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Royal Jet is the world’s largest single BBJ operator

Royal Jet and ARABASCO alliance brings premium private jet service to Saudi Arabia

Aviation industry powerhouses Royal Jet and ARABASCO have entered into a commercial and operational alliance that will make the region’s most sought after elite business aviation services available to Saudi Arabia.

The agreement was signed by Royal Jet President & CEO Shane O’Hare and ARABASCO President & CEO Ret. Brig. General Mohamed Al Shablan. The agreement seals an alliance between the two companies which are chaired by HE Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan (Royal Jet) and Sheikh Khalil Mohammed Awad Bin Laden (ARABASCO), who was present at the signing ceremony alongside Royal Jet board member Nadir Ahmed Al Hammadi. Royal Jet will operate under the Arabasco AOC (Aircraft Operators Certificate) and will leverage the extensive experience and expertise of both parties in luxury private jet travel to address the regional and global executive travel needs of Saudi Arabia.

Under the terms of the agreement, UAE-based Royal Jet will be positioning a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ) and a Gulfstream 300 at ARABASCO’s key hubs in Jeddah and Riyadh to better serve the Saudi market, together with crew, full operations team and all necessary supporting logistics. With a growing fleet of 10 jets including five BBJs, Royal Jet is the world’s largest single BBJ operator.

Based in Saudi Arabia, ARABASCO has been the premiere Fixed Based Operations (FBO) and maintenance facility company in the kingdom, offering a variety of aircraft maintenance, management and ground handling services to private, VIP and business jets.

From its private terminals within the Kingdom, Arabasco and Royal Jet will now offer private jet charter, as well as domestic and international travel from Saudi Arabia, using the BBJ and Gulfstream 300 which can comfortably accommodate 30 and 12 passengers respectively, to cities like London, Moscow, Bangkok, as well as other business and leisure hubs in the region.

With the new agreement, in the air, VVIP travelers can be assured of high standards of reliability provided by Royal Jet’s highly trained and experienced pilots and flight crew and on the ground ARABASCO’s VIP terminal and lounge.

Royal Jet gives the highest priority to the training and recruitment of its high caliber staff; and has recently launched a ‘world-first’ by becoming the only private jet charter company to offer its guests a personal chef, providing them with bespoke gourmet dining based on their own individual preferences.

Achieving growth in a key regional market such as Saudi Arabia is an important focus of Royal Jet’s expansion strategy, said His Excellency Sheikh Hamdan. “Increasing Royal Jet’s presence in the region was part of our strategic five-year plan and this alliance will help us consolidate our position. Saudi Arabia is the single largest and most mature private jet market in the region, and there are significant benefits that are opening up here, especially when one enters the market with an established brand and product offering.”

 
HE Sheikh Hamdan added: “This is a market where we hope to establish a significant presence, and this agreement is an important step in that direction. By leveraging our expertise and experience, we will be able to achieve a competitive edge and capture a substantial share of this highly lucrative market.”

“We believe that the alliance is a significant boost to executive business aviation in Saudi Arabia, a market that has seen substantial growth in the past and is expected to continue growing despite the global economic slowdown. Through this partnership, we will be able to provide executives and families alike with superior private jet service through Royal Jet,” said Al Shablan.

Meanwhile, Royal Jet’s O’ Hare said, Saudi Arabia has proven to be a very important market for Royal Jet over the years. “We expect this trend to continue in the coming months, notwithstanding the global slowdown, because of the strong liquidity in the market and the still lucrative growth projections expected this year. Our commitment to Arabasco is to provide a team of sales and operational staff who will provide the same high standards of service, reliability and luxury for which the Royal Jet brand has become known throughout the region, and the rest of the world.”


“With a larger capacity of as much as 30 guests in various cabin configurations in the BBJ, the aircraft will comfortably and reasonably address greater demand as the alliance grows in strength and market share in the next couple of months. We expect 2009 to be challenging, but nonetheless a fruitful year for the private jet service market, especially in Saudi Arabia,” continued O’ Hare.

Al Shablan shares Royal Jet’s optimism, noting that business travel should either maintain or increase current frequency and flight capacity. “There will always be a market for premium jet services especially in Saudi Arabia. Our business comes from the upmarket segment, which has maintained sufficient levels of liquidity and will never compromise on the luxurious standards of business travel that they have been accustomed to,” he ended.

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Theodore is the Co-Founder and Managing Editor of TravelDailyNews Media Network; his responsibilities include business development and planning for TravelDailyNews long-term opportunities.

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