by Matt Thurber & James Wynbrandt The charter market, according to the many companies interviewed for CLICK HEADLINE BELOW TO NAVIGATE: this special report, is in relatively good shape. While competition remains • U.S. charter market rebounds, while Europe’s lags strong, many operators that fly large and long-range jets on international • CAAC approves NetJets China for operations trips say that business has never been better, despite the challenges of • Long-range flights boost demand for large-cabin jets operating in countries with marginal general aviation infrastructure. To meet the needs of a growing customer base that is willing to pay the high • Moving beyond the jet card: companies offer more cost of traveling by business jet, most of these operators are adding air- • Emergency evacuation plans key for operators craft, with Gulfstream’s new G650 a popular choice, along with Bombar- • Asset-ownership model works for some dier’s Global 5000s and 6000s, Falcons and BBJs. • Charter guarantees keep owners’ aircraft earning Charter is still a significant segment of the g eneral aviation industry, and • Charter ‘airlines’ find niche in regional service if China’s recent granting of an air operator certificate to NetJets for its • Marketplace helps promote small charter operators Mainland China charter operation is any indication, further growth in • Argus proposes new standard worldwide charter flying is a most likely outcome. • BACA creates escrow service for U.S. charter brokers • Companies keep trying to fill empty charter legs U.S. charter market rebounds, • New portals aim for charter pricing transparency while Europe’s still struggles • Acana aims to ensure charter aircraft availability Mirroring the global economy, the U.S. charter mar- pre-recession high, charter activity “month over month ket continued its mild recovery during the past year, is going in the right direction,” said Argus president and while activity in Europe stalled. According to Argus CEO Joe Moeggenberg. Business, rather than leisure, International, the number of Part 135 flights in the travel is leading the growth, according to route analy- U.S. grew 5.5 percent, led by an increase in flights on sis by Sweden’s Avinode–a positive sign for the industry. large-cabin jets (8.2 percent), followed by midsize (7.0 Conversely, the struggling European charter market is percent), small-cabin (5.9 percent) and turboprop (3.2 being propped up by leisure travel, according to the route percent) aircraft. Though still off some 19 percent (for analysis. Large-cabin jets have enjoyed a surge in demand, combined Part 135 and Part 91 operations) from its increasing by 10 percent year-over-year, according to AVIATION INTERNATIONAL NEWS • NOVEMBER 2014 BACK TO CONTENTS Avinode, but the boost hasn’t been enough to make up for cut brokers out of the transaction loop, with the ultimate the sharp decline in bookings on smaller cabin aircraft. goal of reducing costs and increasing efficiency for both The Ukrainian conflict and resulting sanctions imposed operators and charter customers. on Russia are also affecting the European charter mar- The industry’s lack of efficiency ranks among the ket, though the impact is “not huge,” according to Magnus greatest challenges facing the charter market today, said Henriksson, Avinode’s Business Intelligence business man- Moeggenberg. ager. Charter traffic between Ukraine and Europe is down “One of two things has to happen in the overall char- 26 percent from January to August of this year compared ter industry: either the rates need to go up a bit, or the to 2013 and the trend is accelerating. Meanwhile, charter operators need to get utilization up,” said Moeggenberg. flights from Russia to Europe grew 6 percent in July. (Sanc- “It’s still about 30 percent deadhead [flights].” One poten- tions likely have more of an impact on individuals who own tial solution: “The charter industry needs to take a close their own aircraft; Part 91 flights from Russia to Europe look at taking a page from the air carriers, and set up true declined 5 percent that same month.) code-sharing partners,” enabling operators to book each others’ aircraft, and allowing more efficient use of avail- FACTORS SHAPING THE MARKET able lift, he said. “The technology is there to do that.” Charter professionals note several trends taking hold Though not on the level Moeggenberg envisions, opera- behind the macro factors driving the charter market. Polit- tors have indeed been forging relationships (e.g., the TWC ical instability and natural disasters have created demand Aviation-XOJet Platinum Partnership), as have brokers for customized evacuation planning services. “Every two or with select operators, to secure access to in-demand air- three months, you’re looking at some evacuation situation,” craft models. XOJet, which unlike most other operators said Graham Davey of international broker Air Partner. owns its own fleet, also reflects another emerging trend by Efforts to create voluntary standards remain a prior- “basically focusing on the B to C [business to consumer] ity for the charter broker community, said Scott Bickford, market,” Henriksson said, and using technology to reach chair of the Air Charter Association of North America. potential customers, while bringing transparent pricing to Meanwhile, a growing number of providers are launching the charter space. Said Moeggenberg, “Operators I know online portals to automate charter bookings, which could are going toward that [transparent pricing] model, so when AVIATION INTERNATIONAL NEWS • NOVEMBER 2014 BACK TO CONTENTS a customer calls for a particular trip, the quote is firm. If on-demand charter portion of Sentient’s, Flexjet’s and it’s $30,000, it’s not going to be ‘$30,000 plus catering, plus Flight Options’ offerings, and turned them all over to landing fee.’ Operators are saying, Here’s what it is, period, Skyjet, a charter broker brand DAC resurrected for the end of story.” purpose. “This is the new home for [DAC’s] on-demand Jet cards have been giving a boost to the charter mar- business,” said Skyjet president Greg Richman. ket as the products have become more diversified and The level of charter activity outside of the U.S. and charter customers are more adept at deploying them. Europe is difficult to measure. Avinode, which tracks book- “Most customers today don’t have one single source of ing data routed through its proprietary charter inventory lift in their private aviation portfolio,” said Mike Sil- system, says the number of transactions tracked isn’t sta- vestro, CEO of Cleveland-based Flight Options, which tistically valid for projecting the extent of charter demand offers jet card, fractional ownership and membership outside these two markets, and civil aviation authorities products. “To have a jet card in your pocket is a great outside of the U.S. and Europe don’t track charter activ- way to contribute to the private flying solution.” ity. But, clearly, providers see charter opportunities in mar- Flight Options owner Directional Aviation Capital kets around the globe. This year NetJets Business Aviation (DAC) has been driving trends in its own right, starting Ltd., NetJets’ China partnership, opened for business, but with industry consolidation. Two years ago DAC pur- it’s not offering the company’s signature fractional own- chased Sentient Jet, the Braintree, Mass.-based char- ership. In September the Zhuhai-based company received ter broker, and late last year completed the purchase its CCAR-135 operation certificate, allowing it to offer air of Flexjet, Bombardier’s charter, jet card and frac- charter in China, operated by Executive Jet Management, tional ownership program. This year DAC removed the in addition to its aircraft management services. –J.W. CAAC approves NetJets China for operations NetJets announced on September 23 that it has been aircraft–a Global 5000–is based in Hong Kong and man- granted its CCAR-135 air operator certificate (AOC) aged by sister company NetJets China (Hong Kong) Ltd. from the Civil Aviation Administration of China NetJets Business Aviation is owned in part by NetJets, (CAAC) and can begin charter operations within the Hony Jinsi Investment Management (Beijing) Ltd. and country, making it the first international aircraft opera- Fung Investments. The charter and management service tor to earn that distinction. will operate under the brand name Executive Jet Manage- “It’s part of our overall expansion plan at NetJets, ment China, reflecting NetJets subsidiary Executive Jet not just from a geographic perspective but also from Management’s charter/management expertise. a product perspective,” said company chairman and The CAAC’s issuance of the AOC means that NetJets CEO Jordan Hansell. “The first product offering will be Business Aviation can pick up and drop off charter cus- a charter operation; we hope to follow that up shortly tomers within Mainland China instead of just between with a full management program similar to the one run China and other countries. Hansell expects charter cus- by our sister unit, Executive Jet Management, in the tomers to include Chinese nationals traveling within United States and in Europe.” China and international travelers who fly commercially to China then fly on NetJets charters inside the coun- PICKUPS AND DROP-OFFS try. “We’re really looking forward to hitting the ground POSSIBLE WITHIN CHINA running,” he said. NetJets anticipates being able to sell block charter The company, called NetJets Business Aviation Ltd, to Chinese customers, then management services when currently has a pair of Hawker 800s stationed in Zhuhai approval is granted. “At some juncture we hope to offer for ad hoc charter. Previous CAAC timelines led NetJets fractional flying in China,” Hansell added. “It’s our view to anticipate receiving approval for aircraft management at the moment that a true fractional experience is proba- services around the beginning of the year.