A private jet firm is calling its planes 'COVID Cleared' to court wealthy travelers worried flying during the pandemic

Thomas PalliniJun 13, 2020, 20:51 IST

A Bombardier Challenger private jet.Silver Air

Private jet firm Silver Air is preparing for private aviation's rebound by creating a new product to help provide peace of mind to wealthy travelers.
The program, "COVID-19 Cleared," seeks to clean and sterilize every touchpoint in a journey to prevent potential contact with a pathogen.
Each passenger and member of the flight crew also receives a virtual health screening to deem them fit to fly.

Nearly every industry has been forced to react to the new realities of a pandemic-stricken world and among those eager to prove themselves as the world begins to re-open is the aviation industry.

While airlines are pessimistic about how quickly commercial travelers will return to the skies, the private aviation sector is gearing up for a new wave of customers as the wealthy trade in their first class seats for a private jet. Most industry CEOs are hopeful that the current situation will encourage those with the means to do so to fly private more frequently than they did before.

One private jet firm, Silver Air, is already preparing for the day when travel rebounds and has evolved his business accordingly, offering a new product catered to those seeking additional peace of mind when flying private. The 25-jet-strong firm, which also manages Tony Robbins' private Boeing 737, was one of the many that saw flying drop off in March during the height of the pandemic.

Silver's CEO, Jason Middleton, developed the new offering, called "COVID-19 Cleared." Aligning the efforts of the company and vendors, the program seeks to ensure all touchpoints along the journey are safe and eliminate any concern about interacting with the virus while flying.

Take a look at how Silver Air is working to offer its clients a coronavirus-free experience.

The COVID Cleared process involves creating a safe door-to-door environment for passengers and that includes a full interior cleaning of both the aircraft and any ground transportation vehicles.

Flight crew participating in the COVID-19 Cleared program. Silver Air

The COVID Cleared process involves creating a safe door-to-door environment for passengers and that includes a full interior cleaning of both the aircraft and any ground transportation vehicles.

The ground transportation aspect is usually an afterthought, especially with technology like Uber replacing traditional taxis and limos, but is still vital to the health and safety of passengers.

A ground transportation driver participating in the COVID-19 Cleared program. Silver Air

The ground transportation aspect is usually an afterthought, especially with technology like Uber replacing traditional taxis and limos, but is still vital to the health and safety of passengers.

While on the ground, all pilots, cabin crew, passengers, and even drivers are required to wear personal protective equipment.

Flight crew participating in the COVID-19 Cleared program. Silver Air

Once the cleaning processes are complete, seals are put on each vehicle and aircraft that are only broken once passengers arrive.

A COVID-19 Cleared seal. Silver Air

Before passengers board the aircraft, a virtual health screening is performed for each person on the aircraft.

A Bombardier Challenger private jet. Silver Air

"We really felt it's very important for us to get very granular and create next-level best practices in terms of health and safety," Middleton told Business Insider in an interview. "The health side of this is always a concern but it has never been as acute as it is now."

A Bombardier Challenger private jet. Silver Air

"We really felt it's very important for us to get very granular and create next-level best practices in terms of health and safety," Middleton told Business Insider in an interview. "The health side of this is always a concern but it has never been as acute as it is now."

No more ritzy galas, dinner parties, or jet-set fairs: The art world is coming to terms with a 'shelter-in-place' market. 5 insiders reveal how the industry is faring — and their hopes for what's next.

Cookies on the Business Insider India website

A private jet firm is calling its planes 'COVID Cleared' to court wealthy travelers worried flying during the pandemic

The COVID Cleared process involves creating a safe door-to-door environment for passengers and that includes a full interior cleaning of both the aircraft and any ground transportation vehicles.

The ground transportation aspect is usually an afterthought, especially with technology like Uber replacing traditional taxis and limos, but is still vital to the health and safety of passengers.

While on the ground, all pilots, cabin crew, passengers, and even drivers are required to wear personal protective equipment.

Once the cleaning processes are complete, seals are put on each vehicle and aircraft that are only broken once passengers arrive.

Before passengers board the aircraft, a virtual health screening is performed for each person on the aircraft.

"We really felt it's very important for us to get very granular and create next-level best practices in terms of health and safety," Middleton told Business Insider in an interview. "The health side of this is always a concern but it has never been as acute as it is now."