Flying 'Travel Agency' Ready Around the Clock

Q: Which markets does Privé Jets expect to target?

A: Our excellent customer service positions the company as an elite brand in both our private aviation and private yacht services. We like to be considered a travel agency with round-the-clock availability. From a marketing standpoint, we do not limit our sales to Mexico where our operations are established. We can still offer our services to foreign markets, maximizing the vehicle’s usage even when abroad. Therefore, we must have logistics plans that are focused on optimizing vehicle airtime.

In October 2015, I co-founded the first alliance for private jet charters, Go2Jets, which ensures aircraft availability is never an issue. We have a fleet of nine units, which we expect to increase to 12 units by the end of 2016. They will service the US, Mexico, Colombia, Argentina, the Caribbean and probably Peru. Privé Jets and Go2Jets play two different roles for us. Privé Jets secures any type of plane needed for a customer’s flight schedule while Go2Jets makes sure that top-notch aircraft always are available. We are responsible for offering units that meet the highest industry standards. Although Go2Jets began operations in Mexico, it is now Miami based. Its success has led to a significant increase in sales for its partners, such as Redwings’ 60 percent rise in international flights.

Customers often ask for the provision of three main elements: US$100 million liability insurance, Wyvern Wingman and the IS-BAO audits. Unfortunately, Mexican service providers do not cover all three, meaning the market must resort to foreign solutions. We look forward to helping the Latin American market overcome this shortcoming.

Q: How do Go2Jets’ and Privé Jets work together?

A: The two companies address different market areas. Go2Jets works exclusively with Redwings in Mexico but Privé Jets works with 60 percent of Mexico’s private jet enterprises. The latter has fewer restrictions and those customers do not demand US$100 million in insurance or double audits. Privé Jets does have stricter requirements for its partners than those that can be met by most of

Mexico’s enterprises, limiting our participation to a little over half of the total supply. We are very cautious when choosing destinations and partners, keeping the safety of each track and airport in mind.

The private jet market is narrow in Mexico and new clients rarely come into play. The whole market demand comes from 200 families and around 1,000 companies. Although those numbers are subpar compared to the US or Europe, Mexico remains by far the leading private aviation market in Latin America, followed by Brazil.

Q: How does Privé Jets plant to build on the steps already taken?

A: We have not yet been successful enough in improving the image of Latin American companies. We believe that Go2Jets will contribute to changing this perception and expect that by 2017 between two and three more companies will be added to our offering. We want to market Go2Jets in a more direct manner here in Mexico. Privé Jets is stable, supported by its solid track record and customer base but it also needs to change subtly from within. We want to improve our internal structure by further supporting our providers and training them to higher standards.

Q: What makes Privé Jet’s services unique?

A: We are the only company in the world that covers the yacht, private aviation and travel agency experiences. One phone call gives clients access to a broad range of services of the highest quality. Our employees are required to travel around the world for at least four weeks every year. In return, they have a real understanding of the hotel and tour promotions and can offer personal experience as a basis to comprehend our clients’ needs.

Privé Jets also supplies vehicles for war zones, humanitarian aid and air ambulance services. We were one of the few companies that aided the Cabo San Lucas community during its last hurricane, rescuing people and taking them out of harm’s way. After Haiti’s devastating earthquake, Privé Jets supported the cause with three to four daily trips. In fact, we were the first charter flight to reach the area.