FAI rent-a-jet has three pillars to its business – VIP charters, air ambulance operations and maintenance. Ian Harbison reports from Nuremberg
Siegfried Axtmann, FAI’s chairman and founder, says the company, which has been in business for more than 30 years, operates Germany’s largest charter fleet of Bombardier aircraft. It currently fields five Global Express jets and one Challenger 604. At its highest point, the fleet totalled 29 aircraft (including air ambulance) but there has been a restructuring – including the retirement of nine Learjet 60s – with a switch to longer range operations. The company was involved in aircraft management but the collapse of German real estate meant many of the ‘toys’ were sold off, he adds.
In 2023, it achieved €130m in revenue with increased profitability over previous years, and accumulated around 11,000 flight hours. Most flights are one way, so, as soon as a flight is booked, the aircraft availability for another flight is put online. In this way, 80% of flights carry passengers, higher than some other major charter operators. The same method is used for air ambulance flights, also with success.
Charter
Georg Gruber, Executive Director of Charter Sales & Aircr…
