Sentient Jet, pioneer of the membership-based block charter card concept, is expanding its portfolio through acquisitions and alliances to retain its strong position in this increasingly crowded market.
The Norwell, Massachusetts-based company has acquired aircraft management and charter company Atlantic Aviation Flight Services (AAFS) from parent Voyager Group giving the company direct access to AAFS's 20-strong business aircraft fleet, which includes Bombardier Challengers, a Cessna Citation Excel and Hawker 800s. "Through the acquisition of AAFS we have entered a transition phase which will support our record growth," says Sentient Jet's chief marketing officer Kevin Vaughan.
He says the rapid growth of Sentient's Private Jet Membership programme, which now exceeds 2,000 active participants, coupled with an industry-wide boom in charter services, is making it very difficult to source aircraft through fixed suppliers. "With AAFS we now have a core base of supply which we can control," Vaughan says.
Sentient has also formed an alliance with international charter broker and membership card provider Air Partner in a move that will give the US-based company controlled access to global markets for the first time. "The alliance gives card members of the Sentient and Air Partner programmes access to the private jet network covering the USA, Europe, Mexico and the Caribbean," Vaughan says.
KATE SARSFIELD/LONDON
Source: Flight International
