Bombardier Skyjet International is poised to launch a new business jet charter card designed to widen the appeal of its charter programme internationally.
"We have had great success with our international jet card, which we launched in 2005, but this market has become increasingly crowded and many of the products available today are similar to ours," says Skyjet International managing director Judith Moreton.
"Early next year we will launch the next-generation charter card, which should keep us ahead of the competition."
Although Moreton remains tight-lipped on specific details, she says the card will be "more tailored to the individual and will offer more choice and flexibility than is currently available".
Since its launch in 2002, Skyjet has seen its annual flying hours climb from 2,500h to about 10,000h this year. The company also boasts 192 international operating partners, giving it access to 920 aircraft wordwide.
Moreton says Skyjet is growing the business strategically, with China, India and Pakistan as key markets for growth. "We are now working with the Pakistan government, which operates a Learjet 45, to help improve the infrastructure for business aviation, which is in its infancy here," she adds.
Skyjet's Lahore-based operating partner, Princely Jets, owns a Challenger 604. The company is scheduled to take delivery of a 601 in February, and the region's first Challenger 605 the following year.
Bombardier has appointed Vienna, Austria-based Gate V Aircraft Maintenance as an aircraft-on-ground (AOG)/line maintenance facility for its Learjet aircraft family, bringing to four the number of Bombardier service centres in Europe.
Bombardier has two existing service facilities in the UK and one in Berlin, Germany, under the Lufthansa Bombardier Aviation Services flag (LBAS). Next month, LBAS will open a "satellite" station at Munich airport for maintenance of Bombardier's Learjet, Challenger and Global business jet families.
Source: Flight International
