International charter broker Air Partner has launched a card-based block hour programme in Europe in a bid to counter the growth of fractional-style schemes.
London Gatwick airport-based Air Partner launched its Jet Membership Programme earlier this month, offering pre-purchased charter for a fixed annual fee. The scheme is similar to block charter programmes launched in Europe by US fractional ownership schemes, but Air Partner does not own or operate the fleet used. David Macdonald, Air Partner marketing director, says the decision was taken to offer the scheme so that customers tempted by various sub-fractional programmes could "compare apples with apples."
Macdonald says some customers prefer buying annually, especially after successful marketing from rivals such as NetJets and Bombardier Flexjet. The Jet Membership Programme differs from its competitors in several ways: for short European trips and longer transatlantic journeys, customers are guaranteed the same aircraft and same crew both ways, permitting them to leave baggage on board and depart earlier than scheduled, says Macdonald. The scheme is nominally based on 25h, 50h and 75h blocks on suggested aircraft, largely drawn from the Cessna Citation range. A hour's use on the five-seat CJ1, for example, costs €3,900 ($4,740) and "can be used as currency against other aircraft or out of region travel," says Macdonald.
The company, he adds, has received "strong interest" in the week since launch, although Macdonald refuses to be drawn on forecasts.
NetJets Europe is predicting a surge of new customers for its block charter Corporate Card, formerly Marquis Jet Card, as the "unreliability of commercial operators" takes its toll on scheduled travellers across the continent. It was responding to the latest round of flight cancellations by British Airways last week. "The announcement from BA that it will cancel around 1,000 flights - or about 12 every day - over the next few months, will lead more and more businesses to consider the advantages of private jet travel in Europe," says Robert Dranitzki, NetJets Europe's business development manager.JUSTIN WASTNAGE / LONDON
Source: Flight International
