Switzerland's Jet Aviation and Dubai-based Elite Jets have signed a partnership agreement to provide aircraft management and charter services in the Middle East.

"Jet Aviation and Elite Jets have maintained a close working relationship in the past," says Martin Bernegger, Jet Aviation's gm, aircraft charter division in EMEA and Asia. "The new strategic partnership agreement will support the common goal of increasing market share in the Middle East."

Jet Aviation will designate a member to the board of directors of Elite Jets and will appoint a new director of ground operations to be based in Dubai, UAE.

The scope of the agreement ranges from providing regional charter services to Jet Aviation customers in the Middle East through Elite Jets, while Jet Aviation provides line and unscheduled maintenance services. In addition, Jet Aviation will provide operational assistance to Elite Jets and conduct recurrent training of staff and crew. Jet Aviation says it also offers extensive buying power for insurance premiums and fuel discounts.

Together Jet Aviation and Elite Jets will become a major provider of full management services of aircraft based or operated in Dubai, says Andre Wall, coo of Jet Aviation, EMEA and Asia.

Ammar Balkar, president and ceo of Elite Jets, says clients will greatly benefit from access to an expanded fleet of aircraft and services across Europe, Russia, the Far East and the U.S.

Elite Jets was established in January 2004 in Dubai and provides charter, aircraft sales brokerage and aircraft management services. It operates a fleet of Citation CJ3, Hawker 850XP and Challenger 604 aircraft and expects the delivery of a Challenger 605 in September 2008.