Blog > Topic: 'Destinations'

Destinations

25 June 2010

Postcard – Tunis, Tunisia

Blink’s first flight to Tunisia – Sat 12 June 2010

 

Captain Dave Stoddart and First Officer Lee Barringer piloted Blink’s first flight to Tunisia.  They sent this postcard upon arrival in Ibiza.

We departed Geneva late morning with a planned flight time just under 2 hours and good weather forecast for the whole journey. Our route took us over the Alps and the Cote d’Azur, passing down the west coast of Corsica then down the length of Sardinia, overflying Cagliari and finally on towards the coastline of Tunisia.

It was a fairly typical hazy north African day but we had excellent views of some large resort hotels to the north of Tunis as we made our descent towards the airport about 30 miles further south. The runway in use for landing required us to fly over the top of the airport and then turn back and land towards the north. Air traffic control was as good as anywhere in Europe and the airport itself is well equipped with two long runways. Although neither of us had been to Tunis before, all the procedures for our approach and landing were as one would expect of modern airport. After landing, we were guided around to the general aviation terminal and promptly met by our handling agents, who then supplied us with fuel for the following day’s flight.

Although we only had a brief night in Tunis, the impression is of a relaxed and easygoing culture with a hint of its colonial French past. Most people we engaged with spoke good English and were very friendly. Tunisia in general seems fairly westernised and has a large established tourist industry spread over several resort areas, each of which is served by a modern airport. These include the island of Djerba in the south, Sfax and Monastir on the central east coast and brand new airport at Sousse about 200 km south of Tunis.

We departed the following morning for Ibiza, which took us west along the north coast of Algeria for about an hour before turning towards the Balearics.

Again, we had an enjoyable flight and the views from the Mustang at 40000 feet were superb.

Fly direct with Blink

Our seasonal bases open up even more destinations that we have yet to fly to.  Whether you want to explore North Africa (Tunisia, Algeria, Morocco) or island hop between Corfu, Mykonos, and Cyprus, Blink can fly you there direct.  Search all our airports by visiting www.flyblink.com/airports.

Book now

Book online: www.flyblink.com/book.  If you’d like to discuss your itinerary in more detail, email Blink Flight Services at blink@flyblink.com or phone them at +44 (0)20 7199 1400.

03 June 2010

Blink summer bases – an expanded network

A pan-European network of bases from London to Sardinia

We’re going to make the most of the sunshine by opening new bases for the summer season.

From June until October, Blink aircraft and crew will be regularly based across 7 bases

Customers will be able to fly at the shortest notice directly from these locations. And with our planes there, ready and waiting, our prices will get even better value, as we’ll not have to position any resources from our nearest permanent base in Geneva.

What’s more, our seasonal bases will bring many new non-stop Blink destinations into our network, adding to the 600 we already cover across Western and Northern Europe. Fly non-stop, for example, from Nice to Athens, Thessaloniki or Bucharest, or from Ibiza non-stop to Casablanca and Marrakesh.

Look out for our monthly fare promotions to qualify for the best deals.  If we’ve got a plane on the ground, we should be ready to go within 2 hours of your call.

01 June 2010

A long hot summer

Discover your passions

We’re fingers crossed that England gets some sunshine this summer – not least so that we get blue skies at Blackbushe, our aircraft operating headquarters and primary UK base, just down the M3 from London.  But even if the UK gets another wash-out, you can be sure of finding hot weather somewhere in Europe – even last week it was 30 degrees plus in the shade in Greece, Portugal and Spain. And Blink plans to get you there and to many other hot spots the next few months, with a seasonal programme of great fares to more than 200 summer airports.

Blink’s summer bases

Our fleet of 7 mustangs is already busy at work helping customers get the summer breaks to which they’ve been looking forward since last September. Whether it’s a weekend city break, a day at the seaside, a glamorous wedding or the first of long lazy days at the villa, Blink is delighted to get your summer started.

Escape with Blink

Every month, we’ll be advertising special promotional fares, some to everybody’s favourite hot spots, others to more exotic destinations off the beaten path. From our bases in London and Geneva, Blink and we’ll get you anywhere from Malaga to Malta, Dubrovnik to Stockholm.

28 May 2010
Posted in: Destinations

Airport in Focus: Jersey

Elizabeth Castle, Jersey, Channel Islands, UK. Seen from the sea at high tide.

The home of legendary TV detective Bergerac, the bailiwick of Jersey is an island with more than 1,000 years of history, a possession of the British crown but independent from the United Kingdom. 118 square miles, with a population of 88,000, Jersey has a GDP of more than £40,000 per head. As a tax haven less than 300 miles from London and Paris, it hosts a flourishing industry of fiduciary and trust experts. For them and their clients, air transportation links between the island and the major cities of Europe are essential. Yet it remains relatively poorly connected.

Poor air connections

Geneva, for example has just two flights a week to Jersey and Guernsey, and the return trips are often routed via Zurich. A day trip is almost impossible to make, and for busy financiers, a 3 day investment is a major disincentive to go at all. For that reason, the Channel Islands have a high density of jet owners.

Fly direct with Blink

But even flying privately, access is problematic; the islands are frequently fog-bound and the wet weather restrictions are severe for larger jet aircraft. Small aircraft with superior short runway performance have best access, though pilots still require specific certification.

Blink has both – which is why one of our 3 permanant European bases for our Cessna Mustang fleet is located right here in the islands.

Book now

Contact Blink Flight Services to book your next flight direct into Jersey .  Email them at blink@flyblink.com or phone them at +44 (0)20 7199 1400.

10 May 2010

Airport focus: In and out of Lugano

Known as the ‘Monte Carlo of Switzerland’, Lugano is located in the south of Switzerland and on the border with Italy. The city is situated on its own lake and lies between the legendary Lake Maggiore and Lake Como. In short, Lugano is the gateway to Europe’s most beautiful and glamourous lake-side destinations, from Bellagio to Villa d’Este, from Varenna to Isola Bella. A popular retreat for aristocrats and celebrities since Roman times, the lakes provide the most exclusive of romantic getaways. The only issue is how to get there without getting caught up in the crowd.

Fly direct with Blink

You could take a commercial airline to Milan and drive there…if you’re willing to put up with the airport scrum, the frequently delayed schedules, the potential lost bags, and then the 2 hour drive, traffic permitting. Or fly right there to Lugano, on one of the few jets capable of accesssing the city’s mountain-enclosed airport – Blink’s Mustang. Our aircraft’s best-in-class runway performance, and our captains’ superior training, can get a full complement of 4 passengers and luggage in and out all year long. A couple of hours from London, an hour from Paris, less from Geneva, and we’ll bring you here to explore more.

Book now

Contact Blink Flight Services to book your next flight direct into Lugano.  Email them at blink@flyblink.com or phone them at +44 (0)20 7199 1400.

27 April 2010

Flight of the month – April 2010

Beginning this month, we will begin to highlight some of the creative trips and unconventional ways which Blink clients use Blink that would otherwise not be possible on a commercial airline or on larger jets.

A day at the races – the Grand National

The Grand National is England’s most prestigious horse race and one of the worlds greatest sporting spectacles. Each year, 40 horses line-up to tackle the awesome Aintree course. Four & half miles, with 30 fence jumps, the Grand National is arguably the toughest test of horse and jockey in the world.

Blink and you’re there

Blink took four racing enthusiasts and friends from three diverse points of the UK and reunited them for a fabulous day out at the races. This is how we got them there and back:

09:00 – Blink’s organised car service picks up customer number 1 directly from his front door in Jersey and whisks him to St Helier for an early take-off.

09:45 – Travelling at an average speed of 270 knots and cruising at an altitude of 25,000ft, Blink’s Mustang swoops into Blackbushe airport (London’s lowest cost airport). Blink customer number 2, who arrived 5 minutes earlier, parked her car and walked less than 50 yards to join her friend on board.

10:30 – It’s just a short hop westwards to pick up customer number 3 and 4  in Bristol. They’ve come to meet the plane at Bristol Filton, avoiding the rush at Bristol International.

11:15 – Half an hour later, the Blink flight lands just 4 miles from Aintree, at RAF Woodvale (bypassing the traffic at Liverpool International). Another car (organised by Blink) is waiting at the door of the aircraft and whisks our guests to the course by 11:30, betting catalogues at the ready.

17:00 – The Blink organised limousine meets our 4 customers, tired but contented after the big race and much socialising, and takes them to their waiting Blink jet.

17:30 – The Blink jet is airborne en route to their final stop of the day.

18:15 – Our guests disembark at London City Airport, London’s best airport for quick access to central London, en route to a special restaurant for dinner.

Please contact Blink Flight Services at blink@flyblink.com or +44 (0)20 7199 1400 to discuss your difficult itinerary or use the Blink online airport locator to find the ideal airports for your next journey.

24 April 2010

You’ve asked for it and it’s coming….

I thought I’d give you a sneak peak of some of the exciting changes which we will introduce over the coming weeks. Since Blink launched, our core values of simplicity, innovation, and value-for-money have guided how we are differentiating ourself from our competitors.  These new developments continue to reinforce our position as Europe’s air taxi service.

Website

We are introducing new functionality and features which we think you’ll find very useful.

  • Online pricing and booking: you will finally be able to price your trips online and make a booking
  • Last minute fare sales: we will be introducing new last minute “flash” fare sales which will enable to you take advantage of extraordinary deals on last minute trips

Summer bases

Beginning in mid-May, we will open our seasonal summer bases across the Mediterranean.

We look forward to welcoming you onboard Blink in the near future.  Visit our website regularly for the latest updates.

18 March 2010

Blink rather than BA strike

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Update: This special offer has expired
Click to view Blink’s current fare sales and special offers
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British Airways is back on strike this month – 7 days scheduled to disrupt travel right before the busy Easter period. But don’t let them interrupt your work or ruin your holidays.

BA’s short-haul UK and European flights will be the most affected by the strike, making it difficult for business travellers to reach important meetings on-time and leisure travellers to enjoy their full holidays.

Blink can get you safely, comfortably and reliably to destinations across Europe. Over 600 airfields are accessible to our fleet of air taxis, each one of which can carry up to 4 passengers and bags for trips up to 3 hours. Most importantly, Blink offers all the convenience of a private jet without the same price tag.

To help busy travellers and holiday makers find an alternative to BA, during the strike Blink will offer its lowest fares (normally requiring 21 days advance purchase) to all its European destinations.

This means you can take a Blink taxi for a price closer to standard business class than traditional private jet: for example, assuming 4 passengers on the aircraft, round trip per seat fares from London to Paris and Dublin for £700, to Milan from £1,413, to Cannes from £1,475, and to Salzburg for £1,525.

Contact Blink Flight Services directly to book and for any questions. Blink Flight Services is available to advise you on your options should you be affected by the strike or simply want to understand your alternatives just in case.

02 December 2009

Blink now flies to Lugano, Toussus-Le-Noble (Paris), and St. Tropez – La Môle

lamole

Blink is pleased to announce the addition of Lugano, Toussus-Le-Noble (Paris), and St. Tropez – La Môle to our destination network.

  • Lugano (LSZA/LUG) offers convenient access to the south of Switzerland and the northern, Lake Como region of Italy.
  • Toussus-Le-Noble (LFPN/TNF), located on the Southwest side of Paris, is 20 minutes from central Paris and benefits from Paris’ lowest landing fees.
  • St. Tropez – La Môle (LFTZ/LTT) offers unrivaled access to the South of France. Blink is among one of the few operators that can operate commercially into La Môle.

These airports are important additions to the Blink Destination Network, including over 600 destinations across Europe and the recent addition of London City (LCY) last month.

Please contact Blink Flight Services at blink@flyblink.com or +44 (0)20 7199 1400 to discuss these airports or use the Blink online airport locator to find the ideal airport for your next journey.

30 November 2009

Blink to Europe’s best Christmas Markets in France, Germany, Austria and Slovenia

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Update: This special offer has expired
Click to view Blink’s current fare sales and special offers
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christmasmarket

The cold, dark days of December are brought alive by the many Christmas markets around Europe.  While work holiday parties and end of year business keep you busy at home, why not take advantage of our special offer to sneak away for a night to enjoy, shop or indulge in one of these Christmas Markets:

Blink is offering special overnight fares during the month of December 2009, allowing you to visit one of these markets, stay a night, and return home with your purchases in tow and a belly full of market treats.  Fares below include all fees and are for a day-return or 1-night stay round-trip.

Fares from London Farnborough (FAB)
Nürnberg (EDDN/NUE) £6,649
Maastricht (EHBK/MST) £4,599
Dresden (EDDC/DRS) £7,049
Strasbourg (LFST/SXB) £5,849
Colmar (LFGA/CMR) £5,899
Salzburg (LOWS/SZG) £6,999
Fares from Guernsey (GCI)
Nürnberg (EDDN/NUE) £6,649
Maastricht (EHBK/MST) £5,149
Dresden (EDDC/DRS) £7,249
Strasbourg (LFST/SXB) £5,649
Colmar (LFGA/CMR) £5,649
Salzburg (LOWS/SZG) £7,199
Fares from Geneva (GVA)
Nürnberg (EDDN/NUE) €5,799
Maastricht (EHBK/MST) €5,499
Dresden (EDDC/DRS) €7,099
Strasbourg (LFST/SXB) €4,149
Colmar (LFGA/CMR) €3,799
Ljubljana (LJLJ/LJU) €6,299
Salzburg (LOWS/SZG) €6,099

These fares are valid for travel between Dec 1 and Dec 31, 2009, although be sure to check the specific schedule for each market as some are not open throughout all of December 2009.

Contact us to book.