Brazilian online business aircraft charter broker Flapper has announced it will expand its operations to Europe in the third quarter. The company, which has a proprietary inventory of more than 1,000 general aviation aircraft in Latin America, recently expanded into Mexico.
Its platform allows real-time charter quotes and the sale of individual seats on flights upon owner approval. Over the past year, it noted it had increased its business two-and-a-half times, attracting 300,000 users to its mobile application.
Flapper will be initially operating out of Lisbon, Portugal, and has been testing its model there since January. So far it has booked more than 100 charter flights and empty-leg deals with local operators. It plans to extend its footprint on the continent by establishing additional offices in Spain, Italy, and Switzerland and will continue to register local operators of business jets and helicopters. High-season flights to Mallorca and Algarve will likely be offered on a per-seat basis, including frequent departures from London.
“We see Southern Europe as a natural extension of our business expansion, especially considering our Brazilian roots,” said senior partner Manoel Assuncão. “We have recurring clients from Latin America and our research demonstrated less competition in the region compared to other parts of the continent.”