On-demand private jet services see...

Private aviation firm XO allows members to book private flights or individual seats

XO, an on-demand private aviation firm, has reported a 298% year-on-year increase in membership during the first quarter of 2021, boosted by a steep rise in demand for flights within Saudi Arabia.

XO has taken the Uber business model approach and adapted it to private jets, allowing members to book private flights or individual seats as and when they are required with no additional overheads.

While the majority of its revenue and operations are in the US, it reported a 167% year-on-year rise in international membership during the first three months of this year.

A company press statement said: “A steep rise in fights within Saudi Arabia, as well as increased regional travel within Europe and Africa, underpins XO’s ability to connect cities that are being underserved by commercial flights.”

Launched in 2006, XO is part of Dubai-headquartered Vista Global Holding, which operates private jet services to 187 countries around the world.

In an effort to combat the spread of Covid-19, Saudi Arabia grounded all flights in March 2020. Domestic traffic resumed at the end of May 2020 and the Saudi General Authority of Civil Aviation (GACA) announced that international flights would resume 17 May.

According to global online travel platform Skyscanner, Saudi Arabia recorded a 110% month-on-month surge in people searching for flights in March.

For more information, visit www.xoprivate.com