Swedish company Avinode is gearing up to launch an online search and quotation system for air charter availability at ‘www.avinode.com’.

“We have finished the development phase of the project and are now preparing to launch in either September or October,” said ceo Niklas Berg.

The company aims to provide major brokers and travel agents in Europe with direct access to

air charter.

Founded by former employees at Volvo Aero and Amadeus in close co-operation with Chalmers University of Technology in Gothenburg, the company has also secured the backing of Denmark’s Air Support. “Our impression is that there has been no other company that has been able to establish themselves in the European market so far. We think we have the right concept to attract the operators and this is different to a web site such as ‘www.emptylegcharter.com’, who haven’t really been a threat so far,” said Berg.

He explained how the software works: “This is a professional toolfor brokers who are used to searching for available aircraft and it offers them transparency and shows availability in half day periods. There is one interface for the broker and another for the operator, and the site shows the available aircraft and their prices.”

Berg agreed that some brokers might see it as a threat if a client decides to use the site directly, but he stressed the importance of the broker in advising the client on the right aircraft. It was also suggested

that a broker may even be able to cut down its labour force by utilising the software.

“This could be used as a self booking system, but we are marketing it towards the professional users because they will benefit the most,” he added.

Users are offered three months free trial, after which they pay a fixed subscription fee where the operator’s cost is determined by the size of its fleet. If a customer is happy with a particular operator’s service, he can then limit the serach to just that company’s availability.

“We’re now in contact with around 150 operators over Europe, we’ve met with 30 of these and the response has been positive. Avinode is also being marketed towards the larger travel agent chains, so that they can have it on their desktops alongside the Amadeus software.

“Travel agents today don’t know anything about business jets, they only think about scheduled airliners even though their customers could benefit from a business jet,” said Berg.

Avinode already has a few agreements with operators (including Jet Aviation in Zurich) which it believes may be able to cut down on labour force.

“It is always a risk with new businesses that things might not develop but we think this has the potential to succeed. But we do need to get the brokers and travel agents involved,” said Berg.