Air Partner plc is a provider of private aviation services, which celebrated its 50th anniversary in 2011. In 1961 it started out as an air training school. Today, Air Partner organizes over 15,000 flights per year airliner, private jet and freight charters for industry, commerce, governments and individuals in 16 countries spanning three continents. Clients include six of the G8 group of governments, the UN, EU, NATO, leading NGOs such as the Red Cross and royal families. Air Partner is the only aviation company to hold a Royal Warrant

Royal Warrant of Appointment (United Kingdom)

Royal warrants of appointment have been issued for centuries to those who supply goods or services to a royal court or certain royal personages. The warrant enables the supplier to advertise the fact that they supply to the royal family, so lending prestige to the supplier...

 from HM Queen Elizabeth II (as Supplier of Aircraft Charter).

History

Air Partner launched in 1961. It was initially based in the art deco Beehive Terminal

Beehive (Gatwick Airport)

The Beehive is the original terminal building at Gatwick Airport, England. Opened in 1936, it became obsolete in the 1950s as the airport expanded. In 2008, it was converted into serviced offices, having served as the headquarters of franchised airline GB Airways for some years before that...

, Gatwick’s original terminal with its grass runways. Trading as Airways Training, it began as a school for military pilots converting to civilian flying using flight simulators and a fleet of Beagles

Beagle Airedale

|-See also:-External links:*...

. The company then formed an air taxi operation with a fleet of Chieftan

Piper PA-31 Navajo

The Piper PA-31 Navajo is a family of cabin-class, twin-engine aircraft designed and built by Piper Aircraft for the general aviation market, most using Lycoming engines. It was also licence-built in a number of Latin American countries. Targeted at small-scale cargo and feeder liner operations and...

, Piper Aztec

Piper Aztec

-Accidents and incidents:*On 18 April 1974, Aztec G-AYDE was involved in a ground collision with BAC One-Eleven G-AXMJ at London Luton Airport after the pilot of the Aztec entered the active runway without clearance. He was killed and his passenger was injured...

, 125 and C550 aircraft and changed its name to Air London. The decision to concentrate on aircraft broking was made in 1983.

Chronology

• 1989, Air Partner floated on the Unlisted Securities Market
  Unlisted Securities Market
  The Unlisted Securities Market , which ran from 1980 to 1996, was a stock exchange set up by the London Stock Exchange to cater for companies too small to qualify for a full listing....
  
  , the forerunner to the Alternative Investment Market (AIM
  Alternative Investment Market
  AIM is a sub-market of the London Stock Exchange, allowing smaller companies to float shares with a more flexible regulatory system than is applicable to the main market....
  
  )
• 1994, Overseas expansion begins with the opening of Air Partner France in Paris. The Sub-charter division is launched.
• 1995, Company achieves full listing on the London Stock Exchange .
• 1996, Air Partner unveils the CharterPLUS guarantee programme CharterPLUS, it includes $100 million third party liability insurance cover and aircraft failure protection.
• 1997
  • Air Partner opens it's first US based offices based in Fort Lauderdale, Florida.
  • Air Partner opens it's second mainland European office in Cologne, Germany.
  • Managing Director David Savile is appointed CEO.
• 1998, Air partner launches a specialist Freight division.
• 1999
  • Company name is changed from Air London to Air Partner.
  • Air Partner Travel Consultants is launched. The IATA and ATOL
    Air Travel Organisers' Licensing
    Air Travel Organisers' Licensing is a United Kingdom Civil Aviation Authority scheme to protect people who have purchased package holidays and flights from a member tour operator....
    
     bonded agency organises scheduled flights, limousine hire and accommodation.
• 2000, Air Partner enters Switzerland and Austria with offices in Zurich and Vienna, a second US office opens in New York.
• 2001
  • 24/7 office-based operations department opens at London Gatwick HQ.
  • Emergency Planning is the new name for Rapid Air Support, the corporate pre-planned emergency air evacuation service launched in 2000.
• 2002, Air Partner opens offices in Dubai and a third US office opens in Washington DC.
• 2003, The first Far East Air Partner office opens in Singapore covering the Pacific Rim.
• 2004
  • Air Partner opens offices in New Delhi.
  • Air Partner Launches the Jet Membership Programme.
  • Royal Warrant awarded as Supplier of Aircraft Charter to Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II.
• 2005, Air Partner opens offices in Japan and Italy and opens a West Coast USA office in San Francisco, its fourth in North America.
• 2006
  • Air Partner makes a £4.4m purchase of London-based private jet operator and aircraft management and maintenance company Gold Air International. Gold Air ceases to exist as a trading name.
  • The JetCard membership scheme is unveiled, superseding the Jet Membership Programme launched in 2004.
• 2007
  • Air Partner re-brands, launches a new corporate identity and creates two new internal trading boards - Private Jets and Commercial Jets.
  • Air Partner opens offices in Malmő, Sweden, and opens a Benelux operation in Amsterdam, The Netherlands.
  • Air Partner offers an aviation emission offset
    Carbon offset
    A carbon offset is a reduction in emissions of carbon dioxide or greenhouse gases made in order to compensate for or to offset an emission made elsewhere....
    
     service called CarbonNeutral JetCard.
• 2008
  • January sees the arrival of a Learjet 40XR into the Air Partner fleet of six managed Learjet 45s, the largest fleet of this type in Europe.
  • Air Partner’s Royal Warrant is renewed until Winter 2014.
  • Carbon neutral offset options are launched across all flights.
• 2009, Fuel broking division re-selling Jet A-1 kerosene is launched.
• 2010, Air Partner opens an office in Istanbul, Turkey, and establishes a freight partnership in Hong Kong.