Premier Aviation, part of the Hunt & Palmer PLC Group, is marking 30 years’ providing charter for some of the highest grossing music tours.
Tour Director Lizzy Templer was Premier’s first employee, working alongside founder Adrian Whitmarsh, who sold the business to Hunt & Palmer in 2011.
“When the business started out its focus was primarily on European tours. In those early days the major artists were chartering small turboprops, a far cry from the executive jets and VIP airliners they travel on now,” highlights Lizzy Templer. These days, in order to serve the worldwide touring market, Premier’s reach is similarly global, transporting bands, artists, their crews and even their backline equipment from continent to continent. The genre of artists handled has considerably expanded too. After two years of touring ‘on pause’ owing to the global pandemic, rock and roll legends, iconic A-listers and emerging artists were back touring again to record audiences last year at festivals, arenas and stadiums around the world.
Some tour managers come to Premier just with show dates. Premier then helps build the flight schedule using its knowledge of airports / curfews, whether it be flying in and out on the day of the show to save hotel changes, or laying over for a few days in the preferable cities. “Others will come to us with a schedule in mind and we will shape the flight itinerary from there. It’s our hands on experience from the start of the enquiry to completion of the flights, often many months later, which keeps our clients returning,” adds Lizzy.
“Premier has always meant “First Class” to us. We have worked with them since the start and we’re hoping they will keep answering our calls. Lizzy and the team are the best,” added Bruce Springsteen’s Tour Manager.
