PrivateFly acquires Bird Dog Jet
St Albans based PrivateFly has announced its takeover of the US charter broker, Bird Dog Jet, as part of its continued US expansion programme.
The Bird Dog Jet team brings industry experience of on-demand charter, fractional and card programmes from companies including NetJets, Flight Options and Sentient Jets. Joining PrivateFly will be Chris Early, Bird Dog Jet’s founder and president; its COO Ryan Folkening; and sales advisor Zach Rankin, who will be based at PrivateFly's US head office at Fort Lauderdale International Airport.
PrivateFly opened its first US office in Fort Lauderdale in April 2016 and has since seen rapid growth of its on-demand private jet charter business. The company’s combination of an innovative technology platform and a 24/7 team of aviation experts has proved a winning recipe in the North American market. In 2017 PrivateFly saw annual sales growth of +51% with continued profitability, with over two thirds of sales outside the UK - largely driven by its rapid growth in the US.
Adam Twidell, CEO and co-founder of PrivateFly, said: "We’re delighted to be bringing across the experienced team from Bird Dog Jet, who have established some excellent client and corporate relationships. This business combination helps us strengthen our geographic reach in the US, and represents the next step in PrivateFly's continued growth strategy.
"We have been looking for opportunities to accelerate PrivateFly’s US growth for some time, and continue to do so. This includes joining forces with companies that will help us grow faster than we could do in an organic way. We also remain profitable, which sets us apart from any other new business model in our sector."
Chris Early, Bird Dog Jet founder and president, added: "We have been committed to delivering the best combination of technology and service, and this move will help us deliver even greater advantages for our clients. We’re excited about becoming part of the PrivateFly group, a well-respected and fast-growing brand, with an impressive international team.”
PrivateFly compares live pricing and availability for over 7,000 accredited private aircraft worldwide. It combines award-winning technology with a 24/7 team of aviation experts. PrivateFly is a FT1000 business, an official list of Europe’s fastest-growing companies, across all industries. It is also ranked in both The Sunday Times Tech Track 100 and SME Export Track 100. In 2016 it became an Argus Certified Broker, the first company in the UK and only the second in Europe to receive this best practice and safety accreditation.