Aircraft management company BAAsia is planning to grow its fixed-base operations into a full FBO network across China, to cater for business jet customers used to the type of ground services provided in North America.
The company currently operates an FBO in Shenzhen but is planning to develop other facilities to provide a full network. Presently there are few such “VIP” facilities at Chinese airports, but Jeffrey Lowe, director of sales and marketing, says BAAsia will break ground for a new FBO at an airfield near Beijing by year-end and will then duplicate the model in other major cities such as Shanghai.
Lowe declined to name the exact location in Beijing but says it will be a similar distance from downtown Beijing as Beijing Capital airport but have a shorter transit time because of less road traffic.
BAAsia is headed by ex Metrojet sales director Jay Shaw, it is backed by three unnamed Hong Kong shareholders. It has two bases, one in Hong Kong and one in Shenzhen and is the first foreign business charter provider to obtain an AOC thanks to a JV with Shenzhen Airlines. It will add several new aircraft to its books over the next few months, including three Falcons at its Hong Kong base and several Airbus and Bombardier aircraft at its Shenzhen facility.
“Customers save at least a third of costs by basing their aircraft in China,” says Lowe. “It is useful for people wanting to fly to Taiwan to use one of our US-registered aircraft stationed in Hong Kong and for people flying in China and through Asia to use one of our Chinese (B-registered) planes.”
“Customers save at least a third of costs by basing their aircraft in China,” says Lowe. “It is useful for people wanting to fly to Taiwan to use one of our US-registered aircraft stationed in Hong Kong and for people flying in China and through Asia to use one of our Chinese (B-registered) planes.”
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Source: Flight Daily News