Press Release

Issued by Atlantic Bridge Aviation.

October 16, 2015

The Atlantic Bridge Aviation Group (ABA) has launched an 'industry first' intelligent software programme that can comprehensively analyse a client's travel patterns and needs and identify the most cost-effective option.

These options include scheduled airline travel, ad-hoc charter of an executive aircraft, block hours purchase, fractional ownership of an executive aircraft or full ownership and operation.

The commercial and business aviation specialist has spent more than three months developing Flight Plan, which guarantees to deliver an unbiased and accurate recommendation to suit each corporate client's individual needs.

ABA's managing director Jonathan Gordon says the Flight Plan consultation is being offered on a complimentary basis to companies or individuals who are interested in using executive air transport to meet their corporate travel requirements.

“There's no obligation to proceed and we promise there are no hard sell tactics,” he adds.

The Flight Plan system benchmarks various forms of executive air travel against the costs associated with a client using ABA's successful fractional ownership programme, AirShare.

Jonathan says: “The aim is to deliver a purely objective analysis which may well end up recommending the client travels by scheduled airline; there is nothing built into the programme that steers the client in any direction other than what is the best option for them. We are extremely proud of the new system, which has already proved an invaluable aid to pinpointing exactly what works best for our clients. Gone are the days when executive air travel was a simple choice between flying business class with a scheduled carrier or owning your own aircraft. Now there's a multitude of options, ranging from leasing and chartering to shared or full ownership and management.”

So how does Flight Plan work?

Jonathan says: “We conduct an interview with the client, preferably face-to-face or it could be done by phone, where we work our way through a series of questions. At the end of the process the answers provided will enable the programme to identify the recommended form of travel and the net cost or saving to be made. All forms of travel are shown and compared to participating in our AirShare fractional ownership scheme.

“We take into account how many times you travel each year, average length of trip, average number of days away on each trip, and average number of passengers travelling – this may be only one, of course.

“We also examine the size of the primary passengers' total salary and remuneration package and, as appropriate, any other passenger's salary packages so that we can calculate lost productivity during the time it takes to complete a journey. This is, of course, kept completely confidential.

“In virtually every case there are significant time savings when using an executive aircraft rather than using a scheduled airline.

“We also factor in your estimated productivity, e.g. a multiple of your salary package that recognises your value to the company in the form of output, and business or profits gained. This may sound a little complex but we use our experience to help guide the client through this part.

“We calculate distances from your home or workplace to your nearest major airport and to our Kent base at Lydd or a more convenient local airport and your normal form of surface travel to get there,” explains Jonathan.

“Our questionnaire covers the cost to the client of raising capital (or internal cost of capital) to pay for his participation in the AirShare fractional programme. All direct and fixed costs are considered including depreciation.

“We also ask the client whether they travel business or economy class when they use airlines in Europe, we discuss the aircraft types operated by the ABA Group and find out whether they have a favourite jet or turbo-prop they wish to factor into the situation.

“As we progress through the questions, Flight Plan is constantly analysing each piece of data and revising its recommended form of travel. Clients find this particularly useful since it shows them how even modest changes to travel preferences can impact on the best solutions offered.

“Once all the information has been programmed in, Flight Plan will recommend the optimum form of travel based upon a purely logical analysis,” says Jonathan.

Clients will then be given an eight page report which includes:

• Leading aircraft performance parameters

• Variable costs

• Fixed costs

• Productivity analysis

• A cost analysis with graphical representation of each aircraft type operated by ABA to include ad-hoc charter, block hours purchase, AirShare (fractional) operations and full ownership. This is shown along with scheduled airline travel. The graphs clearly show the client how trends in travel will affect choices and where break-even occurs.

• The report includes a cost analysis with graphical representation showing full ownership (managed by ABA) of the three aircraft types operated by ABA plus the client's chosen aircraft as well as airline analysis. Again, the graphics show trends and break-even levels.

Jonathan adds: “The Flight Plan programme is a genuine industry first which guarantees to help corporate clients or better off individuals to find the most cost-effective option for their international executive travel needs.”