- Air Partner reports record first half 2016 for its Private Jets division
Gatwick, England, 2016-Oct-16 — /Travel PR News/ — In its interim results for the six months to 31 July 2016, published on 29 September, global aviation services group Air Partner reported a record first half for its Private Jets division. Performance in the UK was exceptional, with underlying operating profit up 56%, and good progress was also made in the US and European markets.
Highlights
• Record H1 results for Private Jets division
• Approximately 1500 flights operated between 1 June and 31 August 2016
• Ibiza, Palma, Nice and Cannes among most popular European destinations
• Tivat in Montenegro and Split in Croatia growing in popularity among yacht owners/renters
• Florida and Los Angeles most popular destinations in the US during June to August period
• Busy summer in both sport and music sectors
• Monaco Grand Prix still the most popular calendar event of the summer
• In summer period, 48% of Private Jets booked on ad-hoc basis, 52% through JetCard
• Number of JetCards now up to 218
Air Partner’s Private Jets division offers two different services: on-demand charter service and JetCard, its unique and highly successful private jet card programme. The latter performed particularly well in the first half of the year, increasing in number to 218 since 31 January 2016. As at 31 July, JetCard cash deposits were also up 18% and utilisation rate had increased by an impressive 25%.
Most popular destinations and events
The summer has proved a particular busy period for the Private Jets division, with some 1500 flights carried out between 1 June and 31 August 2016. JetCard accounted for 52% of all bookings over this period. In addition to arranging the flights for a number of its HNWI clients’ summer holidays, Air Partner has also experienced high demand for private travel to sporting, film and music events.
The most popular European summer destinations of 2016 have been Ibiza and Palma in the Balearics, Nice and Cannes in the South of France, Olbia and Cagliari in Sardinia, and Florence and Pisa in Italy – as was also the case in 2015. Tivat in Montenegro and Split in Croatia have climbed up the list this year, with HNWIs increasingly looking to pick up or drop off yachts there. Meanwhile in the US, Florida and Los Angeles are the most popular destinations during the June to August period.
Sporting events continue to be a big draw, with motor racing dominating in this period. Among others, Air Partner arranged flights to Goodwood Festival, the Silverstone Grand Prix and the Monaco Grand Prix – the event for which the Private Jets team receives the most requests in the summer. Other sporting events flown to include the 2016 Euros, the Olympics in Rio and numerous golf tournaments, for which Air Partner transported the golfers themselves.
Music festivals and events have become synonymous with the summer period and, as such, Air Partner has seen high demand in this area. It kicked off the summer by flying numerous people out to the International Music Summit in Ibiza in May, and continued to operate weekly flights in and out of the White Isle for several big names who were performing there. The team also chartered flights for rock tours and for performers and attendees travelling to the numerous festivals across Europe.
Industry leading product offering
The JetCard’s flexibility and transparency have made it a popular choice among HNWI clients. The card buys 25 hours or more of flying time in the client’s choice of six private jet categories, with guaranteed availability at any time and dedicated account management 24/7. Unlike other providers, Air Partner only charges clients for the time they fly: aircraft positioning, fuel, landing fees and catering are all included, and there are no monthly management fees, peak day restrictions or fuel surcharges. A recent study by independent aviation consultant Conklin & de Decker Independent showed that JetCard surpassed all its major US competitors in terms of pricing and flexibility.
About Air Partner:
Founded in 1961, Air Partner is a global aviation services group that provides worldwide solutions to industry, commerce, governments and private individuals. The Group has two divisions: (a) Broking division, comprising air charter broking and remarketing through the Air Partner and Cabot brands respectively; and (b) Training & Consulting division, via the aviation safety consultancy Baines Simmons. For reporting purposes, the Group is structured into four divisions: Commercial Jets, Private Jets, Freight (Broking) and Baines Simmons (Training & Consultancy). The Commercial Jet division charters large airliners to move groups of any size. Cabot Aviation, which is formed within the Commercial Jet division, provides comprehensive remarketing programmes for all types of commercial and corporate aircraft to a wide range of international clients. Private Jets offers the company’s unique pre-paid JetCard scheme and on-demand charter. Air Partner Freight charters aircraft of every size to fly almost any cargo anywhere, at any time. Baines Simmons is a world leader in Aviation Safety Consulting which specialises in aviation regulation, compliance and safety management. Air Partner is headquartered alongside Gatwick airport in the UK. Air Partner operates 24/7 year-round and has 20 offices globally. Air Partner is listed on the London Stock Exchange (AIR) and is also ISO 9001:2008 compliant for commercial airline and private jet solutions worldwide. www.airpartner.com
Enquiries:
Temple Bar Advisory
T. +44 (0)20 7002 1080
Tom Allison M.
+44 (0)7789 998 020
Alycia MacAskill M.
+44 (0)7776 253 482
Source: Air Partner
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