Story ID: 534
Moonjet Predicts Strong 2016 on Early Signs
By: Peter Shaw-Smith
Caption: Moonjet Flight Support sees low fuel price, Africa, IT as market positives
Word Count: 469

With a focus on operations in the Middle East, Europe, CIS, Africa and the Asia Pacific, MoonJet Flight Support (Booth AO88) is seeing several market trends which it says have led to an increase in business aviation activity.

“MoonJet has seen some interesting growth over the last 12 months with a focus on operational support services, and current customers looking to MoonJet for additional services or outsourcing more of their own operational work,” John Hewett, regional manager UK and Western Europe, MoonJet Flight Support, told AIN.

“We are expecting a strong 2016 and we have some exciting plans for this year. Advancements in areas such as IT will create some value-added benefits for our customers as well as efficiency savings internally,” he said.

MoonJet provides constant updates and feedback to customers. “We can allow [customers] the chance to focus on other pressing matters as they know they are in safe hands with MoonJet. We pride ourselves on our customer service, and this ensures we have industry-leading customer retention levels.”

Using a base in Sharjah Airport Free Zone for the Gulf region, MoonJet is able to transact business with organizations globally and to enjoy office space and infrastructure to rival most major business cities and districts.

Falling aviation fuel prices have made the market very competitive, and operators are benefitting from prices at recent historic lows. This as well as easier borrowing terms on financial markets has led to fleet growth in the business aviation sector.

“We are seeing customers purchase not only more aircraft, but larger aircraft. This has allowed us to grow organically with them. We have seen some of them go from one aircraft to multi-aircraft and multi-range fleets in a very short space of time,” he said.

MoonJet’s Africa expertise is starting to pay dividends, and with better quality FBOs and infrastructure developing, interest is increasing. “Africa has always been a big market for MoonJet and we are starting to see better quality FBOs develop the market there,” he said.

“Generally, many operators become nervous when [going] into Africa, but we have so many years of experience dealing with the African market that we can provide our customers that safe pair of hands they need.”

MoonJet will be displaying some IT enhancements at EBACE and in the coming months will launch a new web portal, to give customers instant access to aviation fuel prices and accounting information.

“They will be able to look up prices, arrange fuel and see administrative information on demand. We are also looking at growth areas within the handling networks to see if we can add value to their experience. We are really looking forward to what’s in store for 2016.”