaster.
The personal relationships built with clients mean Magellen is a solution for life, with a 93 percent retention rate, even after retirement, Amato said.
Magellen asks questions about who is flying to enable the best trip experience: How tall are they? Is there a pet? Is there enough room for the cargo?
The smallest jets, including the Phenom 300e on show at a press event, have very comfortable seats but tight quarters. A big dog may not be able to tolerate the recessed floor of the center aisle. A tall person could have a hard time moving through the plane. Roomier options are available.
The cockpit, equipped with the most modern controls, looks like a gamer’s paradise. The pilots not only fly the plane, they create the flight plans, help with baggage, and make sure the plane’s weight load is balanced.
In addition to charters, Magellen offers different plans where clients purchase flight hours on certain types of aircraft. All flights booked by the client will be on that level of aircraft or larger, Amato said.
Flights start at $6,900 per hour, wheels up to wheels down, for members. There are no black-out dates.
