Engel & Völkers launches business aircraft service

"Engel & Völkers clients are wealthy with sophisticated demands and expectations," said Christian Völkers, founder and co-CEO of Engel & Völkers AG. "They lead luxury lifestyles and enjoy travelling - both for business and pleasure. We are seeing a growing need for this service amongst our real estate and yachting clients. This opens up significant opportunities for our company and means that we can now offer customers even more services from one single source."

E&V Aviation offers its clients personally tailored charter flights around the world via its website. The portfolio ranges from small propeller aircraft through to large super jets. With access to a pool of around 4,000 planes on its own booking platform, E&V Aviation offers clients access to a worldwide charter fleet of private and business aircraft.

Ownership schemes

In addition to aircraft charter for individual trips and aircraft trading, E&V Aviation is also brokering business and private aircraft for long-term charter and through fractional ownership schemes. Moreover, the business division provides comprehensive consulting on legal and taxation issues, aircraft management, structured finance as well as risk management and insurance.

The E&V Aviation division is headed by Bart Boury as CEO, who has many decades of experience working in the aviation industry. He has broad expertise and a professional background in starting up new aviation ventures, as well as in business aircraft management and operations and aviation tax and legal consultancy.

Air travel, aside from regular scheduled airlines, offers direct and personalised connections, as well as the absolute height of comfort, flexibility and exclusivity. Companies are increasingly using business flight charters or entering into ownership of their own company jets, as this option can sometimes be less costly than booking large teams on scheduled flights.

Another key aspect is the more efficient use of managers' valuable time that comes with private jets. Wealthy holidaymakers and second home owners are also flying more and more by private jet, enabling them to reach exclusive and often exotic holiday destinations by direct flight. The demand for private and business flights amongst affluent clients is correspondingly high.

Gradual recovery

"After the worldwide economic slump, the business and private jet industry is progressing well on a prolonged and gradual recovery from the steep industry downturn of 2009/2010," said Boury. However, the long-term market drivers of business jet industry growth remain solid: the global economy and wealth creation.

"Nevertheless, the global market of business and private jet use varies geographically as each region is in a different stage," said Boury. The majority of buyers and charter clients are based in North America, followed by Europe. New demand is also emerging as a result of increased prosperity in more and more countries. In recent years this has seen clients from China, the Middle East and South America join the fray.

In addition to companies, more and more entrepreneurs, business magnates, and high net worth individuals are choosing to own an aircraft or make use of a charter service. "Our entry to the aviation market comes at just the right time. Our global network in 39 countries and our uncompromising level of professionalism will help us to enter into this new market very quickly," Völkers concluded.