Wingly – A flight sharing platform for the UK

Wingly connects private pilots with passengers so they can share the cost of a flight.

On the platform, pilots post the flights that they have scheduled and passengers can easily book them. Pilots offer both A to B and discovery flights where the start and the destination are the same. The planes offer between two and six seats.

Co-Founder Emeric de Waziers, says about the vision of Wingly:

“We are passionate pilots, aeronautical engineers and passengers ourselves. Our goal is the democratisation of light aviation.”

How does Wingly work?

Passengers can access a list of flights available in their region. Using filters, they can target specific destinations, flights and price ranges. They can also directly check the map to see all the flights.

The profile and reviews of the pilot are shown for each flight. Additionally, Wingly asks for the medical certificate and licence of the pilot.

The website shows the latest flights to inspire users. When a flight is selected, users can simply book and pay by credit card or PayPal. A user-friendly chat system also helps passengers to organise the trip. And if the flight is cancelled everybody is reimbursed.

Why should a passenger use Wingly?

Thanks to cost sharing, private aviation is not a luxury anymore. Wingly makes it affordable for a wide public. Taking the plane is both fast and direct. Users can save time on most routes, commuting included. Getting a nice lunch in the Isle of White on a Sunday from London is now as easy as visiting Windsor Castle. In fact, a flight from London to the Isle of White takes 40min and costs 32£. Passengers can also enjoy the landscapes from above, which is not possible through the little window of an airliner.

Why do pilots use Wingly?

More than 2,000 pilots are already registered on Wingly in France and Germany.

de Waziers says:

“We help pilots to share their passion and cut their cost by up to 75%.”

He continues: “Flight hours with chartered aircrafts are quite expensive for pilots, costing at least 160 £, depending on the model. Hence we enable pilots to fly 3 times more for the same amount of money.”

Wingly and the sharing economy

For de Waziers, it is important to differentiate between two types of collaborative economies.

“First the “uber type” services, which are a way for people to make money and make their living out of it. This category is allowing anybody to become an entrepreneur and work for themselves. It gives anybody the opportunity to work with more flexibility and be directly rewarded for the work they do.”

The second type of collaborative economy, in de Waziers’ words, is the “real” sharing economy. “It is a side activity where people save money by sharing the goods that they have, and that are not used to the full potential. People cannot make their living out of the activity.”

Wingly is part of the second type of companies. “Pilots cannot make money out of it but only share the cost. It’s about sharing their passion and saving a bit of money. But also bringing people together.”

For de Waziers, what is interesting about both the “uber type” and the “real” sharing economy companies, is the way in which they connect people by using the Internet.

“It is about two individuals helping each other and often rating each other after the service. The sharing economy is taking us back to the basics: one person helping another one. It brings people closer again.”

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Pictures courtesy of Wingly