An app by the name of JetSmarter puts a private jet in your pocket to take you anywhere in the world. Think of it like Uber - but for jets.
JetSmarter is the fastest growing jet company on the market and operates in a few unconventional ways. Like their service JetCharter where you can charter a jet to anywhere in the world from where you are. Or JetShuttle, where you can search for a flight that is already scheduled that may have a few extra seats you can reserve.
By paying a signup fee of $3,000 and an annual fee of $9,000 you can kiss those TSA checkpoints and boarding passes goodbye.
JetSmarter has recently raised $105 million from the Saudi Royal family and Jay Z, which values the company at $1.5 billion. Let's take a second and welcome JetSmarter into the Unicorn Club. Kim Kardashian mentioned she was obsessed with the service and Rick Ross even included the app in his lyrics.
All things that go up must come down. We learned that from the Universal Law of Gravity. Starting in 2016 members of the app began getting frustrated because the service kept on changing even though they already paid. A once free helicopter ride to the airport was no more. Free meals on the flights began to cost hundreds of dollars so in a Whatsapp group for the member's turbulence began (ha see what I did there). Members couldn't believe that what they had paid for was able to be changed on the fly (I'm on a roll) - without asking. One member even said “If I pay again and renew, I’m not guaranteed for what I paid? That’s wild.”
A former JetSmarter member signed up for the service in the fall of 2015. He travels all the time for business, and felt it “was a great deal.” But from the start, he was bothered by the ever-changing terms. “I’m one of those guys, if I spend the money for a membership, I don’t like the bait and switch.” As he considered whether or not to renew his membership, he joined a private chat room where JetSmarter members exchanged travel tips and coordinated around shared charter bookings. “I was bitching. Some members private messaged me saying they feel the same way,” he said with a laugh. “One of my buddies said, ‘Be careful in that chat room.’ I didn’t know what he was talking about.” When the member attempted to renew his membership he was denied without any explanation.
Members of JetSmarter believed there were employees in the private chat rooms that pretended to be clients and would just take notes and rat people out.
While JetSmarter sells the experience of chatting with the wealthy and famous many members are on the fence about renewing. Time will only tell how JetSmarter turns out.
So I want to know - if you had the extra cash is this something you would purchase? If not - why not?