AirPartner charter business prospers from US rival's demise

AirPartner charter business prospers from US rival's demise

Charter broker Air Partner has prospered in the global economic slowdown and airline crisis, reporting sales up 13% to £100 million ($157 million) and pre-tax profits almost doubled to £4 million from £2.2 million for the year to 31 July.

The collapse earlier this year of its main US rival FlightTime will help Air Partner, according to chairman Tony Mack: "Ex-FlightTime people joined us in August and brought their contacts with them. In their first four weeks they made their salary for the year back for us in booked sales." Air Partner also benefited following 11 September 2001 from executives switching from scheduled to charter flights for safety reasons.

Following its release from an exclusivity deal with British Airways, Air Partner is pitching its airline business jet charter service to Air France and Lufthansa. Eighteen months ago, Air Partner introduced a service in conjunction with BA selling business jet charters to the airline's premium-fare clientele. The airline suspended the service last November to focus on its core business. "This is now very much on the back burner [with BA]," admits Mack.

A move into emergency planning has also started to bring in customers. So far the division, which specialises in air evacuation, has 23 clients, and more are expected to follow.

Source: Flight International