Category Archives: Private Aviation Industry News

ACANA Appoints Joel Thomas as Chairman of Air Charter Trade Group

Air Charter Association of North AmericaThe Air Charter Association of North America announced February 28 that it has appointed Joel Thomas as chairman of the association.  He is currently the CEO of Stratos Jets,a private jet brokerage company which became an ACANA member in 2010.  The following year Joel served as president of the nonprofit industry trade group.  During his tenure, ACANA expanded its membership by including Part-135 operators as well as industry service provider companies.  The association is a nonprofit industry trade group and professional association representing North America’s air charter industry.

Full press release here.  More ACANA information here http://flyacana.org/

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Delta Private Jets Fleet Nearly Doubled

Delta Private Jets’ fleet has almost doubled in the past year, making it the 3rd largest Part 135 operator in the U.S.  DPJ now manages an aircraft fleet of 64, including the most recent additions of two Citation CJ2s, a Citation CJ3, Learjet 75, Citation X and a Hawker 4000.  The company’s charter availability features based and floating fleet options which enable round trip and point-to-point one way charter pricing for domestic and international flights.

Delta Private Jets Charter, in FlightList Pro“2014 was a record year for the company in terms of revenue and fleet growth,” said John Daly, Chief Operating Officer. “Since introducing Ownership Assist in mid-2014, twelve aircraft have joined DPJ’s fleet through the program, which translates into more aircraft availability for our Jet Card and charter customers and fuels growth. Jet Card sales were up 17% in 2014, and already in January 2015 Jet Card sales were up 20% and Charter sales were up 68% over the previous year.”

Delta Private Jets is a wholly owned subsidiary of Delta Air Lines, and provides aircraft charter, aircraft management and its Delta Private Jets Card.

Delta Private Jets floating fleet and based aircraft are listed in FlightList Pro.
Access FlightList Pro free trial, no credit card required.

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JetSmarter Hires Tom Engelhard as European General Manager

Membership Charter Broker JetSmarterMembership charter brokerage and mobile platform JetSmarter announced the appointment of Tom Engelhard as European General Manager.  Engerhard will be responsible for operating and overseeing JetSmarter’s new office in Zurich where he will be accountable for furthering the brand’s visibility and operator partnerships across Europe.  With nearly 25 years of European aviation industry experience, prior to JetSmarter Engelhard led the European Sales sector of private jets for broker Air Partner plc.

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Key Air Hires Charter Sales Pro Charlene Brett

Key Air Jet Charter Operator

Key Air Jet Charter Operator

Announced this week is the hire of long term air charter professional Charlene Brett by charter operator Key Air in Oxford, CT.  With more than 22 years of Part 135 experience, Charlene has worked with several air charter companies over her career, most recently with FirstFlight as Director of Corporate Sales & Marketing for their 17-aircraft charter fleet.   Charlene Brett will be focusing on charter sales of Key Air’s growing fleet of 11 jets.  Last month Key Air added Gulfstream IV-SP, N1D, and Falcon 2000EX Easy, N900FS, to its charter fleet based in Connecticut.

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Private Jet Charter Spending Up 15% in 2014

Average Air Charter Booking Increases as Demand Moves Into Larger Jets

(Marketwired – Feb 5, 2015) – 2014 trends in private flight activity, aircraft selection and charter booking are reported by air charter industry mainstay New Flight Charters.

Average charter spending in 2014 increased 15.0% over 2013, from an overall average $14,841 per charter to $17,068. The average includes all on-demand charter activity and aircraft types, from piston aircraft through heavy and long-range private jets.

The increase is due in large part to a movement in charter demand in 2014 from smaller aircraft to larger — namely into midsize and heavy jets. Midsize jet activity increased 18.8% year over year, and heavy jet activity nearly doubled for New Flight Charters. Meanwhile light jet and turboprop charters declined by 9.8% and 26.1% respectively.

As a percent of total, midsize jet charters climbed from 15.6% to 20.5% year over year, and heavy jets jumped from 4.3% to 8.2% of all charters. Light jets however descended from 40.8% to 38.8% in 2014, and turboprops slowed from 23.4% to 18.6% of all charters for the year.

New Flight Charters’ results mirror TraqPak data released by aviation services company Argus, which reported Part-135 flight activity gains over 2013, including an increase in large-cabin and midsize jet flying, while turboprop flying finished the year down.

AIRCRAFT POPULARITY

The overall most popular aircraft chosen in 2014 was the light jet Citation 510/550/560 series, at 36.4% of light jets and 14.5% of all charters, followed by the Hawker 400XP light jet at 19.0% of light jets and 7.6% of all charters.

Segmenting further, the midsize jet category featured the Hawker 800A/800XP as by far the most popular at 42.1% of all midsize jet charters and 8.7% of all charters.

In heavy jets, the Bombardier Challenger series 300/601/604 was the heavy favorite, at 37% of the category.

ABOUT 2014 RESULTS DATA

Data is actual results from more than 750 U.S. domestic and international charter flights paid and flown in 2014, arranged by New Flight Charters. Data is not from online searches, inquiries or projections.

Charter fliers choose their aircraft and quote from the several best available for their flight, with no obligation or incentive to choose one or any. New Flight Charters employs aviation data company FlightList Pro to access the entire charter market without restriction. 2014 results, including the trends to larger jets and spending, is only from actual client demand and aircraft choice.

Many factors influence the decision for a particular aircraft size and model, such as trip itinerary, flight leg lengths and passenger count.

About New Flight Charters

Celebrating its 11th anniversary in 2015 and named to the Inc. 500 fastest growing list four consecutive years, New Flight Charters arranges private domestic and international flights with top-rated operator aircraft at leading jet charter rates, along with its Best Price Guarantee and a perfect safety history. The acclaimed six-member management team features a cumulative 38 years in private jet charter, 44 years FAA-certified experience, 94 years executive management experience, 17,400 hours pilot-in-command, and includes private and commercial pilots and retired law enforcement. Client and industry reviews are available on the New Flight Charters website. The company serves a wide variety of clientele including Fortune 500 companies, government heads of state, presidential campaigns, entertainment icons, private families and entrepreneurs.

For the latest updates and information, call (800) 732-1653 or visit NewFlightCharters.com.

Source: http://www.marketwired.com/press-release/private-jet-charter-spending-up-15-2014-reported-industry-stalwart-new-flight-charters-1989137.htm

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Charter Spending Up 15% for 2014, Trends in Aircraft and Booking

2014 trends in private flight activity, aircraft selection and charter booking reported by nationwide private jet charter leader New Flight Charters.

Average charter spending in 2014 increased 15.0% over 2013, from an overall average $14,841 per charter to $17,068. The average includes all charter activity and aircraft types, from piston aircraft through heavy and long-range private jets.

The increase is due in large part to a movement in charter demand in 2014 from smaller aircraft to larger — namely into midsize and heavy jets. Midsize jet activity increased 18.8% year over year, and heavy jet activity nearly doubled for New Flight Charters. Meanwhile light jet and turboprop charters declined by 9.8% and 26.1% respectively.

As a percent of total, midsize jet charters climbed from 15.6% to 20.5% year over year, and heavy jets jumped from 4.3% to 8.2% of all charters. Light jets however descended from 40.8% to 38.8% in 2014, and turboprops slowed from 23.4% to 18.6% of all charters for the year.

New Flight Charters’ results mirror TraqPak data released by aviation services company Argus, which reported Part-135 flight activity gains over 2013, including an increase in large-cabin and midsize jet flying, while turboprop flying finished the year down.

AIRCRAFT POPULARITY

The overall most popular aircraft chosen in 2014 was the light jet Citation 510/550/560 series, at 36.4% of light jets and 14.5% of all charters, followed by the Hawker 400XP light jet at 19.0% of light jets and 7.6% of all charters.

Segmenting further, the midsize jet category featured the Hawker 800A/800XP as by far the most popular at 42.1% of all midsize jet charters and 8.7% of all charters.

In heavy jets, the Bombardier Challenger series 300/601/604 was the heavy favorite, at 37% of the category.

ABOUT 2014 RESULTS DATA

Data is actual results from more than 750 U.S. domestic and international charter flights paid and flown in 2014, arranged by New Flight Charters.  Data is not from online searches, inquiries or projections.

Charter fliers choose their aircraft and quote from the several best available for their flight, with no obligation or incentive to choose one or any. New Flight Charters employs aviation data company FlightList Pro to access the entire charter market without restriction. 2014 results, including the trends to larger jets and spending, is only from actual client demand and aircraft choice.

Many factors influence the decision for a particular aircraft size and model, such as trip itinerary, flight leg lengths and passenger count.

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Cheaper fuel prices are slow to trickle down to the private jet-setters

Fortune Magazine online
January 8, 2015
by Ben Geier             @ben_geier

Fortune Magazine online, January 8, 2015 by Ben Geier @ben_geier

Fortune Magazine online January 8, 2015 by Ben Geier @ben_geier

Will big players like NetJets follow the lead of the smaller Magellan Jets and cut fuel costs for members?

Oil prices have tumbled over the past few months to levels not seen since more than five years ago. Drivers are pocketing big savings from gas prices falling to a national average of just $2.18, more than $1 a gallon cheaper than a year ago.

But the oil market’s downturn has failed to impact some fuel-intensive industries you’d expect. One those is private jet travel, the domain of corporate CEOs and the super wealthy.

Magellan Jets, a private jet company, is an exception. It has reduced fuel prices for new member contracts by 16%.

“While we cannot adjust prices with every fluctuation in the market, we could not watch such a significant swing in oil prices without taking action on behalf of our customers,” said Joshua Hebert, the company’s CEO.

Though Magellan Jets is not exactly a market leader, analysts expect other private jet companies to also cut prices — but it will take time.

James Occhipinti, CEO of ClipperJets, a Magellan rival, avoided saying whether his company had any short-term plans to cut fuel surcharges. Rather, he emphasized the more general benefits to his customers.

“Any time fuel prices fall, private jet travel becomes more defendable and attainable,” Occhipinti said in a statement. “Unlike in the commercial airline industry, when fuel prices fall ClipperJet members benefit.”

Netjets, another Magellan competitor, declined to comment.

The complication, said Kevin O’Leary, the CEO at Jet Advisors, an advisory firm that did research for Magellan, is that many private jet clients sign up for long-term contracts or subscriptions that have a set price for travel. Only when those contracts come up for renewal can clients put pressure on business jet companies to reduce their prices to reflect the lower cost of fuel.

“I don’t see any of the bigger players immediately saying ‘we’re wiping out our fuel surcharge,’” O’Leary said Instead, he said that companies will “chip away” at their prices over time.

On the spot market, jet fuel prices have fallen between 7% and 9.5% over the past year, according to O’Leary.

In some ways, cutting the prices for flights is a game of chicken. Once one of the big players in the industry like Flight Options or Berkshire Hathaway’s NetJets decides to reduce fuel charges, the rest of the industry will feel compelled to do so.

“Everyone has to stay competitive,” said Richard Aboulafia, an analyst at Teal Group. “If someone cuts, the rest has to cut too.”

In the commercial airline industry, long-term purchasing contracts and fuel hedges impact airlines’ ability to adjust prices with the oil market. Still, if the price of oil remains low, Aboulafia said some airlines will see a competitive advantage in cutting their fuel surcharge. After that, the rest of the industry will have to follow.

http://fortune.com/2015/01/08/fuel-prices-private-jets/

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Hangar8 and Gama Aviation Combine, Form New Company Gama Aviation Plc

H8-LogoGama Aviation has proposed a £82 million ($127 million) reverse takeover of Hangar8, the UK operator.  Gama Aviation operates aircraft on behalf of Wheels Up. With companies in the UK, the US, the Middle East and Asia it is one of a few truly global business jet companies.
gama-avi-logo
From Corporate Jet Investor

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Stratos Jet Charters Inc. earns ARGUS Certified Charter Broker Rating

Stratos Jet Charters, a leading private jet charter services provider, is proud to announce that they have recently earned the ARGUS Certified Charter Broker Rating.  “Stratos Jets is thrilled to be recognized as an ARGUS Certified Charter Broker,” company president Joel Thomas said, adding that he is especially pleased that the jet charters company was the first charter broker evaluated by ARGUS found to “meet or exceed” the rigorous standards of the ARGUS On-site Audit during its first review.  Full release here

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Key Air Announces its New Vice President, Director of Operations

Key Air, a national provider of aircraft management and worldwide executive jet charter services is proud to announce the addition of aviation veteran Chris Hand to its executive management team as the new Vice President, Director of Operations.  Mr. Hand replaces retiring Jim Bennett to lead the Operations Department effective December 18, 2014. Mr. Hand’s industry experience and technical knowledge will be beneficial to maintaining Key Air’s day-to-day operations and ensure a smooth transition to his new role.  Full press release

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