Royal Jet remains on flight plan for growth

By: R. Randall Padfield

November 17, 2009
Business Aviation, Charter

Abu Dhabi-based Royal Jet’s diversification and five-year plan have helped maintain its growth during the last year, according to Shane O’Hare, president and CEO. “This has been a good year for Royal Jet. Our business has grown in a declining market, which has increased our market share in the region,” he said at a press conference here yesterday. “Our strategy of diversification, which includes our brokerage service, aircraft management, medical evacuation and FBO, has made significant contribution to our company’s health.”

Royal Jet (Chalet A57/58) is jointly owned by Abu Dhabi Aviation (Stand E118) and Presidential Flight of Abu Dhabi, which is the royal flight service. It is chaired by HE Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, who serves as a minister in the federal cabinet of the United Arab Emirates.

From 2006 to 2008, before the current downturn, the charter market in the Middle East saw an annual increase of some 23 percent, while Royal Jet showed a yearly growth of 25 to 30 percent.  For 2009, the company reports an increase in charter bookings of about 15 percent. Its new brokerage firm, Dubai-based Royal Jet Charter Brokerage, began operations at the beginning of this year and is expected to achieve profits in excess of $1 million for the year.

Royal Jet’s current fleet of aircraft includes five Boeing Business Jets, making it the world’s largest BBJ operator, two Gulfstream 300s, Gulfstream GIV-SP, a Learjet 60 and a Challenger 604. The company is refurbishing its BBJs, at a cost of $50 million. “The first of these will be shortly rejoining the fleet,” said O’Hare. “It promises to be probably the most technically advanced BBJ in the world, as far as passengers amenities are concerned.”

O’Hare also announced that Royal Jet will be developing a new maintenance facility in Abu Dhabi. “It will have full MRO capability and will be able to undertake third-party maintenance,” he said. “We expect it to be operational by August 2011.”
For the third year in a row, Royal Jet received the World Travel Award for the World’s Leading –Private Jet Charter. Royal Jet’s fixed-base operations facility at Abu Dhabi International Airport was also voted Best in the Middle East by AIN’s monthly publication, Aviation International News.

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