Mobile Applications for Airline Industry

Having gained a foothold in Europe as a trusted jet charter service, PrivateFly wanted to extend their services to meet the needs of smartphone users worldwide. After experiencing success with their web application, they engaged QBurst to develop the PrivateFly mobile application.

We developed mobile applications for PrivateFly across popular platforms. The application helps users pinpoint the best private aircraft at the most competitive market price.

• iOS App

  The iOS app was developed in the Xcode environment. Core frameworks UIKit, Core Graphics, and Foundation was used to design the user interface, manage input/output, implement search, and create basic animations.

  We implemented location-based features, integrated maps, and utilized third-party frameworks and APIs to integrate additional features.

• Android App

  The Android version was developed in Eclipse environment using Android SDK by setting up Android Virtual Device (AVD). Android SDK provides packages such as Android View and Android Animation to implement all basic functionalities. Additionally, we integrated location-based features and maps.

The app emulates the major functionalities offered by the PrivateFly website.

• Flight Search
  • App users can view a list of available private charter flights by selecting airport for departure/arrival and day of travel.
  • The application displays the image and base price of each flight.
  • Travelers receive quotes from multiple aircraft operators.
• Nearby Airports
  • The app detects the current location of the traveler and displays airports within a 50-km radius in map view.
  • Option to select nearby airports from the list and choose actions such as Fly From/Fly To/Set as Favorite Aircraft/Set as Home Airport.
• Aircraft Fleet
  • The app displays pictures of planes from the client’s network of partners.
  • Travelers can view pictures of private jets.
  • The app categorizes aircraft based on type and size.
• Jet Me Home
  • Travelers can assign an airport as their home airport.
  • When away from home, this feature provides details of private flights that can get travelers home immediately.
  • The app displays contact numbers and email addresses of customer care representatives available round-the-clock.
• Empty Legs
  • User can search for empty legs (one-way flights offered at up to 75% discount)
  • Search by airport name (A-Z) or by nearby airports.
• Booked Flights
  • The app offers a secure login area for existing clients.
  • They can view their flight information such as itineraries and crew contact details.
  • Clients can make changes such as adding passport information and new passengers.

• iPhone SDK
• Android SDK
• SQLite
• Objective C
• Java

Following the release of the app, frequent flyers have been able to book private jets on-the-go, saving time and money in the process.

The company has been featured by BBC, CNN, Daily Telegraph as well as luxury travel magazines such as Fly Corporate and Affluent Page. PrivateFly has been recognized and awarded for innovative use of technology in the private jet charter industry.

The mobile application simplified the booking process and has been downloaded over 100,000 times since launch. App users now account for over 10% of PrivateFly’s flight revenue. The biggest ever flight booked via the app was a $500,000 multi-leg flight from the Middle East to Europe in 2013.