13 April 2023: The Smart Team is buzzing as we got the privilege of flying one of Europe’s greatest football teams of all time this week. Travel organisers at the world-renowned football team contacted Smart looking for a split class aircraft charter option for their quarter-final game in the Champions League tournament. 

Smart’s Managing Director, Mark Hawkins, handled the request and sourced the team a state-of-the-art A340 three class configured aircraft from our partners at Hi Fly Malta. The airbus boasts 267 seats (12 First Class, 42 Business Class and 213 Economy) and a service range of 7,400 nautical miles. The four engines make it ideal for quick start-up, and the good ‘hot and high’ capability means it can access airports that would be off limits to other aircrafts. 

250 players and crew were on board both flights and Smart’s Charlotte Sobol (Head of Sales and Administration) and James Gregory (Head of VIP Charters) were both personally on hand at the airports to ensure a smooth arrival and return departure.

Smart worked closely with Hi Fly Malta’s catering teams to ensure that the strict dietary requirements for the athletes were met and a bespoke menu for the footballers was created. 

Mark Hawkins, Smart Aviation’s Managing Director, said: “It is always a thrill to fly such high profile teams to important fixtures. As the leaders in global sports chartering, we are involved in the Champions League tournament every year, but this charter was particularly special for us. As usual, our team offered impeccable service and everything went perfectly”. 

Smart Aviation was founded in 2005 by Managing Director Mark Hawkins, an established sports charter specialist with over 30 years’ experience in senior operational roles within the travel and aviation industry, including managing sports charters at Excel Airways. Over the last 18 years, Mark has led Smart Aviation to become the leaders in global sports chartering. Mark is still very active in sports chartering, frequently providing air travel for global sports teams to key sporting fixtures including Champions League and Premier League football matches, as well as to ice-hockey, boxing, basketball, golf, motorsport and cricket tournaments.

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