Jet Linx Aviation experienced steady growth in 2016, with a nearly 65 percent jump in the size of its fleetand increases in hours flown and client base, the Omaha, Nebraska-based business aviation charter, management and jet card provider reported.
Jet Linx added 23 aircraft to its fleet, bring the total number to 82 this year. The fleet has grown into one of the largest for Part 135, encompassing a range of sizes from light to heavy jets, according to the company.
As the fleet grew, so did the number of hours flown, which are up 20 percent year-over-year from 2015. The company experienced record peak travel over Thanksgiving, with 140 legs on November 22 and 174 on November 27.
To accommodate this growth, Jet Linx added new base locations in Nashville, Tennessee, and Fort Worth, Texas. Each base has a local service team, aircraft and pilots. The Fort Worth base also has a private terminal. With the additions, Jet Linx now operates out of 14 base locations. The company further nearly doubled its employment to more than 400, adding 178 pilots and day-to-day operations staff.
The company’s client base also picked up in 2016, with the number of jet card holders increasing by 20 percent, to 1,200.
“Our growth demonstrates the need that we have filled in the private aviation industry for a more localized customer service experience with all of the advantages of a national provider,” said Jet Linx president and CEO Jamie Walker.