A travel agent was left baffled after a woman phoned in to ask an unusual question about the price of the company's services.
Kolin, who works at Amalfi Private Jets, recorded the moment a bride-to-be asked whether chartering a private jet would be more economical than flying on a commercial airline.
"I was just looking to book a flight from L.A. to Nashville for a bachelorette party," the woman said in the phone conversation shared on the company's TikTok. "It'll be me and a few girlfriends—about 13 people. So, we were looking at flights [and they were] a little bit too expensive.
Highlights
- A bride-to-be asked if chartering a private jet would be cheaper than flying economy for 13 people.
- The travel agent informed her a private jet would cost about $80,000, much more expensive than the $5,200 American Airlines round trip.
- Private jet travel has seen a rise in the U.S., now comprising one in six flights managed by the FAA's air traffic controllers.
"I just wanted to get a quote from you and see what you guys had," she continued as Kolin looked perplexed at the other side of the line.
Image credits: notcapnamerica
"You said you were looking at commercial flights, and it was too expensive?" the worker asked. "So, you wanted to compare commercial to private to see if you could save some money?"
The bachelorette explained that a round-trip on American Airlines from L.A. to Nashville cost $400, which meant that the total for the 13 passengers would add up to $5,200.
The woman, who was planning a bachelorette trip with 12 friends, was looking for options that cost less than $5,200
Image credits: Pexels/Asad Photo Maldives
"For 12 people, we would need something like a Gulfstream GIV, or I'd probably recommend something like a GV. It will have a private flight attendant on board," offered the travel agent.
Then, Kolin went off to reveal the sky-high price of the exclusive travel experience.
"You're looking at about $80,000. So, 100% going to be more expensive than American Airlines economy."
"You're looking at about $80,000. So, 100% going to be more expensive than American Airlines economy," the travel agent informed the bride-to-be
Image credits: Pexels/rdne stock project
He then said he’d recommend another airline that would be cheaper than American Airlines. Though he didn't mention the name of said company during the recorded conversation, many interpreted it to be Spirit Airlines.
"Um, that's ok. I think we'll just go with your cheapest jet," the woman can be heard saying before the video ends.
Many people couldn’t understand the thought process behind the future bride’s logic. One person wrote, "I had no idea what the price was for a private jet. But when she said $5k was too much, I was like, 'It's gonna be 10x that.'"
"Event planner here. I have very similar conversations with people who don't understand the cost of an event planner versus planning your own event," another person shared.
Listen to the phone conversation below:
A third person chimed in: "I was expecting her to say her budget was 15k. 5k had my mind blown."
Then, others applauded the woman's persistence in finding a cheaper alternative for her all-girls trip, saying, "I admire her willingness to try."
"I deal with the clueless every damn day. I feel your pain," a separate person commented.
Private jet travel has surged in the United States over the last few years and now accounts for one in every six flights handled by the Federal Aviation Administration's air-traffic controllers, according to a report by Business Insider.
This form of air travel associated with the ultra-rich is heavily polluting. Elon Musk, the most active private flyer in the country in 2022, took one private jet flight about every other day that year, producing 2,112 tons of carbon dioxide emissions. That’s 132 times higher than the entire carbon footprint of an average individual in the United States.
"All her girls hyped her up in this idea. All told her it was a good idea to ask," an X user suggested
