How helicopters can elevate your clients’ experience

Helicopters, traditionally, sit in two distinct camps in travel; either they are solely a mode of transport, to get from one place to another, or, they form part of an experience, like an aerial tour of a city. However, we are seeing more and more crossover between these once distinct groups – making the transport itself part of the holiday experience.

Our Director of Helicopters, Edward Mayhew, offered the following example:
“We recently had some clients whose villa stipulated that they had to have checked out by 11am; however, their flight home from the airport wasn’t until the evening, and so, with a number of hours to kill, we used a helicopter as a way to elevate their experience. After checking out of their villa, our clients took a helicopter to a local vineyard where an afternoon of wine tastings and a delicious meal followed, before then travelling on to catch their flight. This is a perfect example of how some dead time between a checkout and a flight can be used to improve clients’ overall holiday experience.” 

We often find that travel agents who charter with us for the first time on behalf of their clients have been hesitant to incorporate helicopter travel into trips previously because of the seemingly complicated nature of organising helicopter travel. It is true that booking helicopter travel can be complicated, as the process tends to have more variables than booking private jets, but it has a much greater margin for flexibility in both time and route – both of which can often be changed at short notice. As brokers, we take away the stress and complications of those parts of helicopter travel and ensure that your time is spent solely on securing your clients’ happiness.

If talking transfers, the speed at which helicopters can transport your clients from A to B is often incomparable to any other mode – Ed gave the example of flying into Nice, and then travelling on to Monaco by car. By road, this journey takes approximately an hour and a half each way, but by helicopter, the travel time is minimised to just six minutes – this gives the perfect opportunity to take advantage of the time saved by incorporating an experience into the transfer – a winery, or a bird’s eye view of the Cap Ferrat, for example.

As a global brokerage with more than 30 offices over six continents, ACS is perfectly placed to organise your helicopter travel (and any other travel you, or your clients may require). Below you will find some popular and interesting routes our brokers from our regional offices can organise for you.

North America:

• Toronto to Niagara – a great way of exploring and experiencing the many wineries of the Niagara wine country
• Vancouver to Whistler – world-class skiing at North America’s largest, and often best-rated, ski resort

Asia:

• Mutianyu Great Wall Scenic Area – a sightseeing tour over the world-famous Great Wall of China in its most intact and preserved section
• Hong Kong to Macau – an ideal, and private way to travel between the two special administrative regions (in 15 minutes, no less)
• Maldives – a helicopter sightseeing tour of the breathtaking beauty of the crystalline Maldivian waters and green of the lush vegetation it surrounds
• Tokyo to Mount Fuji – take in the sprawling metropolis of Tokyo as you head towards the snow capped peaks of the world-famous mountain

Oceania:

• Sydney Harbour – take in the iconic views of the Sydney skyline over the world’s deepest natural harbour
• Great Barrier Reef and Rainforest – the Great Barrier Reef is best seen from above, only a short hop from Cairns, experience this UNESCO World Heritage Site and the Barron Gorge National Park from the skies

Africa:

• Johannesburg to the Kruger National Park – fly to one of Africa’s most iconic safari destinations on your quest to see ‘the big five’
• Johannesburg to Sun City Resort – sprawled along the border of the Pilanesberg National Park, this resort offers both surf and safari options for its guests
• Cape Town – a sightseeing tour from the sky, taking in the views of the city, circling Table Mountain, and the heavenly beaches along the city’s edges
• Cape Town to Franschhoek/Stellenbosch – imbibe the best of South African wine in the centuries-old vineyards surrounding these towns

If you feel like our Helicopter Division can help you elevate your clients’ holiday experiences, please get in touch with Ed, or one of his team, to discuss your helicopter charter requirements.