Study by Renowned Conklin & de Decker Shows the Air Partner JetCard has the Advantage

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NEW YORK, April, 23, 2014 /PRNewswire/ -- Independent aviation experts Conklin & de Decker recently revealed that Air Partner beats out all major US competitors for pricing and flexibility on jet membership programs. Commissioned by Air Partner, the study concludes:

"Air Partner is the best priced on all categories of the US jet membership programs." (pg. 9)

"Air Partner appears to be the most flexible of the US jet membership programs." (pg. 12)

The report, which included Marquis Jet, Sentient Jet and Delta Private Jets, uses the cost of a 25-hour card and "effective hourly rates" based on round-trip discounts to compare pricing, but also highlights important flexibility aspects such as blackout dates, global service and fully refundable, non-expiring hours.

"The true value of your private jet card goes well beyond the hourly price," said Air Partner President North America, Phil Mathews. "If you want to know what you're really getting for your dollar, then you have to look behind the costs to see the hidden fees, restrictions and other pitfalls. We knew we had the best pricing, particularly when you factor in our round-trip discount, but we also knew our program offered the most perks, providing the greatest overall value in private aviation. We were pleased to see Conklin & de Decker validate this."

In the pricing segment of the report, Conklin & de Decker illustrated how Air Partner's 25-hour JetCard beats the competition in all cabin categories,  but is even more effective when members apply Air Partner's unique round-trip discount (up to 25%). Using this discount to generate "effective hourly rates," or the overall hourly rates when a traveler uses 50% of their card hours for round-trip travel, the report shows that Air Partner offers even greater savings.

In the portion of the report on flexibility, Conklin & de Decker assembled a qualitative comparison of each of the four US jet card programs. Criteria covered eleven different categories, including global coverage, expiring hours, interchange fees and refundable account balances.

"A business traveler might not always need to use our round-trip discount, global coverage or refundable account balances," said Mathews. "But with the amount of money being spent on business travel, we felt flexibility is more than a perk. It's the right of every private jet traveler."

Conklin & de Decker is a trusted, independent analyst with 30 years of experience in aviation information. The company offers cost and performance data comparison across a wide range of aircraft and helps consumers better understand the costs of aircraft acquisition, maintenance and management.

Air Partner's JetCard program is currently at record levels, and the company sold its first $1 million JetCard in 2013. The private jets division accounted for a 21% increase in revenue and a 36% increase in underlying profit in its last financial year.

"We have no doubt that the factors in this report and our continued growth in the United States are intricately linked," said Mathews. "Since 2008, the business travel industry has been evolving to meet new economic realities and to serve a smarter, better-informed consumer. Our pricing and flexibility may be unique, now, but we fully expect the industry to follow our lead, as they have for over fifty years."

About Air Partner
Air Partner is an international provider of aviation services to industry, commerce, governments and individuals worldwide. The company has earned global recognition as a leading aircraft charter broker and organizes ad hoc charters of aircraft of every size for any reason. Its three main divisions, supported by a host of support teams, comprise Air Partner Private Jet Broking, Air Partner Commercial Jet Broking and Air Partner Freight Broking. Private Jet Broking offers ad-hoc charter and the company's unique pre-paid JetCard scheme. The Commercial Jet Broking division charters large airliners with 20 to 500 seats for groups of every size. Air Partner Freight Broking charters aircraft of every size to fly any cargo anywhere, at any time. With its headquarters in the UK, the Group was formed in 1961 and is listed on the Premium segment of the London Stock Exchange. Air Partner's expertise at providing unsurpassed private flying experiences at the best price is recognized by the honor that it is the only company in the aviation industry to hold a Royal Warrant, as Supplier of Aircraft Charter to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II, a globally recognized mark of excellence. Air Partner is also the only listed air charter broker in the UK certified ISO 9001:2008 compliant.

Contact: Mark DeFrancis, 1-212-431-1470

SOURCE Air Partner