Editor's note - Private charter companies highlighted below, and charter airline proposals noted - 

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Burning Man has its eye on the sky. In an effort to get more Burners to fly to the 70,000-person event in the middle of the Black Rock Desert, organizers have been reviewing proposals from air carrier services that would start offering flights directly to the playa this year. Charter companies and private pilots have been flying to the event — an annual, weeklong arts party in early September — since the late 1990s. This, however, would be the first time that the Burning Man organization would contract a company, or a few, to do the job. Additionally, instead of shuttling five or so people, contracted charters would be expected to shuttle about 30 people in an aircraft at one time. Flights would potentially depart from Reno, San Francisco and Los Angeles. While Burning Man organizers were set to decide in early April which company or companies would be contracted, there is still no word as to whether any contracts will go forward this year. Burning Man has released no details as to which companies submitted proposals before the late February response deadline. "We are still working through the (request for proposals) process and will announce details of the program as soon as they are finalized," said Burning Man spokesman Jim Graham on Wednesday. The contracted charters would fly from select cities directly to 88NV, the temporary airport that is set up during the week of Burning Man outside the perimeter of Black Rock City, where the Burning Man populace resides. About 2,200 people flew into the makeshift airport last year. Charters and private pilots still will be allowed to fly in friends or other individuals free of charge if they want, but they cannot be "shuttling" people back and forth, unless they are doing so as authorized by a contract with Burning Man. "We are so firmly on the map of Burning Man. We love what it does for us. We really roll out the red carpet,” said Kulpin. Although airport officials were unaware of Burning Man's plans to increase the air traffic headed to Burning Man, they believe it is makes sense given the rising demand for easier travel to the event. It takes about two hours by car to drive from Reno to the Black Rock Desert, which is northeast of Reno, but it can take as many as six to 10 hours during peak traffic in the first few days of Burning Man. By air, it only takes about an hour to travel the less than 100 miles to the Black Rock Desert, Kulpin said. That explains why three charter flight companies and a multitude of privately operated aircraft directed flights to Burning Man from the Reno-Tahoe International Airport in 2015. While there is no count of how many flights took off to the Burn, 111,737 gallons of jet fuel were sold to charter and private operators during the 2015 event, compared to 67,317 gallons during the same week in 2014. "People fly in from Europe, then to New York, and then they fly here to our terminal and then they get a private charter. And then we just have charters that just appeal to people who don’t want to deal with the road traffic. The VIPs are another audience too, and that’s becoming more popular,” Kulpin said. Many of the charters that fly to Burning Man — Advantage Flight, Burner Air and Boutique Air — declined to comment on concerns about whether their business would be damaged if not chosen by Burning Man to operate flights this year. One of the companies, Palo Alto, Calif.-based Centurion, said it’s simply a waiting game. "Burning Man is our big one. We're going to start doing Coachella next year, but Burning Man is like the Superbowl for us," said Jack Boyer, a customer service representative with Centurion. Centurion, which has been flying clients to the playa for about 13 years, in the past has flown about 10 to 12 flights per day to the playa during Burning Man. For the most part they fly out of the Bay Area, but they will fly out of "wherever the clients are," the week of, Boyer said. "We get all walks of life. We get folks that are flying in to San Francisco from Russia, and then we get regulars," he said. Per person, Centurion sells roundtrip tickets to Burning Man that can cost several hundred dollars to fly from Reno, about $800 from Sacramento about about $1,350 from the Bay Area. Their prices compete with an assortment of other charters, some of which do not have prices currently posted pending Burning Man's response to proposals.  "I think the newest info is in the pipeline," Boyer said. Burning Man is assessing the proposals based on a variety of elements. Applicants — who were required to complete proposals by the end of February — have to have the appropriate certification along with a $5 million insurance policy for their proposed operation. Burning Man also asked that charters have the ability to fly up to 30 people in one aircraft; to transport 1,000 passengers per day with no more than 200 landings in an 11.5 hour period daily and to offer departures from Reno, San Francisco and Los Angeles with room for expansion from other locations if demand occurs. Ideally, charters should have experience with and proposals for ticket and scheduling systems, according to the Burning Man request. It is unclear whether the charters or Burning Man would handle the ticketing for flights to and from the playa. Source:   Jenny Kane, jkane@rgj.com, Reno Gazette-Journal 1:14 p.m. PDT April 29, 2016 Full Article Here

Flight Options moved forward on Friday with an offer of voluntary separation packages to its pilots as the company lays the groundwork to transform from a fractional operation into an on-demand charter business over the next 12 to 18 months. Flight Options sister operation Flexjet previously made the offer as the two companies begin to reshape their operations, retiring some of the older modelaircraft and moving others into charter.

Flight Options will rebrand as Skyjet, a former Bombardier brand that parent company Directional Aviation recently revived to provide charter brokerage services.

The moves are made as parent company Directional Aviation realigns its more recently acquired Flexjet and Flight Options into complementary services rather than competitors. To help differentiate itself as a planned charter-only entity, Flight Options will rebrand as Skyjet, a former Bombardier brand that Directional initially revived in 2014 to provide charter brokerage services. Voluntary separation packages are being offered to Flight Options pilots through April 30 as the companies seek to reduce the pilot workforce by 70 positions. Directional principal and Flight Options chairman Kenn Ricci told Aviation International News that this comes as on-demand requires less staffing than fractional. The packages were initially offered to Flexjet pilots, who recently voted for representation by the International Brotherhood of Teamsters (IBT) but were not yet under a collective bargaining agreement. Flight Options, which previously had been represented by the IBT, sought union approval to make the offer to its pilots, but the union rejected the request. Flight Options moved forward regardless, and between Flexjet and Flight Options, had 80 pilots indicate plans to accept the agreements—exceeding the company’s goal. The union has, instead, been pushing for a furlough protection plan that would give all furloughed pilots the equivalent of 12 months of compensation. The IBT had expressed concerns that the voluntary program would primarily affect less senior pilots who would not qualify for the maximum benefit. The company management, however, disagreed with the IBT stance. “I refuse to accept the notion that a pilot, under the employ of this company, does not have the right to decide his or her own future,” Ricci said in announcing plans to move forward with the voluntary package offers. “It is unconscionable that the Teamsters should unilaterally try to take away a voluntary and materially beneficial option.” Source:  AINonline, by Kerry Lynch

Large Selection, Best Price Guarantee and Industry Reputation Propel Jet Charter Favorite New Flight Charters

U.S. private jet charter leader New Flight Charters this month celebrates its 12th anniversary and record growth, arranging and providing charter flights in the US and worldwide, according to a press release from the company. Since the company was founded in 2004, the private jet charter industry has experienced tumultuous ups and downs, just in recent times appearing to be confidently climbing out following the 2008 recession.

During this time, charter flight company New Flight Charters was growing and profitable 11 of the 12 years, including being awarded to the Inc.500 fastest growing companies list every year from 2009 to 2012, a testament to its service level and returning customers. Different from most air charter brokerages whose key personnel come from sales jobs outside of aviation, New Flight Charters’ founders had a history in private aviation and were active private and commercial pilots. “Coming from a background of flight operations and being the one responsible for the customer experience and service, we look at arranging charters quite differently than most,” states Rick Colson, New Flight Charters’ Founder and President, “It’s about the experience, trust and reputation.” Now with a Charter Management Senior Team of six and a cumulative 46 years in air charter, 51 years FAA-certified experience, 104 years executive management experience and over 17,500 hours personal flight experience, New Flight Charters boasts one of the most experienced and respected teams in the industry.  The company arranges over 1,400 flights each year. “The largest number of compliments we receive are about our people,” Colson adds. New Flight Charters has good reason to celebrate;  not only twelve years of consistent growth and success, but recognition as a favorite in the industry and as an air charter role model. Company Milestones:

• 2005 Qualified as Registered U.S. Government Contractor, qualified and accepted to the CCR-Central Contractor Registry and SAM-System Award Management.
• 2006 Awarded Credit Rating by D&B, Dun & Bradstreet, the world’s leading provider of business information for credit, marketing and sales decisions worldwide.  New Flight Charters’ rating and company details are available publicly through D&B online at www.dnb.com.
• 2008 Began aircraft ownership and management, placed on a charter operator’s certificate and separately operating it under FAR Part-91 for business.
• 2009 Launches Best Price Guarantee, assuring New Flight Charters fliers receive the best price in the total market for each and every flight.
• 2009-2012 Achieves the Inc. 500|5000 fastest growing list four consecutive years, earning the distinction of fastest growing private jet service nationwide.
• 2010 Publishes Five Questions For Your Air Charter Service, to help private fliers manage risks and ensure a quality and reputable organization is handling their private charter flight.
• 2011 First in the industry to provide a Company Credentials Report, or anything like it, providing company history, financial, personnel and business credentials to charter industry partners, vendors and clients for review and evaluation.
• 2011 Passes audit examination by the IRS Excise Tax Division, no changes ordered.
• 2011-2012 The Most Recommended Jet Charter Service in the world’s largest charter marketplace.  Air charter professionals, operators and brokers publicly recommend charter companies in the market and post comments on their service, history and experiences.
• 2012-2014 Testing and proving company for groundbreaking industry resource FlightList PRO, featuring the only complete air charter listing directory in the U.S. and 131 countries worldwide.
• 2013 New Flight Charters’ Five Questions For Your Air Charter Service is adopted and published by The Air Charter Safety Foundation based in Washington D.C. as a consumer guide to chartering an aircraft and made available as a free download at ACSF.org.
• 2013 launches the free Club New Flight, with special member charter discounts, complimentary ground transportation and custom catering, and advance information on empty legs special pricing and new charter aircraft.
• 2014 Celebrates Ten Year Anniversary as leading private jet charter company, offers special discounts, promotions and free flight concierge experiences.
• 2015 Achieves 14% growth year over year, more than quadruples total industry trend numbers of 2.9%.
• 2016 Awarded Better Business Bureau Accreditation, A+ rating. Rating based on 13 factors and no negative information since BBB's New Flight Charters file opened in 2011.

About New Flight Charters New Flight Charters arranges over 1,400 separate domestic and international flights each year, with top-rated operator aircraft at leading jet charter rates.  Extensive client and industry reviews are available on the New Flight Charters website.  The private 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 other Colorado private jet charters. Source: New Flight Charters press release

By: Bobby Burch  - Startland.com - April 14, 2016

An Overland Park, KS tech firm is bringing charter flights to the masses with its crowdsourcing platform that reduces the costs to fly in swanky private jets. Founded in 2015, Member Jets created a private aviation community that connects travelers to discounted private flights by aggregating available seats and travel opportunities. Now used at Kansas City’s Charles B. Wheeler Downtown Airport and the Johnson County Executive Airport, Member Jets is accepting members for its club, which targets businesses and entrepreneurs that highly value their time. “We’re trying to create a trading environment for aviation,” Member Jets CEO Ty Carter said. “We bring the price point down so you’re not buying an entire airplane — you buy a seat like you would on a commercial airline. But instead of a commercial flight, you’re on a private jet without all the hassles.” To use the service, a would-be traveler buys a Member Jets membership and creates a profile, indicating preferences and frequent domestic destinations. For safety, the user also must go through a background check and be in good standing with the TSA. A member can then search, request, select, book and, if desired, share the aircraft with other members, driving down costs.The platform also can notify users of travel opportunities to a desired locale. A pilot for more than 25 years, Carter said that Member Jets not only reduces private flight costs but also drastically cuts down on travel time when compared to a commercial flight. In addition to skipping security and check-in lines and the option to park on a nearby tarmac, private flights are direct to the desired location. For example, Carter said that Member Jets can cut off about five hours of travel time on a round trip flight to Denver, six hours to New York City and eight hours to Los Angeles. And in a world where time is money, Carter said the efficiencies are significant to a business’s bottom line. “For an entrepreneur whose time is extremely valuable — every minute is important,” Carter said. “Standing in line at airports and the commercial hassles are not efficient. … I’ve seen the advantages of what private air allows you to do — it’s like a time capsule. Your productivity is much higher.” While still more expensive when compared to commercial flights, Carter said Member Jets’ flights are cheaper than chartering an entire plane. For example, a private one-way flight to Austin, Texas costs about $800 for a 1-hour-and-40-minute flight. The company is currently only operating out of the Kansas City area but is looking to expand to Denver and Atlanta. Some of its common destinations include St. Louis, Omaha, Dallas, Oklahoma City, Austin, Cincinnati, Atlanta, Wichita, New York City, Denver and other. Source:  STARTLAND-Kansas City's Home For Innovation News

Blue Star Jets is fading to black. The private-jet-chartering company — named after the airline in the 1987 film “Wall Street” — is quietly going out of business after 16 years. Todd Rome, Blue Star’s president, is now working with his bigger former rival, Apollo Jets. Ricky Sitomer, Blue Star’s CEO who co-founded the company with Rome, is “doing his own thing,” Rome said. Blue Star, which sponsored Bridgehampton Polo for five summers and advertised in upscale magazines, will disappear. “The more volume you do, the better pricing you get,” Rome told me. “We feel our efforts combined will take over this industry.” Apollo was founded by Al Palagonia, the handsome pal of Spike Lee who once did time for pump-and-dump stock fraud schemes. Source:  Page Six article,  April 14, 2016, By Richard Johnson

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AirFlite, the Toyota-owned aviation service provider at Los Angeles-area Long Beach Airport/Daugherty Field, was once again rated as the top FBO in the Americas by readers in AIN's annual FBO Survey. This year, as the survey transitions to a year-round, rolling review process from a single period during the year when ratings are accepted, it tallied results earned by locations over the past four years, and during that span, the California FBO earned a 4.84 out of a maximum five (from the previous 1-to-10 scale), garnering survey-high scores in the categories of passenger and pilot amenities. It barely edged out the Tampa International Jet Center, which notched top scores for its facility and for its line service. The top 10, in order, were:

1. AirFlite at Los Angeles-area Long Beach Airport/Daugherty Field
2. Black Canyon Jet Center at Montrose Regional Airport in Montrose, Colo.
3. J.A. Air Center at Chicago-area Aurora Municipal Airport
4. Atlantic Aviation at Kansas City Charles B. Wheeler Airport
5. Fargo Jet Center at Hector (N.D.) International Airport
6. XJet at Denver Centennial Airport
7. Banyan Air Service at Fort Lauderdale (Fla.) Executive
8. Jet Aviation at Fort Lauderdale Executive and Palm Beach (Fla.) International Airports
9. Skyservice Toronto at Detroit Oakland Country International Airport
10. Pentastar Aviation also at Detroit Oakland Country International Airport

View full 2016 FBO Survey results

Source: AIN online

Flexjet is offering voluntary separation agreements to its pilots as the company begins to phase out certain aircraft models and shift others from fractional ownership into charter. The company further is requesting approval to make a similar offer to pilots at affiliate operation Flight Options.

In a March 31 letter to pilots, Jason Weiss, Flexjet executive v-p of operations, outlined plans to retire the Learjet 40XR and Challenger 604/605 fleets and move the Nextant 400XT and Citation X out of the fractional business model into on-demand. “Our companies have seen a significant shift in the fractional marketplace over the past year and a half,” Flexjet said in a statement to Aviation International News. “While customer demand has historically been high in the light- and midsize-cabin segments, much of it has since shifted to on-demand flying.” At the same time, the growth in the fractional programs has trended toward larger, longer-range aircraft. The company has not determined the actual number of pilots that will be needed once the fleet adjustments are made, but acknowledges fewer pilots will be required for fractional operations. It has begun by offering voluntary separation agreements that range from six months to a year of salary and other benefits. Flexjet believes the program will take effect over then next 12 to 18 months.

Full news article at AIN here

Source:  AIN

JetSuiteX to try 'private jet experience' on scheduled flights

Ben Mutzabaugh, USA TODAY  April 5, 2016 There will soon be a new option for some fliers looking to book flights in the West. JetSuite, a California-based private jet charter company, will try its hand at scheduled passenger service on select western routes. JetSuite, which began flying in 2009, will debut a public charter service that sells seats on scheduled flights under the brand "JetSuiteX." The company promises passengers buying tickets on those flights will get a “private jet experience.” Flights begin April 19, with fares starting at $109 and maxing out at about $300 each way for departures from private-jet terminals. Customers can even earn points thanks to a frequent-flier partnership with JetBlue. JetSuiteX passengers can earn 250 TrueBlue points per segment on regular fares and 150 points for sale fares. JetSuite CEO Alex Wilcox, who was on the executive team that helped successfully launch JetBlue in 2000, is bullish on the prospects for the new JetSuiteX service. Wilcox says fares have been increasing on short-haul flights. Wilcox says that -- coupled with increasing security headaches at major commercial airports -- has created a sweet-spot in the market where JetSuiteX hopes to lure well-heeled, time-sensitive fliers looking for something between low-fare “cattle car” domestic flights and more expensive private jet options. "That’s created a space for this kind of product where we can charge a little bit more, but provide a lot more – especially in terms of time savings," Wilcox says to Today in the Sky, pointing to the advantage of flying from private jet terminals. There are security procedures for passengers flying from private jet terminals, Wicox says. But he adds "there’s no TSA line. People can show up 15 or 20 minutes before their flight." JetSuiteX’s inaugural route will operate within California, connecting Burbank’s Bob Hope Airport to Concord’s Buchanan Field, located about 30 miles east of downtown San Francisco. JetSuiteX says its initial schedule of up to two daily round-trip flights will give Concord its first scheduled passenger service since the early 1990s, when USAir discontinued the Concord service it inherited via its merger with Pacific Southwest Airlines. The next JetSuiteX route will begin April 22, with weekend-only service between Concord and Las Vegas. On June 30 JetSuiteX begins flying its third announced route, offering up four flights a week between Mineta San Jose International Airport and Bozeman, Mont.

JetSuite and it's full charter fleet are available in FlightList PRO, in both the Operator and Floating Fleets sections.

While JetSuite’s private-jet charters have so far been flown on smaller 4- and 6-seat aircraft, its JetSuiteX "public charter" service will be on newly acquired Embraer E135 regional jets. The company has 10 on order, all of which previously flew for American’s American Eagle affiliate before being returned to Brazilian jetmaker Embraer. But Wilcox says customers won’t mistake JetSuiteX's E135s for a planes flying typical domestic airline feeder flights. JetSuiteX has completely revamped the interior of the aircraft, configuring them with 30 seats. All have at least 36 inches of “seat pitch,” a standard industry measure of personal space. That, says JetSuiteX, is comparable to business class service on domestic carriers. Overhead bins have been removed to create a more spacious feel to the cabin. The cabin interior is also wrapped in a leather finish. "There’s no plastic in the cabin anymore," Wilcox says. "It’s all leather sidewalls like a private jet would have." Also onboard will be free in-flight Wi-Fi and in-flight entertainment that fliers can stream on their personal devices. JetSuiteX says new destinations will come online as more of its specially configured E135s are delivered. San Diego, Phoenix and Santa Barbara, Calif., are among cities JetSuiteX has singled out as possible expansion destinations. The company expects to have all 10 of its E135s flying by "mid 2017." The aircraft also will be available for private charter services, selling for about $8,000 per hour for the 30-seat jet. USA Today article here Source: USA Today