Zetta Jet Grows Rapidly In Trans-Pacific Charter Market

Since launching in August 2015, Singapore-based Zetta Jet has quickly established itself as one of the fastest-growing charter flight providers in the Asia Pacific region. The Chinese market has been a critical driver of the private company’s growth.

The most recent expansion came in late December when Zetta Jet agreed to merge with fellow Singapore private aviation company Asia Aviation, along with U.S. aircraft management specialist Advanced Air Management. The acquisitions will expand Zetta Jet’s international reach, as well as service offerings.

Zetta Jet will remain headquartered in Singapore and merge operations with Asia Aviation Company under the core Zetta Jet Pte Ltd. brand. Advanced Air Management, which is based at the Los Angeles-area airport Van Nuys, will be renamed Zetta Jet USA. The group will expand its aircraft management portfolio under the name Zetta Jet Management.

Geoffery Cassidy will continue to lead Zetta Jet as managing director, based in Singapore, while Matthew Walter is to remain director of sales, and James Seagrim director of operations. Walter and Seagrim are based in Zetta’s office in California. “The merger of both companies under Zetta Jet is a significant milestone, which will greatly strengthen our value proposition as the world’s first truly personalized private airline,” Cassidy said.

In less than two years, the company has since expanded to a fleet of 12 Bombardier Global 5000s and 6000s and four Challenger 650s that are averaging 100 flight hours a month. Asia Aviation, based at Seletar Airport in Singapore, provides a range of aircraft management, charter, and flight-department services. Advanced Air Management has concentrated on managing long-range business jets.

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Zetta Jet Rapidly Builds Bombardier Fleet, Spreading Its Wings Beyond Asia

Zetta Jet hopes to challenge established rivals like Vistajet and ExecuJet in the high-end charter business.

Back in early November 2016, Zetta Jet signed a $129 million deal to lease four Bombardier Challenger 650s from China’s Minsheng Financial Leasing, which bought the 12-seat twinjets from the Canadian manufacturer. The new aircraft, which will supplement its larger Bombardier Global 5000 and 6000, are now being operated out of the company’s North American hub in Los Angeles.

The Global 5000 and 6000 cabins can seat up to 14 passengers and can be reconfigured to provide beds for five to seven people. The aircraft feature Rockwell Collins’s Venue cabin-management system and Bombardier Wave wireless connectivity package, based on Honeywell’s JetWave hardware and Inmarsat’s Ka-band JetConnex service. The cockpit is built around Bombardier’s Vision flight deck with a synthetic vision system and MultiScan radar as standard equipment, as well as an optional enhanced vision head-up display.

According to Zetta Jet, it is the only Part 135 charter operator approved by the U.S. Federal Aviation Administration to fly in the polar regions. This allows it to plan shorter routes for many flights between the U.S. and Asia, avoiding fuel stops.

The company also has made significant investments in the outfitting of its aircraft cabins. It recruits cabin crew from leading aviation and hospitality industry groups and provides training at Switzerland’s École hôtelière de Lausanne. Flight attendants use luxury products such as Christofle silverware, Hermès Egyptian linens and Salon champagne.

As well as offering individual flights, Zetta Jet customers can buy 100-hour blocks of charter time at discounted rates with guaranteed availability. This allows clients to switch between the Global 5000 and 6000 models.