Founded in 1961, Air Partner is a global aviation services group providing
aircraft charter services and aviation safety & security to industry, commerce, governments and private individuals across the world.
Air Partner Charter offers Group Charter,
Private Jets,
Freight
In transportation, cargo refers to goods transported by land, water or air, while freight refers to its conveyance. In economics, freight refers to goods transported at a freight rate for commercial gain. The term cargo is also used in ...
and other Specialist Services such as Tour Operations, Air Evacuation, Aircraft Sales & Leasing and Flight Operations.
Charter work represents Air Partner's largest income stream at 87% of the group's profits.
Air Partner Safety & Security services span consulting, research, training and
managed services.
With its headquarters located alongside
Gatwick Airport in the
United Kingdom
The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Northwestern Europe, off the coast of European mainland, the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotlan ...
, the Group employs 400 workers.
In April 2022, Air Partner group was acquired by
Wheels Up and delisted from the
London Stock Exchange.
History
Air Partner was founded in 1961 by Tony Mack Senior, trading as Airways Training. It began as a school for military pilots converting to civilian flying using flight simulators and a fleet of
Beagles.
Following the years as a flying school, Air Partner formed an
air taxi operation with a fleet of Chieftain, Piper Aztec, 125 and C550 aircraft. The company name was changed to Air London to reflect the change in business focus.
In 1983, the company surrendered its Air Operator's Licence to concentrate on aircraft broking. In 1999, Air London became Air Partner.
Air Partner Plc was acquired by Wheels Up in April 2022.
Chronology
1961: Tony Mack Senior founded Airways Training, converting military pilots to civilian flying using flight simulators and a fleet of Beagles.
1960's/80's: The years that followed saw expansion into air taxi operations, and Airways Training was renamed Air London.
1983: Air London launches a new concept in aircraft broking.
1989: Air Partner floated on the
Unlisted Securities Market, the forerunner to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM).
1994: Overseas expansion begins with the opening of Air Partner France in Paris.
1995: The company achieves full listing on the London Stock Exchang
LSE: AIP
1997: Air Partner opens its first US-based office based in
Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
Air Partner opens its second mainland European office in
Cologne, Germany.
1998: Specialist freight division launches.
1999: The company name is changed from Air London to Air Partner.
Air Partner Travel Consultants is launched. The
IATA and
ATOL bonded agency organises scheduled flights, limousine hire and accommodation.
2000: Air Partner continues to expand with new offices opening in
Austria
Austria, formally the Republic of Austria, is a landlocked country in Central Europe, lying in the Eastern Alps. It is a federation of nine Federal states of Austria, states, of which the capital Vienna is the List of largest cities in Aust ...
, and a second US office opens in
New York.
2001: 24/7 office-based operations department opens at the London Gatwick HQ.
2003: Air Partner delivers at least 4,000 tonnes of military supplies during the first
Gulf War
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, commander1 =
, commander2 =
, strength1 = Over 950,000 soldiers3,113 tanks1,800 aircraft2,200 artillery systems
, page = https://www.govinfo.gov/content/pkg/GAOREPORTS-PEMD-96- ...
. In an interview, chairman Tony Mack explained: "The Gulf War was a windfall for us. We’d hate to say ‘yippee, we’re going to war’, but I guess the net effect would be positive."
2005: Air Partner opens an office in
Italy
Italy, officially the Italian Republic, is a country in Southern Europe, Southern and Western Europe, Western Europe. It consists of Italian Peninsula, a peninsula that extends into the Mediterranean Sea, with the Alps on its northern land b ...
.
2006: The JetCard membership scheme is unveiled. JetCard offers benefits for regular flyers.
2007: Air Partner re-brands and launches a new corporate identity, creating two new internal trading boards - Private Jets and Commercial Jets.
2008: Carbon neutral offset options are launched across all flights.
2010: Mark Briffa is appointed CEO.
Air Partner opens an office in
Istanbul
Istanbul is the List of largest cities and towns in Turkey, largest city in Turkey, constituting the country's economic, cultural, and historical heart. With Demographics of Istanbul, a population over , it is home to 18% of the Demographics ...
,
Turkey
Turkey, officially the Republic of Türkiye, is a country mainly located in Anatolia in West Asia, with a relatively small part called East Thrace in Southeast Europe. It borders the Black Sea to the north; Georgia (country), Georgia, Armen ...
.
UK headquarter moves to a larger premises alongside London Gatwick Airport, opposite
The Beehive - Gatwick’s original terminal building with its grass runways, which opened in 1936. The company first began trading here in 1961 and has remained within 1 km ever since.
Air Partner was awarded a four-year contract with the
Department for International Development (DfID) to become its “sole provider of passenger and freight air charter services”, and had been hired to be a charter broker to the
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Crisis Centre.
2015: Air Partner acquires Cabot Aviation and Baines Simmons.
2016: Air Partner acquires Clockwork Research.
Air Partner acquires SafeSkys.
2018: Air Partner opens a new office in
Los Angeles
Los Angeles, often referred to by its initials L.A., is the List of municipalities in California, most populous city in the U.S. state of California, and the commercial, Financial District, Los Angeles, financial, and Culture of Los Angeles, ...
.
2019: Air Partner opens new offices in
Houston
Houston ( ) is the List of cities in Texas by population, most populous city in the U.S. state of Texas and in the Southern United States. Located in Southeast Texas near Galveston Bay and the Gulf of Mexico, it is the county seat, seat of ...
,
Singapore
Singapore, officially the Republic of Singapore, is an island country and city-state in Southeast Asia. The country's territory comprises one main island, 63 satellite islands and islets, and one outlying islet. It is about one degree ...
and
Dubai.
Air Partner acquires Redline.
2020: Air Partner provides vital support throughout the
global COVID-19 pandemic, including transporting medical supplies and PPE as well as evacuating over 300 British and EU nationals from
Wuhan
Wuhan; is the capital of Hubei, China. With a population of over eleven million, it is the most populous city in Hubei and the List of cities in China by population, eighth-most-populous city in China. It is also one of the nine National cent ...
.
2021 Acquisition of Kenyon International Emergency Services Inc.
Between August 2021 and February 2022, the Austrian government awarded Air Partner six
Frontex-funded deportation contracts, worth an estimated average of €33,796.
2022 Air Partner Plc acquired by Wheels Up and delisted from the London Stock Exchange.
In August 2022, Air Partner was awarded a €15 million framework contract to arrange charter deportations for the European Coast Guard and Border Agency, Frontex.
References
External links
* {{Official website
Defunct airlines of the United Kingdom
2022 mergers and acquisitions