Asian business jet operator Sino Jet is seizing market opportunities in business aviation despite the downturn caused by the global pandemic. Jenny Lau, group president of Sino Jet Group, recently shared market insights and her company's upcoming strategic expansion with industry leaders and professionals.

“With a population of over 1.4 billion, demand in air travel in China remains generally high,” she says. “While the outbreak of COVID-19 may have caused a halt to commercial airline services, it has sparkled an explosive growth in the demand for air charter services.”

Sino Jet is a business jet operator that specialises in aircraft management, charter flight services and ground handling services. Lau believes that the public expectations for aviation safety and operational efficiency will continue to grow higher and higher. Many of her clients begin their private aviation experiences in chartering flights, and it is the unparalleled levels of security, privacy, flexibility and convenience that often lead them to purchasing their first business jets.

China is ramping up its vaccination production lines to foster a better environment for business aviation growth. Domestic business aviation has already recovered close to pre-pandemic levels. Sino Jet has successively introduced a number of brand-new business jets in the first half of 2021, after being named the operator with the largest fleet in Asia Pacific in 2020. Lau goes on: “Our success is a reflection of customer satisfaction, and safety and quality will also remain as the core operating principles at Sino Jet. Additionally, we walk the extra mile to ensure that our tailored solutions keep up with our clients' needs and market development, maximising our aircraft value. The business jet is now a very common financial instrument. As businesses recuperate from the COVID-19 economic shock, more and more business owners are seeing the need or benefit to purchase their own long-haul aircraft, such as the Bombardier Global 7500, Gulfstream G700, G650, G550, Dassault 10X, 8X and 7X. Demand for these aircraft types specifically is unprecedentedly strong.”

Large business jets account for over 90 per cent of the Sino Jet fleet. Keeping up with market development in China, Sino Jet has invested heavily in improving its management capabilities that are most favourable to its Chinese clients; expanding its national maintenance and inspection services to cover the latest large business aircraft types; and among the first few organisations in China, having been granted approval by the government to import aircraft parts and tools for aircraft maintenance without duty fees.

Sino will continue to leverage its advantageous dual headquarters in Beijing and Hong Kong and its unrivalled international network capabilities, complementing these strengths to service its major client base in China. Sino Jet has a presence in nearly 20 locations in the Asia Pacific region to provide round the clock integrated services to its clients. Base on its own operational statistics and national economic development initiatives issued in China, Sino Jet sees huge investment opportunities in Hainan and southwestern China.

The Hainan Free Trade Port Policy proposes turning Haikou Meilan International Airport into the region's international transport hub, and Sino Jet is one of the pioneering operators to have set up local offices to provide comprehensive business jet management services. It is the company's long-term strategic plan to foster business aviation activities, and improve and standardise business aviation operations in Hainan. The Hainan international air hub is expected to grow into maturity and fully integrate with the future local transportation network, which is receiving a total of over 220 billion yuan of government investment within the next five years.

Sino Jet expects Chengdu Shuangliu International airport to grow into a major business aviation hub in the western and central regions of China. In 2021, Sino Jet announced a joint investment with the local Chengdu government in the development of a new FBO and MRO facility at Chengdu Shuangliu International airport. The investment aims to enhance business aviation by providing an efficient, comfortable business jet travel experience.

From helping clients develop a passion for business jet travelling to helping them understand their needs and desires; from helping clients fully utilise their time and potentials to helping them maximise their asset value, Sino Jet understands the balancing needs and practicality in managing business jets. Because of this refined understanding of business aviation, Sino Jet stands out, crowning with success in this deep global economic winter.