NetJets Launches China Market Study

Al Pod, former president and CEO of NetJets subsidiary Executive Jet Management, has been named to conduct an examination of potential opportunities for NetJets fractional-share operations in China. “We have looked at China in the past,” NetJets president Jim Christiansen said, “and until now we had felt that we weren’t ready or perhaps China wasn’t ready.” Pod is being tapped to lead the six-month study. “We’ve done some work over the years with the Chinese, with respect to helping them develop their regulations to govern private aviation,” he said. “The time is right to take a look.” Infrastructure issues that could affect a NetJets decision to expand to China include airspace access, workforce issues and a lack of suitable navigation aids. “Also there’s a question of whether it’s socially acceptable,” he said, “or whether business people view using private aviation as an acceptable alternative yet. We have to examine all those things. It’s a complex place to do business.”