Portugal Immigration focuses on life in Portugal: Do you own a private jet and want to share the costs? The Portuguese company Skyuber has developed a mobile application that allows private jet pilots to find passengers heading to the same destination to share expenses.
According to a report by BBC, although there are other companies in the market such as JetSmarter and Ubair that offer luxury private jet and travel services at lower prices, their primary clientele remains affluent individuals. Skyuber targets travelers needing short-haul flights or those wishing to experience flying in a small aircraft and sitting next to the pilot.
The founders of Skyuber are Carlos Oliveira and João Paulo Girbal. The 38-year-old entrepreneur Oliveira previously sold his founded company to Microsoft. Girbal, a former manager at Microsoft, now runs a pilot training school. The name Skyuber is reminiscent of the private ride-hailing service Uber, but the two companies are not related. The company reports that approximately 1,400 pilots and 7,000 passengers have registered for its services.
In other countries, many companies aspire to become the "airborne version of Uber", but strict government regulations have made it difficult for most companies to succeed. Skyuber seems to have addressed this issue, but private jet pilots using its services must assume responsibility for the safety and insurance of both passengers and themselves. Passengers are required to provide a flight license and health certificate to Skyuber pilots. They may also request to review the aircraft's legal documents. However, compliance with all safety and aviation regulations, as well as how a particular flight should be conducted, is left to the discretion of the private jet pilot.
For passengers, using Skyuber to book a flight may save a significant amount on ticket costs, but there are still other expenses. Skyuber charges passengers 20% (plus tax) of the fee they pay to the pilot. The aircraft operated by Skyuber pilots may be located at remote small airports, and passengers may need to find alternative transportation or spend more on travel to reach them. Passengers of Skyuber also have limited options for booking return flights. Those flying in small aircraft should be prepared for a bumpier ride, higher noise levels, and potentially no air conditioning. For the safety of the pilot, Skyuber allows the pilot to decide at the last moment whether to provide service to the passenger. If the pilot declines to provide service, no charge will be incurred.