For over a year now, Fort Lauderdale has been catering to the increased private aviation traffic with the relatively new presence of Private Jet Charter, an independent charter brokerage and consultancy that chose the US location for its expansion. Since its founding in 1991, the brokerage and consultancy firm has operated out of four locations in London, Nice, Dubai and Moscow. Fort Lauderdale not only becomes the fifth location but an American debut for an increasingly global private aviation network.

In a Private Jet Charter press release, founder and Chief Executive Hugh Courtenay said: “After expanding our marketing activities in the US market and establishing an initial office in April 2011, our new North American office led by Managing Director Jeff Garrity and staffed by a team of specialist aviation consultants, speaks to the success we have already achieved and places us in the perfect position to capitalize on the exponential growth of the American Market and the largely untapped opportunities of Central and South America.”

Courtenay was quick to appraise Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport as one of America’s busiest private aviation locales, and shed led of the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance CEO Council’s active role, in addition to the City of Fort Lauderdale Economic Development local authority, in attracting new FBOs to the area. Both bodies ushered through expedited permitting for the brokerage firm in order to minimize their setup time in the new hangar and get operations going, in a manner that would have replicated the expedience of integrated customs that are now becoming an essential feature for FBOs to compete. Since then, Fort Lauderdale has never looked back as it reaps the rewards of Private Jet Charter’s $2 million turnover for its first year of business on US shores.

On-site FBO Managing Director Jeff Garritty said, “We projected a $2M turnover in the first year which was achieved and we are on target to make the projected figure for our second year of business of $5.1 million, having made an initial investment reaching $200,000, including consultancy fees from our management teams in other regions, so we can see our investment has paid off.”

The CEO Council Chairman Ray Ferrero congratulated the progress made in the last 14 months and claimed the “positive experience” enhanced Fort Lauderdale as a “premier location for corporate and international regional headquarters”. Fort Lauderdale Mayor Jack Seiler, himself, was even available for comment as he highlighted the location’s “growing reputation as a location of choice for international business”. Wherever business flies to, it is clear that private aviation is already an integral strategic part in its ushering long before a private jet booking is made.