A lifelong aviation enthusiast who joined&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;in 2007, Curt came to&nbsp;the publication&nbsp;from the broadcast industry where he was a national science and technology television reporter and producer. He writes on the FBO field, aviation finance, and sustainable aviation and occasionally contributes to&nbsp;AIN&nbsp;sister publication&nbsp;Business Jet Traveler. Curt was a member of the AINtv reporting staff that won the 2008 Aerospace Journalist of the Year award for Best Airshow Daily. That same year, he was a finalist for another AJOYA award. He earned an AJOYA for Best Business Aviation Submission in 2018 and was a finalist in that category in 2021. He received the National Air Transportation Association’s&nbsp; Aviation Journalist Award in 2012 and won a Pegasus Sapphire Business Aviation Award for outstanding journalism in 2021.
Before joining AIN, Curt worked with&nbsp;Consumer Reports’ television division, CRTV, and for several local television news staffs. An honors graduate of the State University of New York at Stony Brook, he earned a master’s degree in broadcast journalism from Boston University in 1995. Curt lives in New York State with his wife and two young sons.

Business Aviation Services Editor

Curt Epstein

Following the soft rollout of Atlantic Aviation’s new customer rebate program earlier this year, the FBO mega-chain is marking Atlantic Ascend’s NBAA-BACE debut this week. With free enrollment, the program provides exclusive fuel savings and service fee rebates across its entire network. Atlantic said Ascend will complement and not replace Awards, its existing customer rewards program.
“Atlantic Awards and Atlantic Ascend serve two different audiences, but they share the same philosophy,” said John Redcay, Atlantic’s chief commercial and sustainability officer. “Atlantic Awards rewards individual pilots, while Ascend was built for the organizations behind the flying. Flight departments, charter operators, management companies, and aircraft owners now have a way to earn meaningful savings across their entire operation.”
Ascend provides two main benefits. First, each subscriber will receive a weekly exclusive list of best-available, non-negotiated fuel pricing at all of Atlantic’s more than 100 locations in North America, including Alaska and Hawaii, offering improved predictability on fuel costs.
The second part of Ascend’s value proposition enables customers to unlock quarterly rebates of up to 15% on service fees such as aircraft parking; ground services (GPU, lavatory, water); hangarage; and security and facility fees. These automatic savings are calculated based on the times a customer chooses an Atlantic facility at airports where there is competition.
If they choose Atlantic 50% or more in a quarter at those locations, the rebate levels will escalate as the percentage increases and then be multiplied by the number of consecutive quarters (up to three) they maintain that level. Those rebates apply to operator spend across the entire Atlantic network, not just at destinations where there is competition.
Following a beta test earlier this year at select locations, the company has expanded the program nationwide.&nbsp;To date, it reported that more than 500 customers, representing 2,300 aircraft, have already enrolled. Members ranged from single-aircraft operators to those with fleets exceeding 90 aircraft.
For example, it cited one charter operator that has increased its Atlantic market share from 55% to 82% since joining the program, visiting 75 unique locations in the process. It more than doubled its trip activity, and under the escalating Ascend rewards framework, increased its service fee savings earning rate to the 12% rebate level.&nbsp;
“What has been most encouraging is seeing customers move beyond enrollment and begin earning value from the program,” Redcay told AIN. “Atlantic Ascend was designed to reward consistency by increasing the rebate amounts over time. We’re seeing strong engagement from customers who are choosing Atlantic more often and realizing meaningful savings as a result.”

New developments at FBOs including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

Atlantic Aviation Ascends at NBAA-BACE

Company’s new customer rebate program makes its show debut

Atlantic Aviation formally unveils Atlantic Ascend, its new customer loyalty rebate program.

2024 Corporate Aviation Leadership Summit

Charles Alcock

New developments at airports including regulations and noise issues; legal disputes; openings, acquisitions and mergers.

News and issues relating to business, corporate and private aviation, primarily regarding turbine-engine-powered airplanes and helicopters. Subjects include aircraft, engines, maintenance, operations, personnel, acquisitions, accidents, safety, security, and training.

Swissport spinoff adds two Mexico FBOs and names new leaders

PrivatPort Brings Its FBO Network to Cancún and Tulum

Kerry Lynch

News and issues about aviation maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO), covering all segments of the aviation industry; and modifications for aircraft and engines. Subjects include product support of aircraft, engines and avionics, MRO company mergers, acquisitions, announcements and personnel, Airworthiness Directives, Supplemental Type Certificate approvals and other topics.

The company recently added two more hangars and poured more concrete for ramp space

Business Jet Rapidly Expanding Footprint at Love Field

The multimillion-dollar project will greatly increase the company’s capabilities

California FBO/MRO Desert Jet Begins Major Expansion

Amy Wilder

News and developments about airplanes, helicopters and unmanned air vehicles used in all varieties of operations, including airlines, military, business, commercial, general aviation and private.

NBAA-BACE 2026

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