- Private charter company Freedom II is the latest operator of a VIP Boeing 757-200 jet.
- The aircraft has a large payload and several living spaces, including a bedroom and dining room.
- Managing company ACC Aviation hopes the jet will lure large tour groups and sports teams.
Private aviation has been booming since the pandemic.
I flew on Honda's $5 million private jet that seats 4 — see inside Volato's HondaJet
Health concerns — coupled with the ongoing summer chaos that has seen thousands of flight cancelations and hundreds of bags lost — has prompted people to switch to private aviation.
A passenger bought an airline ticket just to look for his lost luggage at Dublin Airport
NetJets and VistaJet, which are two of the world's biggest private charter companies, have both seen increased demand for private flights.
VistaJet US president Leona Qi told Insider that it has reported a 29% increase in passengers over the last year — 71% of that are people who switched from commercial flying.
Meanwhile, NetJets told Insider it has recorded a 72% increase in business since the pandemic.
With private charters on the rise, companies are eager to get more VIP options available for deep-pocket customers, like a converted VIP Boeing 767…
…and a converted VIP Boeing 747-8i, which is the world's largest private jet.
Another luxury jet available is an all-VIP Boeing 757-200 operated by private charter company Freedom II — take a look.
Source: ACC Aviation
Having first entered service in 1999 with bankrupt low-cost charter carrier ATA Airlines (American Trans Air), the converted Boeing 757 served Russia's defunct Air Bashkortostan before becoming a VIP private jet in 2008 with Greek operator GainJet Aviation.
Source: Planespotters
The 62-seater plane was registered to Freedom II in December 2021.
The jet "bridges the gap between private charter and scheduled services," according to ACC Aviation, which manages and markets the jet in partnership with charter broker Perigean Aviation.
Source: ACC Aviation
The aircraft has a large 10-tonne payload, which is good for large parties needing extra cargo space, like orchestras, sports teams, or tour groups.
Source: ACC Aviation
With a range of 4,500 nautical miles, the plane can fly up to 9.5 hours. Onboard, passengers will find several living spaces and amenities, including a bedroom…
Source: ACC Aviation
...an ensuite bathroom...
Source: ACC Aviation
…several dining tables…
Source: ACC Aviation
…and large leather seats with a 140-degree recline, a legrest, and 52 inches of pitch.
Source: ACC Aviation
The front of the plane has four sets of loungers facing each other in a 2x2 configuration. These convert into the dining spaces.
Source: GainJet Aviation
The bedroom and ensuite bathroom sit in the middle of the plane...
Source: GainJet Aviation
...while several rows of regular seats fill up the back. There are three lavatories in this section as well.
Source: GainJet Aviation
The cabin also features mood lighting.
Source: ACC Aviation
"The Freedom II 757 represents an ideal platform for our customers including safety, comfort and service with the benefit of international range," Perigean Aviation president Richard Page said. "This, coupled with ACC's experienced worldwide team brings a most unique and efficient pairing of benefits for our customers."
Source: ACC Aviation
Before joining the Freedom II fleet, the aircraft already flew class A celebrities and sports teams, like Lady Gaga, England's Liverpool Football Club, and the US Women's National Soccer team.
Source: ACC Aviation
According to ACC Aviation, the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Doha, Qatar, is drawing a lot of sports and support teams to the city, and the aircraft will "provide much-needed capacity."
Source: ACC Aviation
Qatar Airways CEO Akbar Al Baker, whose airline is sponsoring the World Cup, told Insider in an interview at the Farnborough International Airshow that the event is drawing a lot of demand to the city.
He explained that Qatar is unable to handle all the demand and has called on partner airlines to help out. ACC Aviation hopes to fill that gap with the VIP Boeing 757.
The juiciest match-ups in the opening round of the 2022 FIFA World Cup in Qatar
"We see immediate opportunities for the upcoming autumn season, including touring programs, substantial MICE (Meetings, Incentives, Conferences and Exhibitions) travel, and the World Cup in Qatar," ACC Aviation's director charter, Richard Smith, said.
According to ACC Aviation, the plane is available for "ad hoc and program charter flying" and can operate "seamlessly" between Europe, the Middle East, Africa, Asia, and the Americas.
Freedom II's Boeing 757 is not the only luxury aircraft of its kind. Also flying is a converted Boeing 757-200 operated by Spanish private charter airline Privileged Style that features 88 business-class seats...
...the Mexican Air Force's VIP transport Boeing 757-200...
...and the US Air Force's Boeing Boeing C-32 VIP transport aircraft that is known as "Air Force 2" and carries US vice presidents such as current Vice President Kamala Harris. The C-32 is a special model of the Boeing 757-200 that features a stateroom and conference rooms.
Source: United States Air Force, The Aviationist
ncG1vNJzZmivp6x7o8HSoqWeq6Oeu7S1w56pZ5ufony0scRmoKermZmybsLIqWSbp5Weu6h5lm5uZqiinsOiwMRmoZ6sXZeypb7OqKRmnJmjtq%2BzjKumqKVdZ31zfoxw