Executive Airlines plans to expand at the double Executive Airlines ...

EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
Executive Airlines plans to more
than double its fleet to 28 jets,
highlighting the spectacular growth
of the Spanish business aviation
market. The company is one of two
firms granted licences to manage the
corporate aviation terminal at
Barcelona’s El Prat airport. Patricio
Zunino, FBO director and
commercial director, says: “There is
no other business terminal of this
kind and size in Spain. It stands
comparison with the top class
terminals established in other
European cities.
“Barcelona airport is well aware of
the growing demand for business
aviation and therefore decided to
allocate a specific area,” Zunino
adds. “With this initiative, El Prat
now can rely with some of the best
infrastructure in Spain for business
aviation. It will encourage customers
who travel to our city on business
and therefore expect top facilities.”
Juli López, ceo Executive Airlines,
explains: “The first phase of our
expansion plan was to increase the
fleet and this has already benefited
from increased capacity and
consolidation. The second phase of
international expansion will be new
bases in the main European capitals.
Expansion will then follow in the
growth regions of the Middle and
Far East.
“In the next two years we will
receive 13 more jets,” López
confirms. Executive Airlines has
ordered five G200s, two G450s,
three G550s, two G150s and a
Hawker 400XP. “Our fleet will
then have 21 Gulfstreams and a
mix of Falcon, Cessna, Learjet,
Hawker and Beechcraft, López
adds. “We believe this will give us a
very attractive range of aircraft that
will meet the growing needs of our
client base.”
Executive Airlines was launched
in 1999 with a Falcon 900EX and a
Citation Bravo. It added a Learjet 45
and a CJ1 and has since become one
of the biggest managed charter
companies in Spain.
Its latest addition, a G200, has,
says EA, proved an immediate
success with demand for charter to
destinations including Dubai. The
new aircraft takes the number of
G200s in Executive Airlines' fleet to
four based in Madrid, Barcelona and
Valencia. “We are focused on
medium, long and extra long range
aircraft,” says López. “Our bases
and services are designed to meet
AIRCRAFT MANAGEMENT II
Executive Airlines wins FBO licence
as it doubles size of managed fleet
Juli Lopez: reports spectacular growth
the needs of the businessman and
we also have leisure demand.”
Other aircraft for charter include
three G550s, based in Madrid,
Barcelona and Valencia, a GIV-SP
based in Madrid and a G150 and
Falcon 900EX based in Barcelona.
There is also a Cessna XLS based in
Gerona, a Learjet 45 in Barcelona
and a Citation Bravo that service
business from Madrid. Two CJ1 in
Madrid and Barcelona complete the
current fleet.
López confirms: “The Spanish
business aviation market has
experienced spectacular growth.
Forecasts predict growth for the next
five years. Corporations and
individuals in Spain first became
only gradually aware of the
advantages that this kind of aviation
brings to their business in terms of
time saving, flexibility, safety,
privacy. But now day after day
there is an increasing demand for
business aviation in our country and
we know that the aircraft we add will
be kept busy.”
He adds: “Executive Airlines has a
versatile fleet that allows us to meet
our clients’ needs for both their
business and leisure trips. Lately, the
company has incorporated some
Gulfstream aircraft with range
for overseas trips to the main
financial cities of the world as
well as top tourist destinations.
Leisure trips usually take place in
holiday periods.”
Executive Airlines advises on
purchase. López says: “We help
our clients decide what jets are
best suited to their needs, taking
into account factors such as the
number of hours they wish to fly,
the operations base, the number of
passengers, projected destinations
and budget as well as commercial
management of the aircraft for third
parties.” Executive Airlines then
provides a full management service.
EA has vacancies with the
operations and technical
management currently recruiting.
But: “Every department of the
company determines its own criteria
to recruit the staff, in accordance
with our operations manual and the
standards set by the company.
We continue to recruit professional
personnel with the aim of
improving the quality of service,
increasing customer satisfaction and
offering wider commercial service
wherever possible.”
López adds: “The business is
constantly growing according to the
number and quality of the jets
operated. We believe that our
numbers and flight hours from the
past years, as well as the prospects
for 2008 show a very positive
evolution.” (See chart). Last year we
exceeded 5,000 flight hours,
although some jets were added to
the fleet at the end of the year, and
this year we believe we will fly twice
as many hours.”
More fleet expansion is planned.
“We are only announcing aircraft
that will be arriving because of firm
agreements,” says López. “However I
can confirm that, due to the
spectacular growth of the company,
negotiations for new additions are
taking place.”
Aircraft added to the fleet are
usually new with less than 15 per
cent of the current fleet pre-owned.
“We have also expanded our range
of services, integrating other
businesses that form part of the
chain of executive aviation services,
such as handling, operations and
flight planning.”
Executive Airlines is planning
10th anniversary celebrations as
it consolidates business among
clients including high net worth
individuals and the stock market
listed IBEX 35 companies.
Year Jets in the fleet Turnover Flight Hours
2006 8 €20 Million 4,650
2007 13 €35 Million 6,310
Projection for 2008 22 €85 Million 13,975
CJ2+ choice influenced by range and fuel efficiency pluses
The London City airport consortium
has bid for England’s east coast
Southend airport and plans to develop
corporate aviation after purchase. The
consortium includes AIG, Global
Infrastructure Partners, Greenhill and
John Laing Projects.
“The consortium's intention will be
to replicate the success of the London
City airport model at Southend,”
according to the consortium. Other
plans include investment in terminal
and runway facilities and a long
awaited airport rail station. The
consortium adds: “The success of
London City has encouraged
businesses and investors to locate in
East London, safeguarding the
economic prosperity of the area.
Currently there are some 2,000 jobs on
site at London City with over 45
separate employers needing a wide
variety of skills levels, including high
tech jobs.”
Companies based at Southend
include Centreline Air Charter,
Cheqair, Flightline, Flywatch Air
Services, Kudos Aviation, TransEuro
Air and Xclusive Jet Charter. Among
the nearest airports to Southend are
London City which is 24 n.m. away
APRIL 2008 13
Peter Damgaard Nielsen (pictured left) owner of Denmark’s Damson paint
company and his chief pilot Bjarne Markussen, have taken delivery of a CJ2+.
“The aircraft was chosen because of its range, its comfort and its capacity to fly
at high altitude and save fuel,” Markussen, who also flies for Cimber Air, told
EBAN. He expects the CJ2+ to fly around 100 hours a year.
London City plans corporate
aviation at Southend
and London Biggin Hill which is
almost as close.
London Southend is 49 minutes by
train from London’s business district
and 42 minutes from the site of the
2012 Olympic Games. Last year
London City, acting as part of a
consortium led by U.K. construction
and services company Balfour Beatty,
won a tender to acquire Exeter airport
in the southwest of the UK. Analysts
say Southend would, therefore, benefit
from network potential and could
attract private aviation companies.
Zurich headquartered Execujet
Aviation Group, meanwhile, has
pledged to expand using the injection
of capital resulting from businessman
Dermot Desmond's acquisition of a
majority shareholding. Desmond,
who acquired London City airport in
October 1995 and sold it in November
2006, has been appointed as Execujet
chairman. Execujet’s ceo Niall Olver is
on record as saying: “Further
significant investment is planned to
fuel the company's global business
growth plans. We expect the
appointment to help us take the
company to the next stage.”
See also the Execujet story on page 3.