PremiAir debuts at leading luxury travel show – ILTM in Cannes

Tuesday 30th November, 2010

PremiAir, one of the UK’s leading private aviation charter companies, is making its debut at the International Luxury Travel Market (ILTM) in Cannes during 7-10 December. Reinforcing its presence, PremiAir Group Managing Director, David McRobert will participate as a panelist in the prestigious annual travel industry leaders’ forum which takes place on 6 December, the first day of the event.

Moderated by Graham Boynton, Ultra Travel’s editor, this year’s forum is entitled “Global Trends in Luxury Travel.” David will take the opportunity to highlight his views on future executive charter trends, and discuss how the luxury travel business can find and retain high value customers, speaking from a business jet and executive helicopter operator’s perspective. PremiAir also manages London’s only CAA-licensed heliport, the newly redeveloped London Heliport in Battersea, set to be a popular destination for 2012 Olympics visitors and a likely discussion point for visitors at this year’s event. PremiAir is sharing a stand with sister company, luxury hotel group von Essen (Stand No 0171).

PremiAir will also be co-hosting 14 VIP travel buyers visiting the exhibition. The guests will experience the full “PremiAir service,”, spending the night at newly opened, von-Essen owned, hotel Verta, which, together with the impressive London Heliport passenger terminal, forms London’s ‘Vertical Gateway’, the first integrated hotel-heliport solution in Europe. Early morning flights by Sikorsky S76 helicopters will deliver the guests, in just 10 minutes, to two awaiting Learjet 45’s at PremiAir’s new London Biggin Hill base from where they will be whisked to the French Riviera and the private airport at Cannes Mandelieu.

“The luxury travel industry is an important element of our client base which is why we have taken the decision to get involved with ILTM this year. Hosting the buyers gives us a great showcase to present our fixed and rotary wing services and chat with them about their thoughts on business in 2011 and beyond. We look forward to communicating just how simple, cost effective and versatile private jet and helicopter charter can be,” says McRobert.

ILTM, organised by Reed Exhibitions, is the only business-to-business event dedicated to showcasing high-end travel suppliers to specialist luxury travel trade buyers from around the globe through an unrivalled pre-scheduled appointment system.

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Editor’s Notes:

Established 30 years ago, PremiAir is the UK’s largest Executive Helicopter Charter and Management company. It has bases at Denham, Blackbushe, Oxford, London Biggin Hill and Farnborough Airports plus The London Heliport.

PremiAir commenced private jet charter and management services in early 2010 using the Hawker Beechcraft Premier 1 and has since added a Bombardier Learjet 45 fleet managed by PremiAir and 100% available for charter.

PremiAir is privately owned by the von Essen Group and is a sister company of von Essen Hotels, which owns and operates 30 luxury hotels throughout the UK and Europe.

PremiAir also manages and operates The London Heliport at Battersea, which remains the UK capital’s only commercial heliport. New ultra modern business aviation terminal facilities are opening this summer connected to a luxury 5 star hotel development by sister company von Essen.

PremiAir flies approximately 4,000 helicopter charter hours a year with its modern fleet of Sikorsky S76s and Eurocopter Twin Squirrels. It has 18 Executive Helicopters on management programmes; providing turnkey services to their owners.

PremiAir’s maintenance business is an FAA, EASA, CAA Part 145-approved organisation; it is a Sikorsky Service Centre for the S76 (all models), a Bell Customer Service Facility for Bell 222, 230 and 430 and is a Hawker Beechcraft Authorised Service Centre for their Beechcraft Model range including the Premier 1 private jet. PremiAir is one of the largest Eurocopter maintenance centres in Europe supporting EC155, AS365 Dauphin and AS355 Twin Squirrel. The company also provides maintenance services on the AgustaWestland 109 model range and is a Pratt & Whitney Canada recognised maintenance facility and a distributor for Honeywell, Rockwell Collins and numerous other equipment vendors.

PremiAir acquired the ex Gold Air operating and maintenance facilities in July 2010 and has added EASA approved Learjet 40/45 and Challenger 300 maintenance services to its growing list of capabilities.

PremiAir boasts Part 21J and G design and manufacturer approvals for aircraft modifications. With a large and experienced design office team, the company provides full refurbishment and upgrade services on most executive helicopter types and a wide range of fixed wing aircraft, including the full Beechcraft model range. Fixed wing aircraft are maintained at a facility at Oxford Airport, which opened in October 2008.

PremiAir is a leading player in the provision of pilots to the UK Police Forces with contracts throughout the UK and in Northern Ireland.

PremiAir Global is the company’s in-house aircraft sales and brokerage business. It specialises in acquiring and selling new and used helicopters and business jets and is based at Farnborough Airport, UK.