International charter broker Air Partner has opened a London City office in the heart of the Docklands business district.

The development forms part of the company’s strategy to offer a personal doorstep service to its top executive jet clients.

City manager Mark Sale said: “As business becomes more informal we find that clients are far more likely to want to chat through important projects over a cup of coffee than via long telephone calls and tedious faxes. This formula has certainly worked for our team in Manhattan.

Group md David Savile added: “When clients charter an aircraft they become the decision maker. They select their schedules and routes as well as the aircraft type, comfort levels and other passengers, with safety and confidentiality being key elements at all times.”

The decision to open Canary Wharf was taken as charter sales for the first half of the 2001 financial year rose by 46 per cent with a strong and increasing demand for premier executive jet services, particularly for financial roadshows.

Three of Air Partner’s business aviation experts have transferred from the group’s Gatwick headquarters to lead the local City team.