Swiss business aviation services company PrivatAir aims to grow its aircraft management business in Europe while expanding charter work in the USA to improve geographical balance across its business.
Since PrivatAir acquired Bridgeport, Connecticut-based Flight Services Group in late 2000 it has expanded in the USA to seven fixed-base operations and a fleet of 47 managed aircraft, based mainly on the East Coast. However, it has yet to mirror the success achieved by its Geneva-based parent company in airliner-class ad hoc charters and corporate shuttle operations.
Meanwhile, PrivatAir has only recently added its first managed aircraft in Europe – a Bombardier Global Express.
Tom Fitzsimmons, chief operating officer of PrivatAir North America, says “a corporate decision” has been taken to grow aircraft management in Europe and charter activity in the USA. PrivatAir will expand through strategic acquisitions and by hiring its own personnel in key US geographic areas such as the West Coast and Texas, he says. PrivatAir’s revenues grew by 35% this year and the company plans to keep growing at this pace for the next four years, he adds.
The company has been promoting premium-class scheduled services and narrowbody airliner corporate shuttles to US airlines and companies, Fitzsimmons says. The company operates three all-business-class routes for Lufthansa with two Airbus A319LRs and a Boeing Business Jets (BBJ), and has plans to start a similar service for Swiss International Air Lines from January next year using a 56-seat BBJ2. “We’ve had interest from both US carriers and corporations for a dedicated corporate shuttle,” says Fitzsimmons.
Source: Flight International
