Press Release

Issued by PhilJets.

December 7, 2015

PhilJets and GrabTaxi, the taxi booking app, have formed a partnership to launch, in late November, the GrabHeli feature in the GrabTaxi application. GrabHeli aims to provide GrabTaxi’s users the possibility to ride and experience PhilJets helicopter rides around the metro when booked through the app. PhilJets, the fast growing aviation start-up established in January 2013, had previously launched earlier this year a Feel Different Campaign, aimed at increasing the access to helicopter charters to more Filipinos as well as foreign tourists and investors. The company announced its plans for growth, and mentioned it would continue to develop innovative solutions for the Philippines. By partnering with GrabTaxi, PhilJets confirms its plan to further strengthen its digital presence and develop its e-commerce platform. The company wanted to make its services more accessible to the local market. It also had a one-time raffle promotion with Cash Cash Pinoy in August earlier this year that flew its lucky winners to Taal. “PhilJets aims to be innovative, to create value, while servicing the growing demand and adapt to the ever evolving requirements of the customers. As we are launching this new booking platform through the app, our solution is likely to improve within the next months, and we foresee multiple different type of requests from the users. We are eager to listen to the feedback and work with our clients to always move towards enhancing customer satisfaction” says Thierry Tea, ceo of PhilJets Group. He adds, “We are happy to partner with GrabTaxi, a true Asian company. They have demonstrated their strengths and leadership position in Asia with more than 10.5 million downloads in the Philippines alone. PhilJets is delighted to be the very first to co-launch GrabHeli!” Michiko Soriano, business development manager adds “We are thrilled to be chosen as partner for the launch of the GrabHeli feature on the GrabTaxi app. We have been working on this together for months, and while it is mainly a marketing campaign, we hope for it to benefit the whole aviation industry in the future.’ So from now we will keep it realistic as there are not yet many helipads or landing sites in the metro; we will start with Manila aerial tours and a possibility of airtaxi/airport transfer from Makati or the Fort, which we already do, but with the GrabHeli on the GrabTaxi app hopefully there will be a larger reach in the future. The Philippines could be like Hong Kong, New York or Rio De Janeiro.” In 2013, PhilJets set goals of promoting Philippine aviation and tourism. In line with this objective, Thierry Tea, ceo of PhilJets will be promoting the Philippines as a speaker of the Civil Helicopter Southeast Asia Conference on December 9 and 10 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia. This past year, PhilJets has focused on promoting tourism through helicopter tours to and around different destinations in the Philippines including Tagaytay and Taal Lake, Mount Pinatubo, Palawan, Boracay, Corregidor, Manila Bay, Banaue and Sagada as well as Bohol and Davao. PhilJets flew around 22 hours a month, and transported more than 1,500 passengers. The market is highly competitive, costs are high and margins are low for credible companies that respect regulation and strictly apply international maintenance and safety standards. Despite the economic and technical challenges, PhilJets Aero Charter Corp, the subsidiary of PhilJets Group is one of the air operators that has gained credibility and a solid reputation in two years and a half, thanks to both its mix of young and experienced Filipino and French team members, as well as its fleet of brand new Airbus Helicopters AS350B2, and H130. PhilJets will add one more brand new H130 helicopter by February 2016, in time for the response to the busy traffic congestion prior to the elections period. In the meantime, PhilJets aims to provide an alternative solution to the customers that want to avoid and escape the heavy traffic and congestion in Manila. Aside from air taxi services, PhilJets has developed fractional ownership, time sharing and aircraft management solutions. PhilJets has reached USD 10 million in assets under management in 2015, a 50% growth from 2014 and expects to grow again by at least another 50% in 2016.