Written by Mary Lowry
If you’re a parent, you probably welcome the holiday and winter travel season with a mix of excitement and anxiety. Getting away is a great way to unwind, take a break from work, and share new experiences and locations together as a family. But since leaving the house on a regular day takes at least 20 minutes longer than you think it will, it’s no surprise that the travel experience when children are involved is often laborious and stressful; keeping everyone on time, organized, and meltdown-free, dealing with transportation and airport security, not to mention the looks of dread from fellow passengers when you and your brood board the flight. For a vacation it can often feel anything but relaxing.
Flying private is the perfect solution to family travel woes. No more dealing with airport parking or long check-in lines. No more corralling the kids through TSA, Dad laden with bags while Mom makes sure everyone’s devices and liquids are in their own containers. Flying privately allows you to skip all the stress and get straight to the vacation.
Tony Marlow, President of Aviation Operations & Business Development for Castle & Cooke, a private aviation fixed base operator (FBO) with terminals in Van Nuys, CA, Honolulu, HI, and Everett, WA, extolls the benefits of flying private, “the convenience and comfort is really unparalleled.” At Castle & Cooke locations, passengers can “literally drive up to the plane without needing to wait around a busy terminal or deal with the hassle of TSA.”
For families traveling together, who may need to wait at their facilities, the experience is more akin to a Four Seasons rather than an airport terminal, offering a luxurious, country club-like environment, with rich furnishings and décor, and even a view of the ocean and Diamond Head from their Honolulu location. “It sets the tone for your vacation right from the start.”
When traveling the popular route from Los Angeles to Hawaii, passengers get a seamless and personal experience from start to finish. The Castle & Cooke team manages all the handling and fuel for the aircraft and takes care of the flight crew, so that all the passengers need to do is show up. For travelers where discretion is a concern, the Castle & Cooke ramps are positioned as such to allow passengers to board and deplane in complete privacy, away from the taxi lanes and sight of the runway. And upon arrival in Honolulu, you’re immediately enveloped by the Aloha Spirit, with a personal lei greeting by the Castle & Cooke team and your ground transportation waiting for you plane-side to take you to your accommodations. No baggage claim or rental cars to navigate, just straight to your holiday and much needed relaxation.
Castle & Cooke’s beginnings date back to 1864 when Samuel Northrop Castle and Amos Star Cooke, a couple of entrepreneurs, ventured to Hawaii and started a number of businesses including trading, shipping, land acquisition, and farming. Their Hawaiian pineapple plantations evolved to become Dole Foods, one of the largest fruit, vegetable, and flower suppliers in the world today serving over 90 countries. They believe their clientele deserve the best, and that starts with a laser like focus on meeting each unique need. With the highest regard for comfort, safety and privacy, their goal is to surpass client expectations. To learn more about Castle & Cooke and options for your next vacation, visit www.castlecookeaviation.com.
