PROMOTION
NICHOLAS AIR: MAKING PRIVATE AIR TRAVEL PERSONAL
NJ Correnti pictured with the Citation Latitude BY TONY VELOCCI
Choosing a private-aviation services provider can be a daunting task, with thousands of such companies competing within a growing market. Nicholas Air, while far from the largest, believes it offers a compelling value proposition that refined travelers can embrace: a best-in-class product that guarantees a superior flight experience. Founder and CEO Nicholas J. (NJ) Correnti explains his company’s vision.
For more information on the Nicholas Air advantage and its various programs, visit www.nicholasair.com.
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Business Aviation
Velocci: Private-aviation services, from charter to jet cards, is an extraordinarily crowded market segment, with low barriers to entry. How does Nicholas Air differentiate itself? Correnti: Think of Nicholas Air as a boutique provider with a selective base of several hundred members. We’re not the most expensive provider, but we’re not the cheapest, either. If all someone wants is transportation from point A to point B at the lowest possible cost, that’s OK, but that’s not Nicholas Air. We’re in the business of providing a consistently superior travel experience. Our clients know that when they arrive at the airport for their flight, the aircraft they requested will be waiting for them, and it will have the Nicholas Air livery. They also know all of their preferred amenities—from the magazines they like to read to the snacks and beverages they prefer—will always be on board. It’s all about providing a highly personalized service. Nicholas Air started out as an aircraft management company, correct? That was in 1997, and our business has since evolved into a fullservice provider of jet cards, fractional ownership and lease shares. Today our most popular program is the jet card; we’ve seen substantial growth in this area over the years. Also differentiating Nicholas Air is that our business model is not predicated on using someone else’s aircraft to service its customers. Unlike many jet card companies, we own and operate our own fleet. We employ no intermediaries whose aircraft are put out to bid based on their availability. Clients know they are buying services directly from a company that maintains, dispatches and operates its own aircraft, and that are flown by full-time Nicholas Air pilots. We believe this level of control translates into a much smoother, safer and more reassuring travel experience. It’s an important distinction from, say, 95 percent of jet card providers, who are only brokers and own no aircraft of their own. You obviously have strong feelings about this part of Nicholas Air’s business. Yes. I believe it’s a very important distinction when comparing companies. Owning our fleet and maintaining full operational control at all times ensures a safer, more reliable private air travel experience. Our pilots are assigned and dedicated to a specific aircraft type, which greatly improves the crew’s awareness and knowledge of the aircraft. All aircraft are maintained only by the manufacturer’s authorized service centers, ensuring all maintenance is properly complied with. The commitment we make to our members is that they will enjoy a Nicholas Air experience when they book their travel with us, and the biggest part of that is the airplane and the crew. We know—because we own and fly them—that our airplanes are going to meet the expectations our members have of us.