FIFA World Cup draw sees flurry of charter enquiries

Posted on 1st December 2009

Jon Thompson

Air Charter Service has experienced a huge influx of requests for passenger charters following last Friday evening’s draw for next year’s FIFA World Cup in South Africa. Earlier this year ACS opened an office in Johannesburg as part of their expansion over what has been a good 2009 for the company, and it could not have come at a better time in the run up to the 2010 tournament.

Almost half a million football supporters are expected to travel to South Africa over the month long event and without sufficient scheduled aircraft capacity, the role of charters will be huge in the tournament’s logistical operation. In anticipation of this demand Air Charter Service is securing exclusive aircraft for the duration of the competition. Jon Thompson commented: “We have been receiving enquiries about next year for quite a while now, but since the draw the phones have been ringing off the hook”.

As well as the large commercial airliner charter demand ACS has also received an influx of private jet charter enquiries. Their contacts have already informed them that there are some airports that are planning on shutting down one runway to accommodate the extra aircraft, particularly for the executive jets which are expected. Having an office in South Africa is providing other valuable information such as this.

Leading up to the draw for the group stages last week, Air Charter Service had representatives at Soccerex in Johannesburg – the premier football business exhibition. Joining their ACS South Africa counterparts were representatives from ACS London, including Jon Thompson, Commercial Sales Director. Following the 3 day exhibition ACS staff attended the glitzy televised draw on Friday evening – there is no sporting event without any actual play that is more watched than the World Cup draw.

Air Charter Service has a wealth of experience in football chartering – earlier this year in May the company transported more than 3,500 Manchester United fans to the UEFA Champions’ League final in Rome, and flew the losing team back home. And last month ACS transferred the Brazil national team between friendly fixtures against England in Doha and Oman in Muscat.


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