How do you value your time?
Your time is the most valuable commodity you have. So why are we OK with wasting it so often?
Let’s say that you’ve booked a commercial flight to go away for the weekend. Here’s your itinerary:
– Leave ‘on time’ – In a rush
– 1 hour to airport – Pray traffic is good
– 2 hours queuing at security
– Waiting to board
– Flight delay
– Finally, on board, not much leg room
– Take-off and landing (The actual bit you’ve paid for)
– Waiting to get off the plane
– Waiting for luggage
– Waiting for transfer
There’s a day gone. And without going into lost luggage, screaming children, expensive poor food, etc…
Flight time isn’t the bulk of the time wasted spent travelling. Cutting out the front end and back end hassle could reduce your wasted day to a short morning. That way you can arrive in time for lunch, not still being x-rayed in Crawley or Hounslow…
Don’t wince, but I’m about to drop the C-bomb. That’s right, Christmas is around the corner.
Preparation for Christmas of course means getting your shopping done for family and friends.
You could play out the same old painful experience in your local shopping centre. Or Oxford street with the thronging masses piling in and out of department stores. How about a busy outlet village? No thanks.
It would be so much more exciting to skip the tired local shopping malls in favour of visiting somewhere new. Somewhere with different culture and options. Why not one of the many charming continental Christmas markets. With so much choice so close what prevents a trip to Strasbourg, Colmar, Montbeliard… The English Channel is a minor obstacle for some.
It’s understandable if you’re put off by the hassle of travel.
– Airport security
– Buying too many presents so need hold luggage
– Delayed flights
– Budget airline vs slightly more legroom.
Now, there could be a solution here.
Picture this. You drive down to your local airfield, stroll over to the private plane sat waiting for you, hop on and go.
No security, baggage allowance, queues.
No taking off your shoes and belt, fumbling loose change in and out of pockets. Think of all the pain points of flying and watch them all float away in the few minutes from your leaving your car to taking to the skies.
Unlike arriving 2 hours early for a commercial flight, where you must play by their rules. When you’ve hired your own plane for your trip you aren’t tied by any schedules other than your own. Want to stay another day? How about Take a trip cross country to a different market for a different feel? How about fresh seafood for lunch? There is an unparalleled level of flexibility, ease and comfort to enjoy.
Great, Christmas shopping is all done. We’ve got bags everywhere, way too much for any overhead compartment. Are we wasting another day with a horrible journey with the bonus of more things to carry?
Oh wait, the airfield isn’t far, the car is in view of the landing strip. You could be home before you would have even boarded a commercial flight.
Sure, you might miss out on 3 Toblerone’s for a tenner. But a good use of your time the best value for money you can get.
Christmas present to yourself? Time.