Ventura Air Services has acquired three additional business jets and plans to hire additional staff as the Farmingdale, New York-based company responds to what it said is a growing demand for charter services. New to Ventura’s fleet are two Bombardier Challenger 604s and a Cessna Citation Excel.
Organ transplant flights, a significant part of Ventura’s business, as well as rising bookings for charter flights is driving the charter operator’s expansion, which is expected to include the hiring of 25 additional pilots, mechanics, and logistics staff over the next year. “Private aviation is an important sector on Long Island and a vital part of the regional economy,” said Ventura CEO Nick Tarascio. “I am very optimistic about the industry’s growth, as well as our vision for expansion and providing more options to our customers.”
With the additional jets, Ventura will have a fleet of eight aircraft serving North, Central, and South America, as well as the Caribbean. “Ventura’s growth is reflective of the relative strength in the private aviation sector, coupled with our expansion goals,” added Tarascio, noting that industry-wide charter flights in the U.S. have rebounded since the emergence of Covid-19, regaining a 90 percent booking capacity since June. “With the investment in our fleet and infrastructure, we are positioning the company as a leading air services provider in the New York region and beyond.”