Private Jets Watch: March 2007

Friday, March 02, 2007

Jet Source Unveils Fleet Expansion for Charter Services

Two new aircraft - Lear 60 and the King Air 300 - expand company's overall private jet fleet -- Jet Source, a full-service aviation firm, today announced the addition of a Lear 60 and King Air 300 to its fleet of managed and chartered aircraft. Now available for charter service, the new fleet additions have enhanced the company's offering for executive private jet travel. The new aircraft will be based at the company's headquarters, the McClellan-Palomar Airport (KCRQ) base in Carlsbad, Calif.

Carlsbad, Calif. (PRWEB) March 1, 2007 -- Jet Source, a full-service aviation firm, today announced the addition of a Lear 60 and King Air 300 to its fleet of managed and chartered aircraft. Now available for charter service, the new fleet additions have enhanced the company's offering for executive private jet travel. The new aircraft will be based at the company's headquarters, the McClellan-Palomar Airport (KCRQ) base in Carlsbad, Calif.

"We always aim to exceed our clients' expectations," noted Megan Cunningham, vice president of charter services. "The addition of the Lear 60 and King Air 300 will provide greater choice and flexibility for our charter clients, whether they are traveling for business or pleasure."

Lear 60
The Lear 60 is a popular mid-sized jet known for its ability to fly at a higher altitude than others in its class, offering passengers a smoother ride. The Lear 60 aircraft accommodates up to seven passengers and has an expanded baggage compartment that could accommodate an entire family's baggage and sports equipment for a winter ski vacation. There is a full galley and private lavatory, and on-board entertainment system with front and aft monitors. The aircraft comes equipped with an enhanced ground proximity warning system (EGPWS) and a traffic collision avoidance system (TCAS). The Lear 60 also has long-range, non-stop route capability of approximately 2,200 miles or six hours, such as a trip from Carlsbad to Washington DC.

King Air 300
The refurbished King Air 300 aircraft features club seating for seven, aft lavatory, and mini-galley for light meal preparation. The aircraft possesses large luggage capacity with a maximum weight of 1,150 lbs. The King Air 300 aircraft comes with a Global Positioning System (GPS) and has a trip capability of 1,300 miles or just more than four hours.

Jet Source's fleet expansion coincides at the start of the company's 10th year anniversary celebration. In 2008, Jet Source will open a new, state-of-the-art facility in Henderson, Nevada, that will consist of two 35,000 square foot hangars and an executive terminal. The new second location will offer aircraft charter, management, maintenance, avionics, aircraft sales/acquisitions and fuel sales to tenant customers.

Since their inception ten years ago, Jet Source has successfully managed a fleet of aircraft including Gulfstreams, Challengers, Falcons, Hawker, Lears, Citations and King Airs. The company proudly offers a full spectrum of available aircraft for anyone interested in private flight.

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Via PRWeb

Labels: fleet expansion, jet source, private jet

Private Jet Used to Ferry Seafood Delicacy

Oysters are so popular in New Zealand that some of the restaurant owners and gourmes charter private jets just to be among thoose very few who will try the fresh catch first.

Chef Simon Gault, from Auckland's Euro Restaurant and Bar, spent more than $20,000 to hire the private jet owned by National Business Review publisher Barry Colman. He was determined his would be the first restaurant in Auckland to offer the delicacy.

"I'm probably nuts, but there's nothing like winning. It's all about being first," Mr Gault told the Herald. "They are such a sought-after thing."

After flying from Auckland to Invercargill on the jet with Mr Colman (and enjoying crab sandwiches and champagne on the way), Mr Gault was flown the final 20km to Bluff by helicopter to pick up the oysters from the boats returning to harbour.

After the helicopter trip back to Invercargill it was back on board the jet to Ardmore in Manukau City before another helicopter flight to Mechanics Bay and a rush to the restaurant in a Rolls-Royce to shuck the oysters and prepare them to be served.

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Via NZHerald

Labels: charter, luxury, private jet, weird

Leave that Automated System Behind and Go for a Personal Contact to Get the Best Quote Available

You want to shop around for your next private jet charter flight to see if you could get a better rate. You go to a private jet charter broker's website; you enter your itinerary; you get the $16,000 automated quote for a New York to Miami flight for which you paid $14,000 with another broker last month. You know you probably blew twice as much as that 2 grand markup at the Cesaer's Palace last month; but what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas right? 'These guys are nuts,' you cry out hitting the back button on your browser.

Don't let the automated quoting systems on private jet charter websites limit your options. Always keep in mind that the quote you receive on automated systems are approximate and can be beat 90% of the time by the firm's aviation specialist to whom your quote is assigned.

1. Ensure that you enter your phone number and email address in the quote form and wait for an email or call from an aviation specialist to get the most competitive quote. Leave a comment indicating the best time and best method at which you could be reached. Follow up by contacting your carrier's info@yourcarrier.com email address within 24 hours of submitting your quote, in case some external obstacle out of your carrier's control has prevented a specialist from contacting you.

2. Some automated quoting interfaces allow you to leave your contact information and search for a flight, without the need to submit it. When you don't submit your quote, the aviation specialist will only have your contact information, and he/she will be unable to start the search for your preferred aircraft
immediately. Remember, aviation specialists have to search for available aircraft by sorting and investigating their list of operators that manage private jets.

Allow yourself and the broker as much time as possible to search for the aircraft, and price you prefer. Surf back to your carrier's website and submit your quote with your point of origin and destination, even if the quote is priced outside your budget. Then email your carrier at the info email address and ask if your trip can be accommodated on your budget; include your approximate budget in a range - e.g. $20K to $25K, preferred aircraft, departure and destination. This way, your carrier can start seeking the most competitive quote for your charter flight immediately. Your aviation specialist has more time to search for your preferred aircraft, and price.

If you just leave your contact information without submitting your quote, and a specialist is unable to reach you for a day, that's a day of time that the specialist could have been searching for your preferred aircraft and price. Remember, planes are available for charter on a first come first serve basis. If you are quoted a short trip online on a Learjet 45 for $10K and your budget is for $8K, your Aviation Specialist may have another contact that could do the trip for $8K. Your specialist may receive a call from a client requesting that Learjet 45 on the day he/she could not contact you and secure it for the other passenger.

3. Let the broker know what you have budgeted for your trip. Your broker needs to know the budget to immediately rule out quotes that are out of your price range.

4. Let the broker know at which speed you have to get to your destination; private jet travel is scheduled to fly and land when you decide. The specialist should know what aircraft is required to fly to your destination on time.

5. Disclose the lowest quotes you received from other private jet charter companies. You may find that the last trip you were quoted had too high a markup for you to swallow. A professional aviation specialist will take a cut on his standard margin just to get your business. However, the specialist can only do that if he/she knows what you've been quoted elsewhere. Don't lie; aviation specialists have a good sense of the general price range of a trip. If you give them a price that is below that range they will know and stop wasting their time with you.

6. Let your broker know what peripheral services you require: catering, ground transportation, security. Ensure all amenities are included in the final quote, so the aviation specialist wont have an excuse to markup the quote after its written.

7. Secure your flight as soon as your Aviation Specialist finds the ideal aircraft and quote suited for your budget, for aircraft is available on a first come first serve basis.

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Via Top7Business

Labels: charter, private jet, quote, tips