AmberNet, a subsidiary of Amber Aviation (TCI, Shenzhen) - a business jet company with operations at Hong Kong International - will launch a fractional aircraft ownership scheme in June that the airline says will offer clients the benefits of ownership without the costs. This follows Amber Aviation successfully completing a Series C funding round earlier this year, giving it the financial ballast to launch what it says is the region's first business jet co-ownership project.
"There has been a paradigm shift in aviation after the Covid-19 pandemic," Amber Aviation vice-president Vicki Tsui told the South China Morning Post. "More people have turned to private jets as they look for a safer and more reliable service. This business model is very popular in Europe and the United States, which ensures that investors get access to the service whenever and wherever they want."
Amber Aviation manages 15 business jets on behalf of clients, Tsui said, as well as owning six outright including a Bombardier Aerospace Global Express RRS and Global 5000. AmberNet already runs a shared lease programme and membership service. However, Tsui was keen to stress the differences between fractional ownership and leasing schemes, saying that under the ownership model an individual retains an equity share in the aircraft indefinitely, whereas the leasing model grants access only for a certain period.
Amber Aviation's shareholders include NetJets, Fung Investments, Liu's Group, and Hony Capital. NetJets has supplied AmberNet with Gulfstream Aerospace G450s to operate its lease and membership scheme flights.
