Netjets Middle East Programme launches new 25-hour 'Jet Card' first

The card is the first of its kind in the Middle East, designed to bring all of the benefits of private aircraft ownership including guaranteed availability and the highest levels of safety and security but at a fraction of the cost of owning an aircraft outright.

Sulaiman Al Hamdan, CEO of Saudi National Air Services (NAS) - the provider of the program in the Middle East, and the owner of nasair, NAS Tech and Operation Support Project Management (OSPM) said, "The fractional aircraft ownership concept is a favorite of some of the region's most successful individuals, private companies and multinationals," says "and most of them will need to fly more than 25-hours each year. "However, there is a significant minority that will need an aircraft for shorter periods, but who want to know that their aircraft is properly serviced and maintained, and flown by pilots whose training exceeds the most rigorous standards our industry demands. "Card holders will all benefit from being part of the fractional programme, such as guaranteed availability, the ability to interchange to other aircraft types and interchange to aircraft in Europe and the US is fully available to card holders." "For these customers, the flexibility of a 25-hour card means only being committed to the programme for a time that suits them, and with the flexibility of 'buying' additional hours as need dictates. The card effectively enables them to trial before buying!"

The NetJets Middle East Programme brought fractional aircraft ownership programmes to the Middle East. How it works is simple as Al Hamdan explains: "Owners buy or lease a fractional interest in an executive aircraft based on the number of hours they are likely to fly in a year. "The NetJets Middle East Programme then provides them with an aircraft to suit their flight profile taking into consideration passenger comfort, range requirements and frequency of flights and will take care of the operational aspects of aircraft ownership. Fractional ownership was invented by NetJets in the US," he continues, "and through our affiliation with them, our owners have access to the world's largest fleet of executive aircraft."

Importantly, while clients take a fractional ownership share in a specific aircraft, the freedom is there to interchange between aircraft types in accordance with their specific usage requirements, per booking. Ownership costs are guaranteed for five years.

'Most of our clients can afford their own aircraft," Al Hamdan concludes. "They just appreciate that the intelligent, cost-effective alternative is not to."