Charter broker Bombardier Skyjet has launched a US membership programme offering customers block hours in Bombardier Learjet 60 mid-size business jets. The Premier Fleet Plus-Learjet Class programme is designed to compete with Marquis Jet Partners' Private Jet Card, which offers block hours in aircraft flown by fractional-ownership operator NetJets.
By marketing block hours on a specific type, Skyjet is able to offer customers newer aircraft. The 34 Learjet 60s in the programme are on average six years old. This helps offset the advantage Marquis has in leasing its shares in NetJets aircraft, which are a maximum of five years old. Skyjet's existing Premier Fleet programme offers block charter in a range of aircraft, but the average age is higher.
Customers for the Learjet Class programme pay a membership fee to purchase a block of 25h, 50h or 100h, then pay a guaranteed hourly rate for wheels-up flight time. The programme is priced to undercut Marquis, which sells occupied hourly time in seven aircraft types in single-year, 25h increments, with the ability to interchange between types and between European and US programmes.
While none of the Learjet 60s operated by Bombardier's fractional subsidiary Flexjet are involved, Skyjet says many of the aircraft in the Learjet Class programme are those that provide charter back-up to Flexjet.
"We have taken advantage of the fact this is the same type of aircraft, and the same operators that support Flexjet, to offer something closer to fractional than charter," Skyjet says.
Meanwhile, Flexjet is increasing to 60h the annual allocation for a sixteenth share in a new Challenger 604. Flexjet president Clifford Dickman says that, unlike other fractional ownership programmes, "Flexjet Challenger owners can now fly, as standard, 60 hours for the former cost of 50".
Source: Flight International
