Mega Merger Rumor

[CALRepublic]

This right here is usually what a thread turns into when someone starts a thread based on a Bull$**t rumor they mighta heard (or made up)

 

[X-rated]

Anyone remember when meeting in the middle was considered Statesmanship? Now it's selling out your radical base. The politicians aren't the problem. You all need to take hard look in the mirror to see what's gone wrong with American Politics. Turn off the propaganda news channels MSNBC and FOX. They'd both make the hard-liner's in the former USSR weep with envy.

 

[justreading]

Thoughts from the back seat.

I have flown most of the fractionals, as well as independent card operators. Two things are consistent, pilots are always nice and professional, and pricing is never capable of making a profit. Assuming Avantair goes bankrupt, I will be out over $150,000 for failed private aviation operators. These companies, including Netjets prior to about 2 years ago, are ponzi schemes. Use the new clients to pay the bills for the old clients. The model works until there is a hiccup, and there is always a hiccup. The only way out is to raise prices and then the clients leave for the next too good to be true option (XOJet, JetSuite). Look at the XOJET board on this site. They are furloughing pilots. They quoted me a round trip for two total hours on a 400xp at $14,000. That is more expensive then NetJets. The Super-mid pricing has also been equal to or more expensive then NetJets. The companies mentioned in the original post are all either owned by manufacturers or Private Equity companies. They all need an exit. There are no other buyers, and they certainly cannot go public. I wish all the pilots on here the best, but until the whole industry gets to full pricing, they will likely whipsaw pilots around and waste clients money.

 

[learflyer]

Thoughts from the back seat.

I have flown most of the fractionals, as well as independent card operators. Two things are consistent, pilots are always nice and professional, and pricing is never capable of making a profit. Assuming Avantair goes bankrupt, I will be out over $150,000 for failed private aviation operators. These companies, including Netjets prior to about 2 years ago, are ponzi schemes. Use the new clients to pay the bills for the old clients. The model works until there is a hiccup, and there is always a hiccup. The only way out is to raise prices and then the clients leave for the next too good to be true option (XOJet, JetSuite). Look at the XOJET board on this site. They are furloughing pilots. They quoted me a round trip for two total hours on a 400xp at $14,000. That is more expensive then NetJets. The Super-mid pricing has also been equal to or more expensive then NetJets. The companies mentioned in the original post are all either owned by manufacturers or Private Equity companies. They all need an exit. There are no other buyers, and they certainly cannot go public. I wish all the pilots on here the best, but until the whole industry gets to full pricing, they will likely whipsaw pilots around and waste clients money.

XOJET doesn't have 400xp's.

 

[flyzimex]

XOJET doesn't have 400xp's.

Most likely through the partnership with TMC.

 

[propsarebest]

The 400XP quote that you got was a brokered trip for TMC. XOJET gets a cut.

 

[AftCG182]

Thoughts from the back seat... Assuming Avantair goes bankrupt, I will be out over $150,000 for failed private aviation operators.

You know what they say about assumptions, Sir!

 

[justreading]

You know what they say about assumptions, Sir!

They have breached every clients contract over and over for six months. Owners have stopped paying management fees (i'm the idiot that prepaid).

Bankrupt or bought out.

 

[justreading]

The 400XP quote that you got was a brokered trip for TMC. XOJET gets a cut.

Doesn't matter to the client. Turns them into an expensive charter broker.

 

[X-rated]

justreading,

You make some good points, but you have me a little confused. On one hand you say say the operators don't charge enough to cover their costs, and on the other, you complain they charge too much.

XOJET is brokering an open market charter for you and charging you a fee for doing so. I hate to be the one to tell you, but they really don't want your business on that trip. You say it's a round trip with a total of 2 hours flying. Nobody can make money on a 1 hour leg in a jet at least not with average hourly pricing. You want them to do two of them plus some standby time. The only reason NJA's pricing is better is because they can't charge you more for that trip because they charge by the hour. So, effectively someone else would be subsidizing your flying on those short trips. That's not the case with charter companies. They can charge you enough to make it worth their while or encourage you to go somewhere else.

If you're smart, you'll use several providers and solutions to minimize the cost of your flying and get guaranteed availability when you need it. NJAowner seems to have figured how to do it very well. Maybe he can help you do the same. It's a terrible business, but if you take the time to educate yourself and learn how to play the game, you can pay far less than your share on every leg by taking advantage of the different ways companies price trips.

Good Luck