VistaJet 7 answers at EBACE 2016

During EBACE 2016 we had amazing opportunity to talk with VistaJet Chief Commercial Officer Ian Moore. Here are most important of our discussion.

Q.VistaJet - a perfect example of how a company can work equally well on different markets, while having great results. What's the secret?

It is no secret: our unique business model.  We provide all the benefits of owning a personal jet without the responsibility or asset risk. Our customers can travel to more international destinations with us, aboard the best and youngest fleet on the market, only paying for the hours they fly and in the most time-efficient manner possible.

We also have the best global team in the industry supported by an outstanding infrastructure, and the multiculturalism and internationality of our workforce is reflective of our global reach. We constantly invest in our people and provide the highest quality training to support them throughout their careers.  It is one of the keys to our continued success.

No other operator can offer the same quality of product and service. It is why we have over 90% renewal rate amongst our customers.

​Q. What are the main challenges of the market you would have noted in the current economic realities?

The overarching theme of change in the private aviation market has been this: no one wants to own these assets any more.  This is likely both as a result of a changing economic environment  - although it is hard to generalize across all markets – but also because people do not want to take on the cost and risk of ownership, and they don’t have the time to do so.

This is why VistaJet has enjoyed a tremendous rate of growth since we were founded in 2006. Our unique business model has been tailored to address these changes. VistaJet’s offering is consistent and transparent – a rarity in this business – and our clients know exactly what they will get, when they want it and, most importantly, exactly how much it will cost. It is for these reasons that more and more people are choosing to enjoy our service.

Q. Is Vistajet planning to enter the market in any new segments?

We are always seeking new opportunities for growth. VistaJet flies to more international destinations than any other airline and we will keep up with demand. In 2006, VistaJet typically served 30% of the globe. It now regularly serves over 90% of countries worldwide, with a VistaJet aircraft taking off every 36 minutes.

Q. What could you say regarding USA, Chinese and Russian markets? What has been done and what else is needed?

We see a huge amount of potential in the USA and China, and we are doing extremely well in both geographies. Since introducing a B-registered aircraft to fly domestically in China last year, VistaJet has seen a 30% growth in Asia flight traffic. In 2015, VistaJet saw a 139% growth in US flight traffic.

In Russia we also enjoyed success for the year, although the geopolitical situation has impacted flight traffic in that market.

Q. Fleet modernization. How many aircraft will be received before the end of the year. Will you keep "the average age of aircraft" - two years.

We recently took delivery of our 100th Aircraft. We have one of the youngest wholly-owned fleets in the industry of over 60. We will always be sure that our customers are provided with the latest model, and our aircraft are maintained to the highest level by the manufacturer itself.

Q. Forecast for 2016

We still see real growth potential in the US and Asia, and the opportunity to take further market share. A multiplatform service offering will be crucial: We are developing a seamless experience across digital, mobile and face-to-face – our new app plays a key role in this. We’ll be continuing to invest in our online offering in the coming months and years

 Q. What is the reason for headquarters moving to Malta and how the company evaluates its potential on the island.

The decision to move our headquarters was made after careful consideration once we realised it would promote the highest levels of efficiency and interaction by bringing together our operations, finance and European customer services teams. We can attract and nurture the best talent through our world-class training system for all of our – over 400 – crew members and operational staff. All of this means we can provide even better service for our global customer base.

Since relocating our operations to Malta in 2013, we have found it to be a fantastic place to do business and the aviation industry is flourishing. As part of the EU it has access to the European common market, and it has a Government that not only supports business, but works with and encouraged us to grow and develop.

Photos: Dmitry Petrochenko