In anticipation of the summer 2012 Olympics in the UK, Signature Flight Support has announced a dedicated customer-support team and a 24-hour hotline to assist customers with arranging slots, parking, hotels, catering, rental cars and other needs. The company–the world’s largest FBO network with more than 100 locations on five continents–has also issued a reference guide to assist operators and pilots with flight planning. (The guide is available at www.signatureflight.com/2012.)

“With our extensive UK network of FBOs and surrounding reliever airport locations, customers will have the flexibility and convenience of working with one flight-support company throughout their stay for the Olympics,” said Joe Gibney, managing director for Signature’s operations in Europe, the Middle East and Africa, at NBAA 2011 in Las Vegas. The company–which has 17 FBOs in England, Scotland and Ireland–urged customers to contact it as soon as possible regarding slots, which will be assigned beginning in November.

Signature, meanwhile, announced a program it calls Signature Select. According to the company, the program gives independent FBOs access to its systems, service and safety standards and to its marketing and purchasing power. The program covers Signature’s proprietary training and audit programs--Service with a Leading Edge and Safety with a Leading Edge--as well as its FBO management technology suite, Signature SigNet. Participating companies will be promoted along with Signature’s network by its worldwide sales and marketing staff. Participants will display the Signature Select badge but will otherwise maintain their independent brand.

Signature Select FBOs will offer the Signature Status customer loyalty program, which issues rewards based on the frequency of visits to Signature facilities. Signature Status has been enhanced to include services from Ontic Engineering and Manufacturing, a sister company. Free Ontic MRO services available through the program include aircraft component evaluation, return shipment on component repair or overhaul and phone technical support. Members who commit their components to Ontic Engineering early can also receive 1,000 gallons of jet-A at any of Signature’s U.S. locations.

In other Signature news, the company’s Montreal location has been named best FBO in Quebec and in Canada overall in a Wings Magazine industry survey. It was only last year that Starlink Aviation signed a licensing agreement that made the Montreal facility a Signature location. “We have outperformed the local market every month since joining the Signature family,” said Glen Lynch, president and CEO of Starlink. “Our significant market-share gains and the recognition by Wings are evidence that being part of a customer-centric network was the right choice for our customers.”

Signature president and CEO Michael Scheeringa noted here at the show that the company has added five FBOs in the past year, in Edinburgh, Scotland; Bozeman, Mont., San Juan; Boca Raton, Fla.; and Frankfurt. The Frankfurt location is expected to open in December and will be the second FBO in Germany for Signature, which also operates in Munich.