Pilot and entrepreneur Karel Průša has turned his passion for flying into an ambitious project. His company, Elio Jet, offers private flights across Europe, Africa and Asia, building on a combination of complete flexibility, impeccable service and discretion. To find out about business at an altitude of ten kilometres, about the details that make for a perfect flight, and about why an aeroplane must almost constantly remain in the air, we spoke to the man who runs it – both in the cockpit and at the company.
🖊 Ivana Bednářová | Jadran Šetlík, Adam Kolerus
What aircraft do you use, and which destinations do you focus on?
Today, the backbone of our fleet consists of the Embraer Phenom 300E – an aircraft with a range of approximately 3,500 kilometres, which is ideally suited to our main routes across Europe. The average age of the aircraft in our fleet is one year. We most frequently fly on the London–Cyprus–Egypt route, as well as to the Maghreb countries – that is, North Africa, including Morocco – and also to the Canary Islands. Our current strategy is to focus on the ‘super light jet’ category – that is, aircraft with a range of around 3,500 kilometres for approximately eight passengers. They represent a highly effective form of ‘smart flying’ – in terms of value for money, they are the ideal solution, even though we are still in the premium segment.
How do prices vary, so we can get an idea of how much a trip to Cyprus costs, give or take?
The price of a one-way flight for eight people starts at 15,000 euros. It always depends on the length of the flight or the clients’ specific requirements. Flying in the super-light jet category is becoming increasingly accessible. Especially since the pandemic, people have realised that private flying is not as out of reach as it once seemed. More and more customers are treating themselves to two flights a year, for example – and we believe this trend will continue to grow. The potential of the Czech market is truly vast in this respect. The Czech Republic is already a relatively strong player in the region – there are around 80 business jets registered in the country.
How many aircraft do you currently have at your disposal, and where do you see the problems?
We currently have four aircraft and plan to expand our fleet by two more next year. In general, however, the aviation industry is currently severely constrained by a lack of capacity – there is a shortage of qualified personnel across the sector, from pilots and cabin crew to technicians and air traffic controllers. There are also problems on the manufacturers’ side, where there are delays in deliveries. At the same time, however, we know how cautiously we need to approach this – there were massive redundancies during the pandemic, and the subsequent return to full operations proved very difficult, as many people did not return to the sector. The staff shortage in the aviation industry therefore remains a pressing issue.
As well as operating your own flights, you also want to focus on aircraft management. What exactly does that mean?
This is a service for clients who own an aircraft but do not wish to manage its operation. We provide them with a comprehensive management service – from crew and maintenance to flight planning. This means the client can rest assured that whenever they need to fly from A to B, we will take care of everything for them and the aircraft will be fully at their disposal. It is a comprehensive service that is difficult to grasp at first glance, but at the same time offers great potential and is widely used abroad.
Have you always wanted to be a pilot, or were you drawn to other careers as well? What do you enjoy about this job?
Ever since I was a child, I wanted to be a pilot and, in the end, I decided to fly business jets. It’s a very interesting sector with varied traffic and fascinating destinations. We often don’t even know where we’re going this afternoon. Sometimes we’re at the hotel, out for a walk or having lunch, when suddenly the phone rings: “Get ready, you’re off to London”. At the start of my career, that seemed almost unimaginable to me. We must be ready at any time and in almost any weather, naturally within the framework of strictly enforced rest and safety regulations.
What is your typical client like?
If I were to describe a typical Czech client, they would usually be an entrepreneur or manager aged 40 or over, with an interesting profession, who treats themselves and their family to a trip once or twice a year – a real experience. Our business is, after all, primarily based on emotions. People don’t just expect us to take them from A to B; they expect a unique experience, something ‘extra’ that will stay with them. Absolute discretion is at the same time of the utmost importance to our clients, and this is something we pride ourselves on and adhere to strictly.
How do people find you?
In our sector, business relies heavily on B2B collaboration – we work with brokers who have direct contact with clients. Of course, we also try to attract B2C clients, which is considerably more challenging, as they tend to be conservative. The problem with B2B collaboration is that the broker often does not have full control over the product and the quality of service that the client expects. Personally, I need to have complete control over the product – I need to know who my client is and what their expectations are, so that I can ensure that the delivered services are exactly as promised. The audience is always key, and the details must not be underestimated.
What makes your flights special?
I always tell those I train on our product that in business, and particularly in ours, there is one crucial sense: sight. The client observes and notices every detail. The devil is in the details, and everything has to work together. The entire process, from start to finish, must run smoothly – from acquisition and business communications with the client and the broker, through flight preparation and catering, right through to the aircraft, the crew and the staff’s attitude.
I’ve also read that you have your own perfume developed for your clients on board.
Yes, the sense of smell has the longest memory of all the senses. We remember scents and smells for the rest of our lives, and we always associate them with emotions. When you catch a certain scent – whether it’s from your childhood or your partner’s scent – you’ll immediately be reminded of something. That is why we decided that our planes must have their own distinctive scent. What’s more, the customer receives it as a gift to take home, and it doesn’t matter at all where they put the perfume – in the living room or the bathroom. The important thing is that when they smell that scent, it will trigger a memory and an emotion associated with our flight.
So how would you describe your role – are you more of a manager, a mentor or a pilot?
I see myself most as a mentor, a visionary and a manager. Flying has taken a back seat for me these days, which is a natural progression. Flying is wonderful, but I don’t mind if I don’t fly for a few weeks. I have more time to spend with the children, focus on the business and work on my own projects. These days, I have to spend more time communicating directly with my colleagues and running the company than actually flying myself. It’s simply a natural progression for me – experience and strategic work are now more valuable to me than the flights themselves.
Do you have any personal dreams related to your work?
My ambition is a bit higher than that – when I retire, I’d like to be able to look back and say that I’ve left something good behind. I’d like to leave behind, say, 50 aircraft in operation and 200 pilots who will say: “Great, thanks for giving us a job that we both enjoy and pays the bills”.
