JUSTIN WASTNAGE / LONDON
Marquis Jet Europe is to increase its focus on the French market as it struggles to hit new member targets in the face of established competitors. The sub-fractional programme has teamed with five Scottish hotels to offer a branded St Andrews scheme in a bid to expand into the golf sector.
The European branch of Marquis Jet, which resells NetJets shares in 25h cards, has appointed a dedicated sales team for the French market, where it has sold three cards to date, compared with a target of 20. Marquis Jet vice-president sales and business development, Alexis Grabar, says the "mentality in France is very different to the UK, where new business aviation business models are better accepted".
The country's biggest corporate jet charter operator, Dassault Falcon Services (DFS), has a loyal customer base which is proving difficult to break into, he adds.
Marquis Jet has identified France as one of four core European markets needing a strengthened sales effort after the programme recorded strong sales in the UK since its launch in April 2002 (Flight International, 10-16 June).
Grabar says while the Italian and Monaco markets are likely to hit their targets of 20 new cardholders by year-end, the Swiss market could miss its target of 10 as the scheme faces competition from charter operators offering low hourly rates with older aircraft types.
Marquis has simplified the programme in Europe, abandoning the all-inclusive membership under which owners had to nominate a home base. "It was too complex and detracted from the flexible concept of private jet travel," says Marquis Jet Europe's vice-president business development Mehul Bakrania.
Meanwhile, five deluxe hotels based around the St Andrews golf course, are to team up with Marquis Jet to offer golfing weekends by corporate jet. The St Andrews Marquis Jet Service will use nearby RAF Leuchars.
Bakrania says the joint-venture is unlikely to be followed by further marketing tie-ups and that the aim is to use the Scottish golfing service as a tool for selling its card-based programme to golfers.
Source: Flight International
