Story ID: 646ExecujetDubai13.doc
ExecuJet’s Riyadh FBO Now Up and Running
By: Thierry Dubois
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Word Count: 345
ExecuJet Middle East (Stand 2406), which opened an FBO in partnership with NasJet in Riyadh two months ago, is claiming it has brought a level of service that was previously lacking in the capital of Saudi Arabia.
  
“We provide no additional service but it is a question of being responsive and timely and ensuring the customer experience is efficient,” ExecuJet Middle East managing director Mike Berry told AIN. Passengers are a diverse mix, ranging from companies to wealthy individuals and companies, he said. Pilots benefit from their own private lounge.
  
However, Berry and his team have limited influence on some aspects of their Riyadh operation. They are thus pushing for the passenger lounge in the central terminal to be refurbished, as it is a common area shared with other FBOs such as Arabasco and Jet Aviation. Moreover, the joint FBO with NasJet took a long time to establish (it was originally announced two years ago).
  
ExecuJet Middle East expects to handle 3,000 aircraft in its first year in Riyadh. So far, the local team is focused on serving NasJet- and ExecuJet-managed aircraft but it is now opening to third parties. The staff of 24 may therefore increase slightly.
  
In Dubai, ExecuJet Middle East is gearing up for the runway closures planned from May to July 2014 at Dubai International Airport (DXB). As traffic will be severely limited, the company is planning on continuing its maintenance activity here at Al Maktoum International Airport at Dubai World Central (DWC). It has secured GCAA approval for Bombardier, Embraer and Hawker jets and expects EASA approval by mid-December for the DWC facility. “In addition, we are looking at places like Sharjah and Abu Dhabi,” Berry said.
  
In Istanbul, ExecuJet has extended its partnership with Bilen Air Service for their joint FBO at Atatürk airport.
  
ExecuJet Middle East has recently received Turkish SHY-145 and Afghanistan MoTCA AMO certification for work on Embraer Legacy aircraft and Bombardier CRJ200s. The company is now pursuing Turkish approval for the Hawker 700, 800 and 900.