NEW BIZ LINE Launch At FAB 23/09/2008
Sept 24, 2008 10:15:19 GMT 1
Post by Admin (Annette Andria) on Sept 24, 2008 10:15:19 GMT 1
JET REPUBLIC
Shown on local TV Last ev (tuesday) DEMO with N60LJ
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A 36-year old former RAF pilot and his financial backers have placed the biggest ever order for Learjets - worth $1.5bn (£815m) - in the belief that the global credit crunch will not affect high net worth individuals and their need to travel around the world on private aircraft.
Jonathan Breeze, chief executive of the newly launched Jet Republic, has placed an order for 110 Bombardier Learjet 60XRs which will provide customers with airborne internet connections for their BlackBerry mobile phones, special security systems and multilingual flight attendants.
Breeze, who claims his company offers "a five-star boutique hotel in the sky" believes that the banking crisis could work in his favour and he says the company is quite different from airlines such as Silverjet, EOS and Maxjet that catered for the business community and which have all ceased trading this year.
He believes some successful entrepreneurs and high-net worth individuals could ditch plans to buy their own jets and buy space on his craft which will fly to more than 1,000 airports in Europe. The company, which will be based in Lisbon, is promising to use offsetting to ensure carbon-neutral travel.
"The kind of customers we cater for will be continuing to run their businesses around Europe and could find themselves wanting to use private jets as the main airlines cut routes and services," said Breeze, the Jet Republic chief executive, who flew huge Hercules transport planes for the RAF before moving into commerce.
"We have obviously been following the credit crunch but our opinion is that some people might drop plans to invest $15m to $20m on their own private business jet and come to us."
Despite the squalls hitting the mainstream civil aviation sector due to rising fuel costs and lower demand, Jet Republic argues that between 1998 and 2007 there was an 83% increase in the number of business jet flights and a more than 50% increase in the last four years of that period. The new business is backed by an Austrian private bank, Euram, and Mexico's Grupo Salinas plus a number of undisclosed individual investors. It is to be located in Lisbon, says Breeze, because that is a main centre for the private jet sector. "We found ourselves twice oversubscribed. They [financial backers] realise that this is a growing market."
Bob Horner, senior vice president for sales at Bombardier Business Aircraft, said the private jet market was going from strength to strength despite the global economic downturn.
"In fact, Business Aircraft Market Forecast predicts $300bn in deliveries over the next 10 years. Bombardier estimates that the worldwide business jet fleet will nearly double in the next ten years from 12,800 to 24,800 in 2017."
Britain is expected to supply some customers - and many of Jet Republic's staff. As many as 550 pilots, 350 flight attendants and up to 700 back-up staff will be needed to keep the 110 Learjets in the air and Breeze expects some of his former colleagues to sign up.
Jet Republic says it will be 100% carbon neutral from its very first flight. It has signed an agreement with ClimateCare, one of Europe's most experienced providers of carbon offsets.
Breeze, who was a director of private jet company NetJets Europe and White Concierge before helping to establish Jet Republic, said his new venture would deliver gold-plated services in the sky - and on the ground.
"Our bespoke concierge service doesn't just offer our members an end to end travel itinerary - it goes beyond this. This exceptional service enables our members to meet their needs - from booking a restaurant to sourcing a gift."
Shown on local TV Last ev (tuesday) DEMO with N60LJ
=============================================
A 36-year old former RAF pilot and his financial backers have placed the biggest ever order for Learjets - worth $1.5bn (£815m) - in the belief that the global credit crunch will not affect high net worth individuals and their need to travel around the world on private aircraft.
Jonathan Breeze, chief executive of the newly launched Jet Republic, has placed an order for 110 Bombardier Learjet 60XRs which will provide customers with airborne internet connections for their BlackBerry mobile phones, special security systems and multilingual flight attendants.
Breeze, who claims his company offers "a five-star boutique hotel in the sky" believes that the banking crisis could work in his favour and he says the company is quite different from airlines such as Silverjet, EOS and Maxjet that catered for the business community and which have all ceased trading this year.
He believes some successful entrepreneurs and high-net worth individuals could ditch plans to buy their own jets and buy space on his craft which will fly to more than 1,000 airports in Europe. The company, which will be based in Lisbon, is promising to use offsetting to ensure carbon-neutral travel.
"The kind of customers we cater for will be continuing to run their businesses around Europe and could find themselves wanting to use private jets as the main airlines cut routes and services," said Breeze, the Jet Republic chief executive, who flew huge Hercules transport planes for the RAF before moving into commerce.
"We have obviously been following the credit crunch but our opinion is that some people might drop plans to invest $15m to $20m on their own private business jet and come to us."
Despite the squalls hitting the mainstream civil aviation sector due to rising fuel costs and lower demand, Jet Republic argues that between 1998 and 2007 there was an 83% increase in the number of business jet flights and a more than 50% increase in the last four years of that period. The new business is backed by an Austrian private bank, Euram, and Mexico's Grupo Salinas plus a number of undisclosed individual investors. It is to be located in Lisbon, says Breeze, because that is a main centre for the private jet sector. "We found ourselves twice oversubscribed. They [financial backers] realise that this is a growing market."
Bob Horner, senior vice president for sales at Bombardier Business Aircraft, said the private jet market was going from strength to strength despite the global economic downturn.
"In fact, Business Aircraft Market Forecast predicts $300bn in deliveries over the next 10 years. Bombardier estimates that the worldwide business jet fleet will nearly double in the next ten years from 12,800 to 24,800 in 2017."
Britain is expected to supply some customers - and many of Jet Republic's staff. As many as 550 pilots, 350 flight attendants and up to 700 back-up staff will be needed to keep the 110 Learjets in the air and Breeze expects some of his former colleagues to sign up.
Jet Republic says it will be 100% carbon neutral from its very first flight. It has signed an agreement with ClimateCare, one of Europe's most experienced providers of carbon offsets.
Breeze, who was a director of private jet company NetJets Europe and White Concierge before helping to establish Jet Republic, said his new venture would deliver gold-plated services in the sky - and on the ground.
"Our bespoke concierge service doesn't just offer our members an end to end travel itinerary - it goes beyond this. This exceptional service enables our members to meet their needs - from booking a restaurant to sourcing a gift."