Bombardier is trying to make inroads into the fledgling European fractional ownership market by extending its successful US FlexJet programme.
"We have been interested in Europe for some time, but have held back until we found the best way of adapting our US programme to this market," says FlexJet president Dennis Keith.
FlexJet Europe will be introduced in two stages. The first began last month, targeted at existing North American customers who have interests in Europe. "Within about 30 days we have operated around 50 flights to Europe," says Keith.
FlexJet, the second largest fractional ownership programme in the world after NetJets, has a growing fleet of 65 aircraft and has set up "operating partnerships" with two of Bombardier's European business aircraft distributors and charter operators. The companies, ExecuJet Scandinavia of Copenhagen, Denmark, and Jet Connections of Frankfurt, Germany, will provide operational support throughout Europe. "We are committed to placing four Learjets and Challengers during phase one and as many aircraft as we need for phase two, including the Global Express and Continental when they become available," says Keith.
FlexJet Europe will be fully implemented during the second phase of the programme, planned to begin in the third quarter of the year. "FlexJet will be available to European customers in September and ExecuJet and Jet Connections will then become support partners in the programme," says Keith.
Bombardier has also signed its 10 independent service centres for the provision of operational and technical assistance.
"We will base the operations and control centre at ExecuJet in Copenhagen. The sales office will be at our UK headquarters in Fleet, Hampshire," adds Keith.
"Based on our market research, we expect to see about 40 aircraft a year entering European fractional ownership programmes [including rival NetJets], from which we expect a fair share," says Keith.
Customers will pay a refundable deposit on the aircraft share to ease the tax burden in Europe. To make up the shortfall, Bombardier will charge higher monthly management and occupied flight hour fees than for its US programme.
For a one-eighth share, customers can typically expect up to 100h utilisation and a guaranteed response time of 10h, rising to 200h utilisation and a 6h response time for a quarter share.
Source: Flight International
