Press: Fast Company Blog – Unbundle your business
Kaihan Krippendorff is an author, consultant, and expert blogger at Fast Company. He recently wrote about Blink as part of his series that highlights “Outthinkers: Mavericks that Out Innovate the Competition” after interviewing Blink MD & Co-Founder, Peter H. Leiman and Blink Chief Information Officer & Director of Online Strategy, Jake Peters.
The post is embedded below or available here for you to read.
The World’s 18 Strangest Airports
Last month, Popular Mechanics compiled a list of the world’s 18 “strangest” airports.
While some airports made this list for having a golf course in between two large runways (Bangkok) or for the entire landmass of the airport being larger than an entire neighbouring country (Dammam), most of the airports on this list were chosen for having uniquely positioned short runways often near bodies of water.
Check out the pictures and embedded videos in the article and let us know in the comments below which airport is your favourite.
My favourite is the Juancho E. Yrausquin Airport airport on Saba in the Netherlands Antilles. Check out the video below to see why–watch until the very end to see just how short the runway is.
Fly to Padstow for a lunch at Rick Stein’s The Seafood Restaurant – £495 per person all inclusive
Blink is excited to add a new partner to our highly popular monthly lunch offer. For March, we’ve teamed up with Rick Stein and will fly you to The Seafood Restaurant in Padstow, Cornwall.
Since opening in 1975, The Seafood Restaurant has established an international reputation for imaginative cooking of the very freshest fish and shellfish.
Start at one of Blink’s London hubs (Farnborough, Luton or Blackbushe) and fly direct to Newquay Cornwall Airport (EGHQ/NQY). After landing, you will be taken by private roundtrip transfer to the restaurant. Travel from your office or home to the restaurant in as little as 90 minutes door-to-door!
Enjoy a leisurely multi-course lunch (see menu below) and, if you want, take time to explore the beautiful Cornish countryside before you return to London.
This package is priced at £495 per person (based upon four passengers traveling together plus VAT) and is available until Wednesday, 31 March, subject to availability.
The package includes:
- Flights to and from Newquay Cornwall Airport
- A round-trip car transfer between Newquay airport and The Seafood Restaurant
- Rick Stein’s popular tasting menu with wine
- Time on the ground to explore Cornwall
Contact Blink Flight Services to book this special offer.
March Fare Sale: Blink to the mountains for a stylish skiing weekend
The winter season is well under way and the Alps are enjoying great snow. Fly to Geneva with Blink, stay in one of the city’s leading hotels, Rocco Forte’s Le Richemond, and we’ll drive you up to the best of the powder in no time.
Fly from Blink’s London bases (Farnborough, Luton, or Blackbushe) direct to Geneva where you’ll spend the night at Rocco Forte’s Le Richemond hotel. The next morning, after a good night’s sleep, you will be driven up to Megève and provided with ski passes and ski equipment. After enjoying a great day on the slopes, return to the hotel where cookies and hot chocolate will be waiting in your room. Spend another night at Le Richemond, relax in the hotel’s spa the next day, and explore Geneva at your leisure. Blink will fly you home when you’re ready.
This package is priced from £2,999 per person (based upon four passengers travelling together) and is subject to availability.
The package includes:
- Return flights to Geneva, Switzerland from London
- Transfer to and from hotel
- Two nights at Le Richemond hotel (inclusive of breakfasts, welcome glass of champagne, cookies & hot chocolate in the room upon return from Megève, ski butler service, and one spa sports massage)
- Return transfer from Le Richmond to Megève
- Ski pass and equipment for the day
- Use of Le Richemond Spa
This offer is valid through 27th March 2010.
Contact Blink Flight Services directly to book and for any questions.
Why two Blink jets are better than one larger non-Blink jet
Over the past few weeks, I’ve had numerous conversations with clients and prospective clients who wanted to charter a Blink jet but needed to travel with 6 to 8 people. These clients lamented that Blink only flies a four-seat jet, the Cessna Citation Mustang.
Two jet math: four plus four equals eight
What most people don’t realise is that it is possible to charter two (or more) Blink jets to transport more than 4 people together. In fact, not only is it possible, but it’s also cheaper: the cost of flying a larger group in two Blink jets is typically less expensive than chartering one larger, 8-seat aircraft.
In addition to the cost advantages, there are also scheduling and productivity advantages. With two aircraft, the planes can depart or return at different times to accommodate different travellers’ schedules.
The Blink fleet flying together
A few examples of instances when Blink clients have taken multiple Blink jets for larger groups:
- A group of eight flew to a summer home in Mahon on two Blink aircraft down from London. Both aircraft left at the same time Friday afternoon with one aircraft returning on Sunday evening and the other on Monday afternoon.
- A property company regularly uses three Blink jets to fly from London to the Channel Islands for board meetings. Moving 12 directors to Guernsey is a scheduling challenge for the company, not to mention that the directors live on all sides of London. Blink enables the directors to use 3 aircraft that are conveniently located to the directors’ homes. One aircraft departs from Farnborough, one aircraft from Luton, and one aircraft from Biggin Hill. Reduced commuting times give the directors more productive time in Jersey for their business. Multiple Blink jets also enable the directors to comply with their corporate governance policy which restricts the number of directors who are able to travel together on a single aircraft.
- A construction and tooling firm took six passengers on two planes from London to Jerez, Spain. Originally the two planes were going to depart together on a Wednesday with one returing on Friday evening and the second on Saturday afternoon. Shortly before the scheduled departure, the passengers learned that they needed to take a piece of tooling with them. Instead of delaying all the passengers, the first aircraft departed while the second waited for the tooling to arrive. The first passengers were able to make their meeting and tooling arrived about an hour later.
Taking off with a larger group
I’ve outlined a few examples of the advantages that travelling together with multiple jets can provide. Blink Flight Services is available to discuss your travel needs and advise you on what makes most sense for your journey.
If you do have a specific need for a larger aircraft than a Blink jet, we are able to work with our network of approved partners to charter larger aircraft such as a Citation CJ2+, a Citation XLS+, a Learjet 40/45 XR or long-haul Gulfstreams.
Next time you have more than four people travelling, be sure to ask us about how Blink could help you be more productive.
Presentation to the Jersey Airport Taskforce
Today, I presented an overview of development in European business aviation to the Jersey Airport Taskforce. The Taskforce is comprised of leaders within the Jersey business community and serves as a mechanism to ensure that Jersey stays at the forefront of aviation related developments. Jersey is an important market for Blink.
In 2009, Blink flew 540 flights to/from Jersey (which doesn’t include our flights to/from Guernsey). In the presentation, I discussed the growth of business aviation in Europe compared to the United States, the development of the air-taxi model, and how our model brings low fares to more destinations across Europe from the Channel Islands. The Taskforce asked probing questions related to Blink’s variable pricing based upon peak/off-peak periods during the day.
Below is an abridged version of that presentation (click the links below to view fullscreen, download or print):
Blink Jet into London City (LCY/EGLC)
Blink jet G-FBKA recently flew into London City (LCY/EGLC), landing from the west and flying directly over Canary Wharf, before taking off again to the east. Thanks to Captain Martin Lewis for these photos.
Win a trip to Verbier – FT promotion in association with Blink
Blink has partnered with the Financial Times and Ski Verbier to offer an amazing Ski weekend in Verbier, Switzerland for up to four people. Register at www.ft.com/ski to win an all inclusive trip to Verbier. Travel in our of Blink jets and stay in one of Verbier’s most luxurious chalets.
You’ll stay in the chalet-style Hotel Mont Gelé – just metres from the piste and one of Verbier’s only genuine ski in/ski out properties, as well as an easy walk to the town centre’s excellent bars, restaurants and entertainments.
The prize includes
- Return flights, travelling in style on Blink – Europe’s air taxi service – from your nearest Blink airport
- Private transfers to and from Sion airport, just 50 minutes from Verbier
- 4 nights’ bed-and-breakfast with Ski Verbier – the leading chalet and hotel specialist – in the charming Hotel Mont Gelé, with afternoon tea and canapés included
- 4-day, full-area lift passes for your whole group
Remember, visit www.ft.com/ski to register to win!
Please note some important points from the full terms & conditions (available at www.ft.com/ski):
To enter the Prize Draw, Participants must collect 2 special Prize Draw entry codes – one entry code will be printed in each of the 13 February 2010, 20 February 2010 and 27 February 2010 editions of the FT newspaper. Participants must then go online to www.ft.com/ski and enter 2 entry codes, your name, email address and telephone number. Entry period is from 13 February 2010 – 5 March 2010.
Blink Jet in Samedan Time-lapse Video
Last week Blink had a trip to Samedan (SMV/LSZS) in Switzerland and the Flight Services Team were able to watch Capt. Martin Lewis and Capt. Andrew Collicott on the ground, getting fuel, and taking off again.
I made up a little time-lapse video which is now up on YouTube:
If you enjoy this, be sure to check out Blink’s other photos and videos.
Blink and you’ll be watching Six Nations Rugby
This weekend marks the start of the Six Nations Rugby over the next two months. Blink has organised a fantastic offer to all of the matches in Paris, Edinburgh, Cardiff, and Dublin. (See the match schedule here.)
Travel by Blink jet to any of the matches in these four cities and attend the match for as little as £799 per person. If you already have tickets to the match, then benefit from the flight for only £499 per person.
The package includes:
- A round trip flight from either London Farnborough or London Luton airports to Paris, Edinburgh, Cardiff, or Dublin (same day return)
- Ground transfers from airport to stadium
- Standard tickets to match (unless flight only option is selected)
Additional Offer: Upgrade your standard match tickets to a VIP ticket for only £250 extra per person.
Contact Blink Flight Services to learn more or book!
Note: Flights and tickets are on a first come first serve basis and always subject to availability. We encourage you to book early. This offer is valid through the end of the Six Nations Rugby on 20 March 2010.
-
Subscribe
Subscribe to the Blink Blog Feed (RSS)
