Travel like the champions

Professional sport is an extremely competitive environment in which there is no margin for error. What may seem like a small detail to outsiders can make the difference between triumph and defeat. So it's no wonder that top athletes and sports teams prefer to travel to their competitions in VIP charter aircraft. The team at KlasJet, a global provider of private and business charter services, emphasizes that on such flights, adapting to the specific needs of the athletes on board is a top priority.

From football teams to polo riders

For teams at the highest level, VIP charter flights are not a luxury, but a necessity. Modern teams are playing more high-profile games than ever before and traveling more frequently and further than they did twenty or thirty years ago. The Athletic, an influential sports publication, reports that a typical Premier League team makes 58 such trips per season. For clubs at the highest level, this figure is even higher.

In addition, there are important national team competitions such as the European Championships and the World Cup, which take place every two years. During such events, the demand for VIP charter flights increases significantly. According to Šarūnė Valaikaitė, flight attendant at KlasJet, sport is highly seasonal and the demand for flights increases significantly during major events.

"Football is the most obvious example. When tournaments such as the European Championships or World Cup are coming up, almost all of our aircraft exclusively transport national teams. Formula 1 and basketball teams also generate additional demand. Our aircraft have 60 seats and are best suited for football or rugby teams, which is why we naturally fly them most often," she explains.

Private charter flights are all about perfect timing

In the sports world, teams, sponsors and VIP guests often need to get from one major event to the next quickly. KlasJet coordinates these complex journeys with multiple stopovers and ensures that arrival times coincide with training sessions, media appointments and competition times.

"We have established relationships with FBOs (Fixed Base Operators) at key airports close to each race track. This means priority handling, and during race weekends every minute counts - be it for a team manager who has to attend a sponsor dinner or a CEO who combines the race with important business meetings," explains Edvinas Finenko, Sales Development Manager at KlasJet.

Strict diet and privacy

Flying with athletes requires special preparations. Sports teams typically have specific requirements and internal rules that must be respected and taken into account. This starts with catering, which differs significantly from the usual service for private flights.

"When flying with athletes, nutrition is probably the most important issue. Teams almost always follow a very precise nutrition plan, so the menu has to be put together strictly and meticulously in close collaboration with nutritionists and dieticians," says Valaikaitė.

Another important aspect of such flights is privacy. Athletes often travel to games where they compete for the most important trophies in front of tens of thousands of fans and hundreds of millions of TV viewers. Even the best feel this pressure and don't need any additional distractions.

KlasJet is part of the Avia Solutions Group, the world's largest ACMI provider (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) with a fleet of 209 aircraft.