Can one company be all things to business aviation? Within the sector and among its loyal clients, the general view is that TAG Aviation Holding comes closest to fitting the bill. Its companies offer a wide range of business aviation services and an extensive portfolio of jets suitable for leisure and business travel alike.
In terms of jet charter, the company’s record size fleet is especially popular with energy, finance and consumer goods companies whose demands for safety and quality control are of the highest order. With one of Europe’s largest charter fleets and a fully implemented and audited Safety Management System (SMS) the aircraft which include Bombardier, Gulfstream and Dassault Falcon equipment are requested for a wide and diverse range of flight schedules all around the world.
Additionally, TAG Aviation Holding builds on over 40 years of experience in business jet management, maintenance and overhaul and currently looks after the aircraft of some of the World’s largest organisations. Topping it off, this year the company expects Chinese government approval for one of the first business aviation joint ventures ever on the mainland, in partnership with China First Mandarin Group’s business aviation unit.
“What really sets us apart as a company is our experience,” says Robert Wells, CEO of TAG Aviation Holding. “I would say that we are the most experienced private jet management and charter company in the world today, having worked in all different environments and across the globe.”
This experience enables the business to provide clients with a uniformly high level of service, but also tailor solutions to fit the needs of each aircraft owner or company. Wells adds: “The way we think of it is that everything the client does not see, such as safety procedures for example, we do in the same way for everyone, ensuring maximum standards across the board. Everything they do see, we customise in order to give a truly bespoke service.”
This is all without mentioning TAG Farnborough Airport just outside London, the only private airfield of its kind in Europe – meaning only business jets allowed. Bespoke is also a key word in the mission statement at TAG Farnborough Airport. As CEO Brandon O’Reilly explains, this in itself is unique: “Farnborough is the only airport in the whole of Britain that offers this type of service – it has been specifically developed with corporate aviation in mind. Every other airport in the country is a hybrid, either a commercial airport with business aviation as a part of its operation, or a small aerodrome with light aircraft and flying lessons taking place. We are the only airport that is bespoke for private aviation.”
This singular focus has allowed TAG Farnborough Airport to put emphasis on the three most important things for its customers: Privacy, ease of access, and business services. “Farnborough is absolutely a private airport. Whereas with a commercial airport you can enter the terminal building and wander around without flying, here you can only enter the site if you are arriving or departing from the facility. This way, we are able to offer our clients complete privacy,” explains O’Reilly. “Additionally, the airport has been designed to maximise ease of access – there is no check in, no baggage carousels. In fact, 65 percent of people flying to or from the airport never enter the terminal building.” The other 35 percent who do, however, will experience a terminal like no other, a sleek modern space with lounge and state-of-the-art on-site audio-visual meeting facilities.
TAG Farnborough Airport is currently adding its second dedicated set of hangars to complete its £150m investment programme. This will be synchronized with the airport’s recent approval to phase in a new limit of 50,000 aircraft movements annually, up from 28,000. However, the main focus in the short term is 2012 – year of the London Olympic Games and Diamond Jubilee.
“Farnborough is an ideal facility for sponsors, foreign dignitaries and diplomats to arrive into for either occasion, thanks to its privacy and proximity to London,” says O’Reilly. “We are dedicated to making the best first impression of the UK when these guests arrive and the best parting impression when they leave.” With 2012 also being one of the bi-annual Farnborough Air Show years, next year will certainly be action packed.
For business jet owners and charter passengers alike, TAG Aviation provide a completely personalised experience at levels of privacy and comfort that make each voyage more impressive than the last.