US-based Stratos Jet Charters has launched its new SaaS (software as a service) technology, Stratos Air Charter Marketplace, designed to connect buyers and sellers of private air travel. The system is said to provide customers with instant access to the best positioned aircraft and supports air carriers by expanding the visibility of their aircraft, whether at base or transient. The marketplace also allows air carriers to push empty or positioning flights directly to customers who have flown or requested similar routes in the past.

“We're improving the private travel experience with Stratos Air Charter Marketplace by expanding insight into aircraft availability, giving travellers and their private aviation consultants the opportunity to make better informed buying decisions, offering the best prices and expanding their margin of safety,” says president and CEO Joel Thomas. “Air carriers using the marketplace are able to present their aircraft to the largest network of private jet travellers and drive more revenue for their aircraft owners, all while giving the consumer the best charter flight experience.”

The goal is to drive more revenue to private jet owners and air carriers, reduce unoccupied flights and increase the potential of transient bookings. The Marketplace does this by seamlessly integrating with an air carrier's current scheduling platform by using Flight Radar, a trip-matching technology created by Stratos that alerts air carriers to push empty legs directly to customers who have flown or requested a similar route in the past. Flight Radar accurately matches an aircraft of an enrolled air carrier to the known flight requirement of verified customers. This technology identifies aircraft based on location, date, seating capacity, safety history and aircraft performance.

Stratos agents coordinate private jet services that cater to the customer's specific travel needs and give them the choice of aircraft equipped with the latest inflight amenities, highest safety ratings and exquisite customer service. For private jet operators, the benefits of integration through the marketplace extend beyond the booking process and into flight coordination. The programme simplifies the booking process for both carriers and travellers by coordinating and giving real-time access to information to all parties. Updates to the flight itinerary automatically get pushed through a scheduling system that eliminates transcription errors and ensures the proper organisation of every flight so there are no surprises on the day of departure.

“As a Part 135 operator, I have been doing business with Stratos since our founding,” notes Jet Access Aviation owner Jack Lambert. “Since the first trip, I could tell it was a different type of jet brokerage. Joel and his team of aviation advisors have always conducted themselves with the highest standards and partnered with Platinum operators like us to give their customers a safe and luxurious private jet experience.”

The Marketplace provides private jet customers with real-time access to their flight itinerary and details that can be easily shared with fellow travellers. It also allows access to past flight information to help track travel budgets per aircraft category and compare on-demand flight costs with jet cards.

Customers can instantly download their travel expense statement for integration with different companies' accounting software. For users arranging charters for others, quotes and itineraries can be shared with decision makers and other passengers.