People in Russia are renting grounded private jets to take Instagram photos
Fake it till you make it
Your support helps us to tell the story
From reproductive rights to climate change to Big Tech, The Independent is on the ground when the story is developing. Whether it's investigating the financials of Elon Musk's pro-Trump PAC or producing our latest documentary, 'The A Word', which shines a light on the American women fighting for reproductive rights, we know how important it is to parse out the facts from the messaging.
At such a critical moment in US history, we need reporters on the ground. Your donation allows us to keep sending journalists to speak to both sides of the story.
The Independent is trusted by Americans across the entire political spectrum. And unlike many other quality news outlets, we choose not to lock Americans out of our reporting and analysis with paywalls. We believe quality journalism should be available to everyone, paid for by those who can afford it.
Your support makes all the difference.Can’t afford to take private jets?
Your Instagram followers don’t need to know that.
A photography studio in Moscow is renting out a Gulfstream G650 jets for high-flyers who, erm, can’t afford to actually fly anywhere.
That’s not to say that these private jet photo-shoots comes cheap, a two hour session costs 11,000 roubles (£185) with an additional 3,000 roubles fee should you desire a personal photographer - even Instagram husbands/wives have days off.
You can rent the grounded plane for up to 24 hours, for an undisclosed amount.
It might not be bargain friendly, but the photo-shoots are certainly more reasonably-priced then chartering an actual private jet for the sake of your social media profile – imagine.
According to Pentastar Aviation, hourly charter rates start at $1,200 (£909).
There is even a hair and makeup team on staff to ensure that you look private jet-appropriate.
The shoots are crafted in a way that makes it look as if you are actually a real-life passenger, making you question the authenticity of the streams of private jet photos you see littering the feeds of various so-called “influencers.”
The studio’s Instagram account includes shots of customers “sleeping” on the planes, popping bottles of champagne and looking pensively out of the window – presumably admiring the views of the airport.
Some people bring magazines in to recreate that "super chilled" in-flight vibe, whilst others are even bringing their animals on board to give their images the unique “at-home” feel.
They may seem like high-flying millionaires, but in reality, they’re just average Joes sitting in an airfield with a spare £185.
But, just how popular is this somewhat bizarre service? With 775 followers on the studio's Instagram account, it could be quite popular indeed.
Then again, they could just be faking it.
If you can feign a private jet photo-shoot, who knows what else these savvy influencers might be staging.
What's next, artificial toast topped with pseudo-avocado?
Join our commenting forum
Join thought-provoking conversations, follow other Independent readers and see their replies
Comments