This week in private aviation
Some interesting industry news stories caught my eye this week.
1) Lufthansa’s new private jet add-on service
Lufthansa is now offering private jet flights throughout Europe. This is not to compete with their scheduled airline operation but targets customers who are looking to combine scheduled flights and private jet travel. This is a common requirement amongst private jet customers, who will take a scheduled airline for a long-haul leg, with a private jet then allowing them to get very close to their ultimate destination on a bespoke schedule – opening up far more airport options and giving total flexibility on timings.
A bit of history on this: Originally Lufthansa partnered with NetJets to supply this service but they fell out of love. Lufthansa have since decided to start their own private jet operation offering charter of a Cessna Citation CJ3, Cessna Citation XLS, and Challenger 850. What will now be interesting to see is how many other airlines will follow. It would be an excellent branding opportunity for a small private jet company to fly the BA colours.
2) Icejet and JetCom’s Alliance
As predicted by many, the recession has acted as a catalyst for industry efficiency mergers and alliances – the latest between charter operator Icejet, based at London Oxford Airport, and Swiss operator JetCom Aviation. In a move that makes perfect operational and financial sense, Icejet and JetCom have brought their fleets of Dornier 328 jet aircraft together under the same umbrella. Icejet will now manage the operations of JetCom’s 31-seat Dornier 328 Jet by providing maintenance and crew support. The aircraft joins the existing Icejet fleet which includes a Dornier 328 14 seat VIP jet and a 19-seat all-business class D328 jet. The intention is to add a second JetCom Aviation 31 seater 328 to the Icelandic fleet in the near future.
This looks to be a match made in heaven; with JetCom’s aircraft having been under-utilised, combined with Icejet’s excellent marketing strengths. The benefits are many: More back up when aircraft are unservicable/in maintenance; ability to reduce numbers of crew accross the combined fleet; increased crew flexibility for planning and scheduling and maximising the efficiency of both operations – with the aim of reducing empty sectors.
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