The emergence of on-line booking platforms has changed the way brokers and operators do business. Initially, what once appeared to be competition for charter brokers, has instead been adopted by them as another weapon in their armoury.

For over 30 months, a UK based aviation software company, Returnjet.com, has been quietly and diligently developing both software and operator relationships in order to penetrate this field. In this time it has secured contracts with around 600 of the world’s charter operators, and consequently access to nearly 3,000 aircraft.

It has developed bespoke software providing the realtime precision of aircraft pricing and availability that brokers need. The system actually searches a database of every charter operator and aircraft irrespective of whether the operator has registered. This, again, gives brokers a unique reach and connectivity to every opportunity. First year subscriptions to its suite of exclusive broker services are being provided free of charge. Thereafter, an annual fee of $100/broker.

Confidence in future of brokerage

At a time when Avinode’s decision to sell to a billing and payment company may have caused some concern in the industry, Returnjet.com’s confidence and investment in the future of brokerage is perhaps a timely reassurance.

CEO Mark Blanchfield has total confidence in the brokers’ future: “We initially launched in beta to provide access for private charter clients to view aircraft availability and options, but quickly discovered brokers using our software. This prompted us to develop a series of additional services exclusive to bona fide brokers, so preserving their business channel. Most private clients want access to the value added services and reassurance of a trusted broker and we see no reason that should dramatically change in the near future.”

Returnjet.com CEO Mark Blanchfield

Returnjet.com has been widely welcomed by operators who are contracted to provide best price when they issue their quotation through the system.

Instead of fixed tail fee subscriptions - which many operators find a burdensome overhead - Returnjet.com invoices a small fee for completed flights that were quoted for through the platform, so payment is entirely performance related.

According to Returnjet.com, many smaller operators who have never subscribed to Avinode are generating new business through Returnjet.com, and so offering additional options for brokers through the Returnjet.com search. This year, they expect the first significant brokers to switch exclusively to Returnjet.com as their preferred operator channel.

The company now has 3,000 AOC/Part 135 aircraft registrations, across 57 countries worldwide, probably making it one of the world’s most connected broker marketplace on this statistic alone. However, the system also connects brokers to all unregistered aircraft, so brokers can effectively connect to over 10,000 aircraft - the world’s entire charter fleet!

Real time updates

Returnjet.com benefits brokers by providing fingertip global connectivity to operators and aircraft. Some of these are realtime positions through Operators' scheduling software, reducing client enquiry to response times and reducing in house staff time and overheads.

Once charter brokers are registered, an account manager is assigned to ensure quote requests are responded to quickly by the relevant operators. These account managers will also carefully monitor the estimate/quote accuracy and by working closely with each individual operator, try to ensure any differences are kept to a minimum. The target is 5%.

The broker can select and issue six quote requests simultaneously for every search query made. The Returnaquote Service delivers operator quotations direct to their dashboard and email. With the tick of a box, the Returnjet Marketplace reissues the best quotation return back to every relevant operator to invite a better tender, ensuring no stone is unturned in achieving best price and availability.

The Software

Returnjet.com uses complex algorithms to calculate a live guideline price, based on the operator’s own pricing matrix, which should be within 5% of the final price quoted directly by the operator. Each search will provide up to 30 aircraft options listed in price ascending order and by taking live scheduling feeds from operators, many of these aircraft will identify as definitely available at this time.

The proprietary software utilizes algorithms to identify jets in flight that might effectively provide you with your requested route. Returnjet evaluates where an operator's plane is located not only by its realtime and forward planned airport location but also when in flight. It defines a jet's realtime or planned 'flight corridor' and assesses the opportunity for that plane to deviate to pick up a client, and calculates a guideline price in seconds of the search.

For example, this could mean a jet positioned in Los Angeles that is returning empty from New York might be identified as best value for a search for a same day connection between Chicago and Las Vegas.

The system is constantly being improved to identify restrictions such as aircraft range versus payload, runway length, crew duty and airport opening times ensuring the broker is not disappointed when they make a selection. Returnjet are fully aware that speed and accuracy is key to broker satisfaction.

Growing broker businesses

Blanchfield believes Returnjet.com is not only growing private aviation charter, but will grow broker businesses too.

“We are a connecting software facilitator, and do not have any involvement in any transactions. Our search system generates many new private leads daily, from individuals who have never used a broker before - who may never have flown by private charter. We recognize that many of these private users want advice and assistance before committing to an operator and so we are developing a means of diverting these leads to our pool of brokers. Ultimately the user chooses what they want to do, but we are building in the option that they can use a broker to negotiate and provide added value. We are also building a search widget available for broker’s own sites, so our software can help them attract new clients directly online.”

Transparency of information is inevitable, and brokers are likely to welcome the competition and opportunity for business expansion in these challenging times.