Charter Alerts

Aircraft management company and charter operator Jet Access Aviation, LLC has just announced two major additions to its charter certificate.

• Newly available for charter is their West Palm Beach-based 13-passenger Global Express that was fully refurbished in 2016 and has free domestic Wi-Fi along with a state of the art entertainment system.
• Also new to the fleet is a floating 9-passenger 1994 Challenger 601-3R that was fully refurbished in 2015 and also has free domestic Wi-Fi.

All 12 Jet Access Aviation charter aircraft are available in FlightList PRO.

Both aircraft are immediately available for charter. "We are excited about our growth with these additions to our certificate in the first quarter and look forward to the rest of 2016" says Jack E. Lambert Jr., President and Founder of Jet Access Aviation. Jet Access Aviation is an ARGUS Platinum rated air charter operator with a total of 12 charter aircraft, light jets through heavy and the ultra long range Global Express, based in Florida, Indiana and Colorado. Source:  Jet Access Aviation press release

Charter operator Prime Jet LLC announced the latest addition to its large fleet of heavy aircraft, a 2000 model, 13-passenger Gulfstream IVSP N486QS, immediately available for charter, according to a company press release. This aircraft will join Prime Jet’s Floating Fleet Program which includes a Gulfstream IV and Gulfstream 550.  Following the program model already in place, the aircraft will be fully dedicated to charter and not require any owner approval.

All 10 Prime Jet charter aircraft are available in FlightList PRO, with all 3 floating fleet aircraft available in Floating Fleets.

“This is a perfect addition to our fleet and what our customers have been asking for.  Pricing is available point to point between major cities such as Los Angeles, New York, Miami and London, saving clients significant repositioning costs," states Prime Jet COO Andrew Gulstrud.  "The aircraft is equipped with free WiFi and is a newer 2000 model.  No owner’s approval means booking this aircraft is completely painless and we have a very strong reputation for delivering on our promises.  We maintain multiple crew on staff for the most long range and complicated missions so that we can always deliver, this aircraft solidifies that model”. Source:  Prime Jet press release

Travelers with permission to travel to Cuba can now charter a JetSuite Citation CJ3 or Phenom 100 and fly nonstop to Havana from 16 gateway airports in the U.S. One-way prices for the trip (50K JetSuite members) range from $11,152 to $23,675, depending on the departure airport.

All 19 JetSuite charter aircraft and operator details are available in FlightList PRO.

“Our mission continues to revolve around making private air travel accessible to more people than ever before, and offering an unprecedented level of transparency,” said JetSuite CEO Alex Wilcox. “We are thrilled to expand our service to Cuba, a destination I know our clients will be eager to explore.” Passengers are required to secure permission to travel to Cuba according to 31 CFR § 515.560. Among the valid reasons are official U.S., foreign or nongovernmental organization business; journalistic activity; professional research and meetings; educational or religious activities; public performances, clinics, workshops, athletic and other competitions, and exhibitions; support for the Cuban people; and humanitarian projects. Tourism is not considered a valid reason. Source:  AIN Online

Aircraft management company and charter operator Excelaire, LLC today announced the addition of a Legacy 600 to their charter fleet, based at KISP Islip, New York. The new addition makes 10 aircraft now in their charter fleet, midsize through long range jets.  In addition to the Legacy 600's, Excelaire's fleet available for charter features the Learjet 60, Guflstream IV, Gulfstream IV-SP, Gulfstream V, Falcon 900EX EASy and the Global 6000.

All 10 Excelaire charter aircraft are available ONLY in FlightList PRO.

“We pioneered the Legacy charter market and have seen the Legacy become a favorite of our customers,” said Greg Brinkman, president, ExcelAire.  “Our fleet of Legacy 600s delivers superior comfort and reliability, and the ExcelAire aircraft are flown and maintained by the nation’s leading Legacy experts.” The Legacy 600 jet accommodates up to 14 passengers, in three seating areas with a large cabin, lavatory and inflight-accessible baggage compartment.  The newest Legacy in the ExcelAire fleet also features Wifi. ExcelAire’s parent company, Hawthorne Global Aviation Services, is a factory authorized Legacy service center.

Sources:  Excelaire, LLC and the FAA

Key Air added three new private jet charter aircraft – the Bombardier Global 5000 Vision, Gulfstream IVSP and Learjet 45XR – to its managed fleet within the first month of the New Year, according to a company press release.  Upon the heels of celebrating its 30th anniversary in the aviation industry, Key Air continues to strengthen its infrastructure and expand its offerings to remain a leader in the marketplace.

All 13 Key Air charter aircraft are available ONLY in FlightList PRO.

The 3 new charter aircraft, based in the Northeast US, brings to 13 the total charter fleet operated by Key Air - midsize through long range jets, from the new Lear 45XR to the Gulfstream G650ER and new Global 5000 Vision. “I am pleased with the hard work demonstrated by the entire Key Air community”, said Alan DePeters, Key Air President and CEO. “Through everyone’s dedication and commitment, Key Air was able to add the Global 5000 Vision to our Ops Specs in record time – within one week from the date of closing!  Our Operations and Maintenance divisions continue to operate optimally as they previously did in adding the Gulfstream G650ER and Falcon 7X to our Ops Specs capabilities."  

Traffic climbed 3 percent in January, and projections call for a 9.1-percent YOY increase this month and a 5-percent rise during the first quarter.

Business aviation flight activity in North America jumped by 3 percent last month versus a year ago and could climb much more steeply this month, according to data released yesterday by aviation services group Argus International.  In fact, the firm is projecting a 9.1-percent year-over-year increase this month and a 5-percent rise during the first quarter, compared with the same three-month period last year. Part 91 activity was up by 4 percent last month from a year ago, while Part 135 charter activity climbed 2.5 percent and fractional flying slid by 0.2 percent.  The overall retraction in the fractional market obscures decent individual gains; fractional turboprop and light and large-cabin jet flying were up 2.9 percent, 2.2 percent and 5.3 percent, respectively. Fractional midsize jet activity fell 2.8 percent from a year ago.

Article Source: AIN Online, Aviation International News.

Year-over-year flying activity rose across all aircraft categories last month by 3 percent. This surge was led by turboprops and large-cabin jets, each logging a 5.3-percent gain.  Light jets climbed by 1.7 percent, while midsize jet flying eked out a 0.3-percent improvement. The largest year-over-year gain for an individual segment was Part 135 large-cabin jet flying, which saw a 7.4-percent upturn last month.

Air Charter Alert Editor's Note -  FlightList PRO released numerous Air Charter Alerts this month of reported increases in 2015 business and flying announced by many US charter companies, including XOJet, Delta Private Jets, New Flight Charters, Key Air and others.

Argus’s TraqPak data logs serial-number-specific aircraft arrival and departure information on all IFR flights in the U.S. and Canada. Source:  AIN Online

Private jet usage is set to take off following the roll out of membership schemes that allow people to make use of jets without owning them. A survey carried out by industry magazine Corporate Jet Investor found that nearly one in four (23 per cent) said that the growth of membership schemes and online charter is fuelling demand for jets, while companies are becoming increasingly likely to opt for jet membership scheme for business travel.

Jet sharing companies such as Wheels Up and Rise are launching a European service in 2016, and plan to be able to fly people the distance from Edinburgh to the south of Spain.

John Colucci head of Wheels Up Europe, told City A.M.: “Corporate customers are excited about it. We have 250 corporate customers in the US compared to around 2000 private members and we want to do more corporate business.”

Wheels Up members have access to an app that allows them to view flights that have already been booked and request a ride share, similar to car hire app Uber’s Pool service.

The industry is shifting as many executive jets are going on the market at knockdown prices following some of the world’s biggest companies scaling back their fleets.

Supermarket Tesco made headlines when it began selling off its fleet of luxury private jets following its accounting scandal and subsequent profit warnings, putting a 14-seater plane up for sale with a price tag of nearly £22m.

Alasdair Whyte, editor of Corporate Jet Investor told City A.M.: “The last six years have been tough for business aviation but there are lots of people trying to grow the market – especially by making it more accessible.”

The survey reveals that over the next three years, 59 per cent expect aircraft sales to increase, compared to 15 per cent who anticipate they will fall.

The US is likely to be one of the strongest markets, with 81 per cent expecting the number of business flights to increase in North America during this period. In Europe, 54 per cent are expecting a rise.

“When you add up the actual cost and the opportunity cost for executives to stand in security queues or get stuck when flights are delayed, flying on a business aircraft can make a lot of sense,” Whyte added.

Another key reason for growth in the sector is the number of so called high net worth individuals is expected to rise over coming years.

Source:  CITY A.M.

Nationwide Air Charter Services Company Jets Over Industry Growth Rate, Reports Increased Charter Demand and a Movement From Light Jets to Midsize Jet Charters.

(Marketwire) February 3, 2016, – New Flight Charters, a nationwide leader in private jet charter services since 2004, announced today a 14 percent increase in 2015 charter business over 2014.  Fourth Quarter 2015 saw explosive growth in charter business, up 28 percent over the same period in 2014.

Growth during the year was seen from an increased demand in repeat business, new business and a general move in demand from smaller aircraft to larger aircraft charters.  Fourth Quarter saw a notable movement from light jets to midsize jet charters in particular, and December featured large increases in both the number of charters - up 28 percent, and average charter spend - up 18 percent, compared to December 2014. New Flight Charters arranged over 1,400 flights in 2015. 2015 increases more than quadrupled industry trend numbers for the year; market analyst Argus reported a flight activity increase of 2.9 percent for 2015 across private aviation segments including charter and Part-91, and projects a similar size increase moving forward into 2016. New Flight Charters attributes beating industry trends to several factors including its continuous flight-by-flight service level, and the company’s unique entrée to the full U.S. Part-135 aircraft market.  Not restricted to a sourcing pool or marketing network as is common in the industry, the company can provide more availability and better pricing options, including 218 additional one-way priced aircraft nationwide, along with its Best Price Guarantee for every flight. “The combination of our aircraft availability, our long term expert team and our service level is growing our repeat business,” said New Flight Charters president Rick Colson.  “We continue to gain business from experienced charter fliers and jet card holders who try us, like the service, and come back.  Without a large deposit or financial commitment to us up front, we have to earn every single charter.  It keeps you on your toes, and not surprisingly our clients like that.”  The company was top rated in a previous industry survey. The one-of-a-kind air charter company features an acclaimed six-member charter service team with a cumulative 48 years in air charter, 49 years FAA-certified experience, 99 years executive management experience, 17,400 hours pilot-in-command, and includes private and commercial pilots and retired law enforcement. About New Flight Charters Since 2004 New Flight Charters has arranged private domestic and international flights with top-rated operator aircraft at leading jet charter quotes, along with its Best Price Guarantee, industry empty legs list, and a perfect safety history.  Extensive client and industry reviews are available on the New Flight Charters website.  As a registered U.S. government contractor, and named to the Inc. 500 fastest growing list four consecutive years, the jet charter company serves a wide variety of clientele including Fortune 500 companies, government heads of state, presidential campaigns, entertainment icons, private families and entrepreneurs. For charter quotes, information or the latest updates, call (800) 732-1653 or visit NewFlightCharters.com nationwide or new specialty location Denver Jet Charter for Denver, Aspen and all Colorado private jet charters. Source:  Marketwire News Release

On-Demand Private Jet Charter Company Exceeds Profitability Projections—

• 41% increase in EBITDA—achieves highest core profitability in company history
• 14% growth in new program sales and 10% increase in its partner fleet business
• The San Francisco-based company celebrated its 10 year anniversary in January
• XOJET will substantially increase reinvestment back into the business, including aircraft cabin refurbishment, office expansions in New York and Southern California and investments in its pilot, client service and advisor workforce

COMPANY PRESS RELEASE (January 27, 2016) - XOJET, Inc., a leader in private jet charter services, announced today that it achieved record results, delivering a 41% increase in EBITDA and a 14% increase in new program sales. XOJET's on-demand charter model continues to gain momentum as the smart alternative to jet cards and fractional ownership. XOJET was the first to pioneer the on-demand, dynamic pricing model in the private aviation sector, and this month celebrates 10 years of putting passengers first. Now the largest on-demand charter provider in the industry, XOJET continues to gain market share, with retail charter sales up 4% and its partner fleet business up 10% overall. Operational efficiency gains, including fuel savings, drove substantial profitability and margin improvements.

All XOJet aircraft are available in the one-way pricing - Floating Fleets section of FlightList PRO.

"The success of the company this year, and over the past 10 years, comes down to our culture of obsessive client service and dedication to continuous improvement. The market has responded and our company is healthier and more stable than at any point in its history," said Brad Stewart, chief executive officer of XOJET. "We foresee another 10 years and more of bringing the best that private aviation has to offer to our clients." XOJET continued to expand its lifestyle offerings throughout 2015, with the addition of key partners in sports and hospitality. New partners include the NBA Champion Golden State Warriors and IfOnly, a San Francisco-based concierge services firm. The company also continued to invest in established relationships with Yellowstone Club/Discovery Land Company, Creative Artists Agency (CAA), Butterfield & Robinson, a luxury travel and adventure company, and Gavin de Becker & Associates, a private security firm. Looking to the year ahead, XOJET will refine its product portfolio with a new and improved Elite Access program, offering guaranteed access to its core fleet and select partner fleets with as little as 12 hours' notice. With enterprise clients in high technology, media and finance, the company is investing in its enterprise sales capabilities and finding new and innovative ways to serve the needs of today's business flyers. This includes expansion of its sales offices and aviation advisor teams in New York, the San Francisco Bay Area and Southern California. The company also plans to invest in its digital capabilities, both in the user experience and supporting systems, which will make planning and booking flights even easier. "Technology is enabling us to deliver a high touch experience for our clients: in the way we communicate, engage and take care of their needs," said Shari Jones, chief marketing officer of XOJET.