Sky high! Private jets taking off in India

Mumbai: In the past one month, sensing a big business opportunity, three international business jet firms have entered India to tap the fast-growing market in the country.
US-based Aerion, which is developing a high-end supersonic business jet (SSBJ), has received pre-delivery orders from five Indian customers. The deliveries are to begin from the last quarter of 2014.
Graeme Weston, director of sales of Warren Buffets-promoted NetJets, told IANS: “In India, wealth creation is taking place at a phenomenal pace. We have a potential of over 5,000 customers in India...”
According to an executive from a private jet company, not just the Ambanis and Mallyas, but also many businessmen from Tier II and III towns are enthusiastically looking at these planes.
For instance, Bellary, the mining town in Karnataka, already boasts of a few private helicopter owners.
Robert Dranitzke, director of marketing for NetJets Europe, said every four days an Indian is flying in a NetJets flight. A Gulfstream G550 seats 14 passengers, and, with two bathrooms, is roomier than some apartments.
Tata Group’s Indian Hotels recently bought a stake in Singapore-based Briley Group’s BJETS, which also offers fractional ownership in private jets in India and Southeast Asia.
The venture has ordered 50 jets worth more than $600 million during the recently held Singaopre Airshow. Club One Air CEO Manav Singh had also made ripples at the Singapore air show with orders of 10 Eclipse 500 Very Light Jets (VLJs).
21/03/08 Varada Bhat/IANS/Thaindian.com, Thailand

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Categories: Indian Aviation- In General Mar 2008, New Mar 2008