Story ID: 
NetJets Embarks on Six-month China Study
By: AIN Staff
Caption: Al Pod, former president and CEO of NetJets subsidiary Executive Jet Management, has been tapped to conduct an examination of opportunities for NetJets fra
Word Count: 160
Al Pod, former president and CEO of NetJets subsidiary Executive Jet Management, has been tapped to conduct an examination of opportunities for NetJets fractional share operations in China. “We have looked at China in the past,” NetJets president Jim Christiansen told AIN, “and until now we had felt that we weren’t ready or perhaps China wasn’t ready.” Pod will 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 open in China include airspace access and adequate workforce and 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.”