Freedom Air Services, a US Part 135 charter operator headquartered in Reno, Nevada, has marked a new chapter for the FBO industry by becoming the first customer at Stellar Aviation's Reno-Tahoe airport FBO in Nevada to pay for fuel and services using GiveBack coins. The payment settled on the Solana blockchain at Freedom Air's home airport.

The move expands flexibility for fuel, services and hangar rentals. Stellar's FBO network now accepts most major forms of cryptocurrency, including Bitcoin, Solana, USDC, GiveBack and most SPL tokens.

Customers may use their crypto wallets to pay for fuel, services, hangar rentals and ancillary charges throughout the Stellar Aviation FBO network. This first-in-the-industry capability reflects Stellar Aviation's commitment to adapting to the evolving financial landscape and to providing discerning clientele with greater flexibility and convenience.

The FBO network is built to welcome every traveller, from single-engine pilots to long-range corporate jet operators and ultra-high net worth clientele, pairing white-glove service with the freedom to choose the payment method that best suits each traveller's needs. By offering customers the choice to pay for goods and services through cryptocurrency, Stellar Aviation continues to enhance the customer experience while giving travellers the freedom to choose the payment method that best suits their needs.

“We are excited for this new chapter for our FBOs and the industry. As the world's new generation begins its journey into private aviation, Stellar Aviation will be there to welcome them,” shares Brad Kost, chief operating officer, Stellar Aviation.

Crypto payments for charter flight bookings are not new to business aviation: brokers including CryptoJets and Haute Jets already accept Bitcoin and other tokens, and the charter side of the industry has been moving in this direction for several years.

Freedom Air flies on-demand charter from locations in Reno, Nevada; Concord, California; San Jose, California; Las Vegas, Nevada; Salt Lake City, Utah; St. George, Utah; and Palm Beach, Florida. Paying in GiveBack at Stellar's Reno FBO gives Freedom Air's crews and clients another way to pay for fuel and services.

“Reno is home for Freedom Air, so making the first on-chain payment at our home airport means a lot to us,” comments Joe Chaulklin, chief executive officer, Freedom Air Services. “A new generation of travellers is coming into private aviation with their wealth on-chain, and we want to be ready to fly them. Stellar made that possible today, and we look forward to doing the same at more of their locations.”