Avcard, the aviation services provider and credit-card company based in Hunt Valley, Md., has established a European office in London with the aim of increasing services to a broader range of customers. Twenty-five-year aviation veteran Stefan Jaeggi will head the office as general manager. In a related move, Avcard has acquired the assets of contract fuel provider EAFS, located in the UK Channel Islands, and International Jet Services, a London management company and flight-service provider. Avcard expected to have flight-plan filing capability and handling services available through its Maryland office by this month. The company said of the new arrangement: “Avcard’s operations on both sides of the Atlantic will be available 24/7 to meet our cardholders’ every need with one telephone call.”

Also, Avcard’s London entity is a registered value-added tax (VAT) participant, allowing the company to provide a VAT- compliant invoice to customers, assisting them in filing for quick VAT refunds on eligible international aircraft operations.
Addressing the issue of complex computer-based billing and tracking systems common to many aviation credit-card and management-service programs, Avcard president and CEO Linda Kropp said, “Technology can go only so far. The time has come to put more physical resources closer to our geographically dispersed clients.”