Charter Co. Embraces Agents

<B>Charter Co. Embraces Agents</B>

By David Jonas

Flight chartering company Air Partner USA recently created a preferred program that offers travel agents a new opportunity to add value to their services and that should increase Air Partner's exposure in the corporate travel world as it looks to expand its U.S.-based clientele.

Ft. Lauderdale-based Air Partner USA, which opened domestic offices earlier this year, offers a network of 1,500 charter operators flying more than 8,000 private aircraft. It also has a sales office in New York and is planning to open another on the West Coast. The company reported $140 million in global sales.

Air Partner's new preferred partner program, which now is in the pilot phase with six agencies, including Rosenbluth International, provides participating agencies with training, marketing tools and infrastructure to offer charter flights to customers. Air Partner becomes the agencies' 24-hour on-call charter expert.

"We have grown our company by forming relationships with customers. They trust us and that is the value-add," Guina said. "Now, we are expanding our business into the United States and working with people who already have large relationship-based salesforces. The business travel community is being squeezed by decreasing commissions, so we can provide them with product and new commission opportunities and they provide the distribution."

Agencies earn commissions based on revenue funneled into Air Partner's network, with a minimum pay out of $150.