Flexjet LLC, offering travelers access to the world’s most luxurious fleet of private jets, today announced that it has been named by the Employers Resource Council (ERC), producer of the NorthCoast 99 Awards, as one of the 99 best places to work in Northeast Ohio for the 19th year overall and the 14th consecutive year.
“We are proud to once again be honored as one of Northeast Ohio’s best places to work,” said Flexjet Chief Executive Officer Michael Silvestro. “From our inception, we have viewed our people – our flight crews, ground support teams and Owner services staff – as the most important reason for our success. Our Owners and clients fly with us because our professional team members are attuned to providing exceptional service, and we are committed to making this an outstanding place for them to work and build careers.”
An Exciting Time to Explore a Career in Private Aviation at Flexjet
The recognition comes during a period of unprecedented growth for the private aviation industry, with flight activity in 2022 expected to be 15-20 percent greater than during the pre-COVID year of 2019, according to Argus Traqpak.1
Through the first seven months of 2022, Flexjet’s flight activity was up 30 percent over 2021, which was its busiest year on record.
The current growth trend looks to have staying power. A Private Jet Card Comparisons survey of private aviation users found that 53 percent of people who started flying privately during the pandemic plan to continue utilizing private air travel regularly, while 47 percent will continue to use it for at least some of their travel needs moving forward.
“Flexjet has been able to manage the extraordinary growth of the past two years because we recognize that our team members are the foundation of our company, we pay fanatical attention to detail and we take a long-term approach to establishing relationships,” said Flexjet Chief Administrative Officer Bob Sullivan. “These qualities enable us to continue to attract and retain the private aviation industry’s finest professionals by keeping our company among Ohio’s best places to work, now and in the years to come.”
Flexjet is responding to this growth through investments in aircraft, facilities and staff. The investments include:
- Increased staff, with 350 additional pilots to be hired during 2021-22, giving Flexjet a total of 1,150 pilots by the end of this year. Flexjet has been able to recruit pilots quickly because its nonunion status gives it the ability to adjust signing bonuses, pay scales and benefits rapidly in response to growth in flight activity and demand for experienced pilots. Flexjet also is recruiting candidates for positions across the full range of its activities, including other flight crew members, maintenance workers, Owner services and experience representatives, operations staff, flight coordinators, business analysts and information technology specialists.
- $850 million in new aircraft, including Embraer Phenom 300s, Praetor 500s and 600s, Bombardier Challenger 350s; and Gulfstream G450s and G650s. The Flexjet fleet will expand to 231 aircraft by the end of 2022, approximately 40 percent larger than it was at the end of the first half of 2021.
- A state-of-the-art global operations control center is under construction adjacent to Flexjet’s current facility at Cuyahoga County Airport outside of Cleveland. The futuristic global operations center will serve as the master logistics and control center for the entire global network of flights operated by Flexjet and its sister companies. The new facility will ensure Flexjet is able to operate the safest and most optimized fleet of aircraft in all of aviation and provide its team members one of the finest environments in which to work.
- Expanding the footprint of Flexjet-exclusive private terminals with new facilities at Teterboro Airport (New Jersey), Dallas Love Field Airport (Texas) and Miami-Opa locka Airport (Florida). The new facilities bolster the support services provided by fixed-base operators and join existing Flexjet-exclusive facilities at Naples Airport (Florida), Palm Beach International Airport (Florida), Westchester County Airport (New York) and Van Nuys Airport (California).
“Today we are in period of unprecedented growth which enables us to provide superior service for those who are seeking the very best in private jet travel for those interested in joining an exciting industry,” said Silvestro. “As responsible stewards of our business, we are prepared to invest for the future at times such as these, when the prospects for growth are at their highest, while ensuring that our investment is carefully aligned with the ebbs and flows of a dynamic market environment such as private air travel.”
The NorthCoast 99 is an annual program and event that honors 99 outstanding Northeast Ohio workplaces for their accomplishments during the period January 1-December 31 of each year. It includes a meticulous assessment that addresses factors such as top-performer recruitment, development and retention and distinction in areas including organizational strategy, policies and benefits; talent attraction, acquisition and onboarding; employee well-being; employee engagement and talent development; total rewards; and diversity, equity and inclusion.
Headquartered in the Cleveland suburb of Richmond Heights, Flexjet employs more than 2,200 private jet travel professionals, mainly in North America and Europe. The company offers an open and inclusive working environment that provides its team members a career path with opportunities for growth, whether as a member of a flight crew or in one of the many essential supporting roles on the ground. Flexjet also provides a safe, progressive, diverse and rewarding workplace with highly competitive pay and benefits.
Flexjet first entered the fractional jet ownership market in 1995. Flexjet offers fractional jet ownership and leasing. Flexjet’s fractional aircraft program is the first in the world to be recognized as achieving the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Industry Audit Standard, is the first and only company to be honored with 23 FAA Diamond Awards for Excellence, upholds an ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating, a 4AIR Bronze Sustainable Rating and is IS-BAO compliant at Level 2. In 2015, Flexjet introduced Red Label by Flexjet, which features the most modern fleet in the industry, flight crews dedicated to a single aircraft and the LXi Cabin Collection of interiors. To date there are more than 40 different interior designs across its fleet, which includes the Embraer Phenom 300 and Praetor 500, Bombardier Challenger 350, the Gulfstream G450 and G650. Flexjet’s European fleet includes the Embraer Praetor 600 and the Gulfstream G650. Flexjet’s private helicopter division sells fractional, lease, and on-demand charter access to its fleet of owned and operated Sikorsky S-76 private helicopters serving locations throughout the Northeastern United States and Florida. Flexjet is a member of the Directional Aviation family of companies.