New Down-Route App revolutionises Hotel Bookings and Crew Expense Management for Business Aviation

An App that revolutionises crew expense management for aircraft operators, giving them precise and real time control over hotel bookings and other expenses, is being showcased during Europe’s premier business aviation show EBACE in Geneva next week by Private Jet Central (PJC). 

Down-Route.Com combines expense management with hotel bookings into a single App, enabling business aircraft operators to manage and monitor expenses incurred by crew as they travel around the globe.

It allows operations staff or crews to book hotels and services through the App and aircraft operators to receive real time reporting of expenditure and management reports.   Minimum standards and maximum price rates can be pre-set to meet a company’s operational criteria, giving companies control over expenses and saving staff time in searching multiple booking sites.  Thanks to Down-Route’s group buying power users also benefit from discounted room rates. 

The App is designed specifically for aviation businesses and their travelling crews and is the brainchild of PJC CEO Andy Hudson, who came up with the idea while networking with senior executives from a global hotel booking website last year.  Down-Route is now in the final stages of development ready to be launched this summer and is already attracting significant interest.

The project is also gaining support from many operators, who can see the benefits the App will bring to their own businesses, such as Danish operator Air Alsie.

Tom Carstensen, Sales Manager of Air Alsie commented, :“We have worked closely with Private Jet Central on other projects and were really interested to hear about the Down-Route App.  The idea of getting good rates for our hotel bookings and then linking straight in to an expenses management feature is something new and Air Alsie is looking forward to the launch of the App and being among the first to see the benefits to our business.”

As a web based account Down-Route requires no set up fee and is free to use with an unlimited number of users.  After the launch the App will be continuously developed with new features based on talking to users.  For operators a Journey Log is already planned and for crews add-ons in later versions will include Table booking, Theatre booking and “closed loop” crew chat and social media features, such as WhatsApp and other third party Apps.  

Down-Route adds a new dimension to the PJC Aviation Group. The London, Denver, Dubai and Singapore-based Charter, Management and Acquisitions Group has formed a new company with its own management team. They bring world-class experience from the web development and marketing worlds, the online booking market and Business Aviation. 

Andy Baker, formerly with Hangar8 and aircraft maintenance organisation EBAS has joined as Chief Operating Officer.

“I’m excited to be joining the Down-Route team.  With over 20 years in the aviation industry working in a wide variety of roles, it’s refreshing to take a new direction, especially with a project that’s a breath of fresh air in such a competitive market.”