Charter Operators and FBOs Seek to Scoop up Airline Fliers

At the 2008 NATA Air Charter Summit last month, various speakers and participants agreed that the charter industry could greatly benefit from service cuts made by ailing commercial carriers.

Executive travel remains a necessity in the global economy, and charter operators are positioned to capture the business that airlines are dropping, said Charles Priester, one of the event's speakers and chairman and CEO of Priester Aviation.

Securing business previously maintained by airlines will require both charter operators and FBOs to emphasize one of their core strengths, customized service, and to collaboratively build service efficiencies.

Provide customers with exceptional service, and take care of pilots by reserving their hotel rooms and fueling their aircraft on time, Priester said during a seminar on FBO service expectations. His charter company formerly managed a Chicago-area FBO.

Another speaker who addressed the FBO session, Robert Wilson, president of Wilson Air Center, pointed out how pilots can be more cooperative. He expects them to share departure dates in advance and to purchase fuel out of courtesy.

Other issues facing charter operators include a shortage of aircraft. Charter reservations are outpacing aircraft supply, one attendee said.

Clarifying new government regulations and discrepancies they pose is his biggest hurdle, Priester adds.