Hunt & Palmer charters keep Springboks World Cup preparation on course
Ahead of this year’s Rugby Union World Cup in France, Hunt & Palmer’s Commercial Aviation team has helped fly the South African team to a series of friendlies.
The Hunt & Palmer team facilitated a number of flights, including from Luton to Bastia, enabling the Springboks to get a couple of friendly European matches under their belts. Their first tournament match is against Scotland on Sunday, 10 September in Marseille.
“Air charter is always a sensible and smart option to transport elite sports teams owing to the flexibility and convenience,” said Simon Edwards, director, Commercial Aviation, Hunt & Palmer. “With private charter, departure and arrival times can be adjusted – even on the day – to suit the team. A chartered aircraft enables all associated kit and equipment, including medical supplies, to be carried in the cabin, along with the team, coaches and physios. Inflight catering is selected to meet dietary needs and preferences and delivered fresh to the aircraft steps, while the team can relax in the privacy and comfort of their own cabin.”
Time savings are significant too, according to Hunt & Palmer. Commercial flying in Europe is nearly back to 2019 levels and that’s apparent in the regularity of longer, slower queues through security at hub airports, it said. Checking in via an FBO can be achieved inside 30 minutes.
The aircraft arranged by Hunt & Palmer from Signature Flight Support’s FBO at Luton Airport to Bastia, Corsica on Saturday 26 August was a Boeing 737-300 in an all-business 68-seat configuration.
“While there is a recognised shortage of single-aisle and wide-bodied aircraft available for ad hoc charter right now, there are a useful number of airliners, adapted to executive fit layout which are ideal to transport groups of up to 70 passengers,” added Edwards.
In the past 12 months Hunt & Palmer has flown specialist sports charter for major Premier League and European football and rugby teams, plus additional specialist flights for international basketball and ice hockey teams.
