A Cotswold based executive jet company is celebrating soaring success as it celebrates its fifth birthday. The Little Jet Company has recently welcomed another aircraft to the fleet and has also doubled the number of staff in the past year.
The company, based at Gloucestershire Airport, provides services including privately owned jets for charter, management of aircraft and ground handling services.
It was set up by Directors Jason Bishop and Barry Preece who met at school.
The friends share a love of aviation and enjoyed spending time at the airport as children. They both became pilots and then worked around the clock to get The Little Jet Company off the ground in 2014.
Since then thousands of people have chosen to fly with them for business and leisure, including well known celebrities.
In 2018 the company opened a new office and a dedicated passenger lounge due to its growth and success.
They have increased capacity by welcoming a third Citation Bravo to their fleet.
‘This is an exciting time for us and we are looking forward to the future,’ said Barry.
‘I’m very proud of our fantastic team who go above and beyond to ensure customer satisfaction.’
Clients who fly on board include sports celebrities, film stars, and entrepreneurs. The company has made dreams come true by helping people to celebrate special occasions including birthdays. The Little Jet Company has also flown organs for transplant. The busiest time for the company is during the annual Cheltenham Gold Cup Festival where clients sometimes have to book a year in advance to secure a charter with them.
The private jets are able to provide comfortable, safe, and secure flights for family holidays. Businessmen can save time by having airside access allowing them to drive right up to the aircraft. The aircrafts are scheduled to tailor for their personal schedules and they can even hold meetings on board. The Little Jet Company has made it possible to leave Gloucestershire just after 8am, fly to Paris for a two hour meeting, and arrive back in Gloucestershire before 3pm that day.
‘Our clients expect the best and that’s what we aim to deliver,’ said Jason who still regularly flies the jets as a captain. ‘We do not compromise on safety and standards and we are available day and night. We stick to our motto which is Aviation without Compromise and we always want to achieve this for all of our clients.’
The Little Jet Company offers luxury, comfort and a personalised service. VIP catering is sourced from local high quality suppliers and tailored to exact specifications. Fine wines and champagnes are carried as standard.
The company has had specific requests including caviar, sushi and a china tea pot on board. It’s all part of the personal promise. Clients are also offered a concierge service which can arrange everything from hotels to a chauffeured service to the airport. Travellers can take their pets on board too thanks to the new recent pet approval from DEFRA.
The Little Jet Company flies from Gloucestershire Airport to European destinations as far as Faro and Corfu. The company also has access to a global private jet fleet. Travel can be arranged from the UK to destinations around the world and private jet travel can also be arranged for clients when they are abroad.
One of the aircraft has appeared in the James Bond film Spectre. Jason flew an aircraft in the 2016 action thriller film Criminal which starred Kevin Costner.
‘We are proud to have Gloucestershire Airport on our on our doorstep and to be part of the area’s rich aviation heritage,’ said Barry. ‘The airport is the perfect gateway to the Cotswolds, Oxford, Bristol and beyond,’
Mark Ryan, Managing Director of Gloucestershire Airport, said: ‘Gloucestershire Airport is delighted with the success of The Little Jet Company. They have gone from strength to strength, which is indicative of their work ethic and customer focus. The corporate and private travel market continues to grow, and The Little Jet Company is perfectly placed, in the heart of the Cotswolds, to service this growing demand.’
