JetSmarter, the US-based members-only business aircraft shuttle service, has announced at MEBAA that it is teaming with the Swiss “boutique charter company” Vertis Aviation to provide its first Dubai to London flights.

The route, using an Embraer Legacy 650, launches on 8 December and the first flight is sold out, says Paul Grusevich, head of global expansion at JetSmarter.

JetSmarter’s business model resembles a “country club”, Grusevich says. Members can buy a seat on a scheduled departure for a fixed price, bookable via an app, and pay for an additional guest to travel. Most of its routes are within the USA, but it also operates in Europe and the Middle East.

Vertis, which has an office in Dubai, specialises in “exclusive marketing” of third-party aircraft. Chief commercial officer Catherine Buchanan says JetSmarter approached the company to source “the right aircraft” for the Dubai-London route. “We really like what JetSmarter is doing and believe the shared aircraft model is a perfect solution for the local charter market. There is a growing demand in the region for this kind of service, so we are extremely pleased to be their local strategic partner and look forward to helping them develop here,” she adds.

JetSmarter has about 5,000 members. Among its most popular routes are New York to South Florida and Riyadh to Dubai at weekends, with many high-net-worths choosing the service for leisure trips, says Grusevich.

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Source: Flight Daily News