A private jet CEO has lifted the lid on some of the most outrageous and over-the-top requests made by the rich and famous while vacationing on the idyllic islands of Turks and Caicos.
Deborah Aharon, CEO of a private jet terminal in the Caribbean paradise, has overseen arrivals and departures for everyone from senior royals to A-list celebrities and international ‘gangsters.'
Speaking to DailyMail.com, Aharon shared some of the more bizarre and extravagant requests she’s fielded over the years.
‘We've had major members of the Royal Family three times since I started, we've had royalty from the Arab states, from France, pop stars, rock stars, influencers.'
One summer, she recalls, stood out in particular.
‘There was one summer we called “the summer of the Russian gangsters,” because every client was Russian — one after another.'
Among the most unusual requests to Provo Air Center? A very well-known honeymooning couple wanted to play mini golf… through customs.
‘Their honeymoon planner asked us to set up a mini golf resort In our customs hall, so that the newlyweds would have to putt their way through,' she recalled.
Private jet fliers can submit diva requests as they land in luxurious Turks and Caicos
Deborah Aharon is the CEO of Provo Air Center in Turks and Caicos
The British Overseas Territory is a 75 minute flight from Florida, and its primary language is English.
Its low profile is also a draw for celebrities over better-known destinations such as St. Barts because it reduces the chance of unwanted media attention, Aharon explained.
‘We don't have a big problem here with paparazzi, but some of the clients think that they will have a problem.
‘We've had instances where we had to have a decoy van with dummy passengers to drive in one direction while we bundle our passengers in another and go a different way.'
It's not just the humans that intend to travel in style to the luxurious white beaches and crystal-clear waters of the tropical islands.
Aharon recalled taking a phone call from a family's butler to lay out instructions for how their pet bulldog Cindy was to be treated after his regal descent from the plane.
‘I need you to personally meet this flight. I don't care if you greet the children. I don't care if you meet granny. But for God's sake, please make a fuss over the dog,' she recalled the butler imploring her in a frantic call from Switzerland.
Aharon was also accidentally cc'd in on email from the previous hotel that the family had been staying in, in which the father chastised the hotel chef for not preparing Cindy's food correctly.
‘This is not rocket science. Cindy likes duck, gently poached, cubed and served with rice and vegetables, which should be on the side, for God's sake, not mixed!' the father reportedly wrote.
The stunning islands of Turks and Caicos host members of the Royal Family and A-list celebs
The Provo Air Center in Turks and Caicos provides operation services to private jets
The Center's luxurious interiors are a far cry from the customs halls of commercial travel
The Center's CEO told DailyMail.com she has received some diva requests over the years
The islands are a British Overseas territory known for its white sand beaches and coral reefs
Provo Air Center is accustomed to caring for the pampered pooches that stalk its halls and has a dedicated dog park as they await the required veterinary checks.
Since most of those travelling through Aharon's center are members of the 1 percent, it will be while yet before it is possible to tell if the threat of an imminent recession will cause a pullback in private jet landings.
‘It's something to keep in mind, but I think the whole world is worried right now about what's going to happen next.'
Aharon said the last major disruption -the Covid-19 pandemic – actually expanded the sector by introducing private flights to those who would normally have flown first class.
Now, she suspects the trend will continue through another era of instability.
‘The charter market is now trying to figure out how to capture that clientele personally.
‘So we see a lot of charter companies that are not now talking about setting up sort of a hybrid airline-private jet experience.'
