A new luxury travel brand, THE SIX, is launching private aircraft experiences from Manchester Airport, allowing passengers to book individual seats on a private plane for one-day trips to premium European destinations. The first journey, to the Champagne region in France, is scheduled to depart in 2027.
Seats instead of chartering
Guests can book either two, four or six seats on a private aircraft, removing the need to charter an entire plane. The option exists for all six seats to be booked by a private group. Every aspect of the journey is curated, including flights, transfers, dining and experiences at the destination.
Tickets are priced at £3,495 per person. This includes private flights, chauffeured transfers, a Champagne house tour and tastings, lunch and Champagne before departure.
Five-star experience from Signature terminal
Flights depart from Manchester Airport's private terminal, Signature, an experience usually exclusive to celebrities, wealthy business owners and sports stars. Guests will fly on a Pilatus PC-12, arriving in France around 90 minutes later. They will then be chauffeured to a leading Champagne house for a privately guided tour and cellar tastings, followed by lunch before returning to Manchester that evening.
THE SIX is a new travel brand founded by Duncan Falconer, who began his career in hospitality at The Chester Grosvenor Hotel before moving into aviation. He now works as a commercial pilot flying Boeing 787s for a UK airline. He came up with the concept of allowing guests to book individual places rather than charter an entire aircraft, offering greater flexibility.
More journeys planned
Further journeys are in the pipeline, including a trip to the Isle of Islay for golf and whisky, Paris for Valentine's Day, Saint-Tropez during the summer and Ibiza. Bespoke journeys will also be available for private groups celebrating occasions such as milestone birthdays, anniversaries or corporate rewards.
Duncan said: “Through my career in aviation, I kept coming back to the same question: why does experiencing private air travel have to mean chartering an entire aircraft? The idea for THE SIX came from seeing how much private aviation can change the experience of a short trip.”
He added: “We wanted to create a way for guests to book a place on the aircraft, while we take care of every detail around the journey, creating an unforgettable experience from the moment they arrive at the private terminal to the time they return home.”
The brand chose Manchester as its launch base to give travellers across the North direct access to the service without having to travel to London first. THE SIX is backed by investor Jason Bligh, who first met Duncan more than 20 years ago when they worked together at The Chester Grosvenor and has since built a career across hospitality and business ventures.
He added: “There is a strong luxury market across Manchester, Cheshire and the wider North, but a significant amount of premium travel still centres on London.”
“THE SIX gives us the opportunity to create something from Manchester that combines Duncan’s aviation experience with a strong hospitality-led approach. The flight is an important part of the experience, but so is everything that happens around it.”
THE SIX will also look at weekend and multi-night trips, with selected departures from Liverpool, Chester Hawarden, London Biggin Hill and Birmingham planned. Future passengers are invited to register their interest via the brand’s website, where they will join a waiting list receiving priority access to the first 2027 departures ahead of general release.
