Buoyant Economy in the Middle East Accelerates Growth in Air Charter Business

The air charter business is experiencing a major boom in the Middle East, driven by the growing presence of multinational corporations and a vibrant economy, according to Hugh Courtenay, Chief Executive, International Air Charter plc, a leading charter aircraft broker in the Middle East.

International Air Charter, which recorded an unprecedented growth in the financial year ended December 31, 2003, has projected a 40 percent growth in its business by the end of 2004, boosted by a heightened demand for corporate charter flights.

The company specializes in providing a variety of aircraft, from helicopters and executive jets to large commercial airliners from its fleet database of over 45,000 aircraft for commercial and personal use.

Courtenay said, "With changing perceptions about chartered air travel, we have seen a tremendous growth in business in 2003. Charters are no longer viewed as a luxurious indulgence of the privileged. It is a very safe and practical way to travel, especially to multiple or remote destinations, a view that is being shared by an increasing number of businesses in the Middle East. Although we provide jets for both professional and personal use, the most significant increase in demand has been from the corporate sector, especially to multiple sectors (three or four-leg destinations) within the Middle East.

"More businesses in the region are opting for the convenience and flexibility of privately chartered air travel, over traditional scheduled flights. Whether for one or several hundred passengers, they can fly wherever they want, at their own time and convenience, without the hassle of waiting for connecting flights or danger of delays. There is also the added security and privacy, a big plus point for corporate travelers and groups. Lastly, companies can avail themselves of customized amenities such as VIP Terminals, off airport check-in, special catering and even aircraft branding," he added.

"The positive business environment in the region has provided great impetus to our operations. Unlike other players in the charter business who own and operate a specific number of aircraft, International Air Charter plc is an independent broker, and for this reason is able to offer a huge selection of aircraft that include Boeing Business Jets, Global Expresses, Falcons, Gulfstreams, Challengers, Cessna Citations and Lear Jets. This gives us a considerable advantage, in terms of price, choice and availability of aircraft. While operators are inclined to use the aircraft in their own fleet, as brokers we can offer a wide choice of aircraft to suit the budget and requirements of the client. We work exclusively with many well-known operators, and as we buy so many hours a year on their aircrafts, we benefit from substantial discounts, which in turn are passed on to our clients", he said. 

For customer satisfaction and flight safety we regularly update information such as flight history, maintenance records, crew experience, insurance details on all the aircraft that we use. Our customers are not restricted by non-availability of certain aircraft as our unique database has at any one time over 45,000 aircraft world-wide for us to select from," added Courtenay.