Jet set scramble as skyrocketing demand for private planes drives delays, cancellations

Private business jets once provided refuge from airport waiting lines for the few that could afford them, but the fading pandemic has driven demand to such heights that even wealthy travelers now face cancellations and delays. While a headache for some jet set travelers, the crunch is a boon for makers of corporate planes built to carry 19 or less passengers in luxury, with announcements for new orders expected at the world’s largest business jet show that starts Tuesday. Some fractional ownership and charter plane operators are turning away business, face a further crunch as the holiday season looms - and are buying more planes. Traffic has surged above 2019 levels in the United States. Combined with staffing shortages, the situation is squeezing industry services from fueling to catering, while fewer spare planes are available to replace jets that break down, executives said. To protect service, NetJets recently suspended sales of jet cards, which allow customers to pre-pay for blocks of flight hours. The world’s largest private jet company said it is investing approximately $2.5b for 100 new aircraft to be delivered between now and the end of 2022. “The vast number of flights is taxing the air travel infrastructure in ways we haven’t seen in years,” said Ohio-based NetJets.<br/>