JetSeta seeks to expand opportunities across Africa

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Recently launched Nigeria-based private jet and helicopter charter broker JetSeta is looking to expand operations and open up its services more widely around Africa, particularly in terms of larger aircraft. Managing director Harold Okwa finds that while the majority of African clients might look for practicality in terms of small jets or turboprops, in Nigeria large cabin jets like Challengers have been very popular. "You get quite a few customers who will turn down smaller aircraft like a CJ1 for a larger cabin aircraft such as a CL604, or even a Gulfstream," he says. "We are focused on giving them what they want. If we have a Hawker or a Phenom available, the passenger might be willing to reschedule their trip to use a large cabin aircraft instead." And he finds that requests are coming in for group travel of between eight to 12 passengers, which suits the capacity of a large cabin. Outside of Nigeria people are not so fixated on large cabin types.

The company's hubs currently cover Accra in Ghana, Gambia, Burkina Faso and up to Cape Verde but the aim is to expand across different parts of the continent. "Rwanda appears to be more stable now and the economy is picking up thanks to good policies and direction from the government," says Okwa. "We are hoping to capitalise on that and have a little base in Rwanda where you can reach up to the eastern parts of Africa such as Kenya and Ethiopia then westwards to Angola and the Congo. There is a lot of business in those parts right up to central Africa."

The company is also experiencing some interest from north Africa so would also consider establishing a base around Egypt or Morocco. "It depends on the market intelligence we acquire," he adds, "and whether it supports us catering to the north east of the continent. Expansion will be governed by demand."

Okwa continues: "Our first step is to solve the African problem of getting around with ease and affordability." Unlike in the Middle East and Europe where the market is more sophisticated and where there are more jets and generally a greater understanding of the industry, he finds there is a perception in Africa that private aviation is based on luxury as opposed to efficiency and practicality. This presents an opportunity to address such misconceptions, from the point of view that it aids business and facilitates inter-country, indeed inter-continent, travel. "It can take two or three days to get to a meeting in another part of the country via some commercial routes," he notes, "and that meeting may only last for one or two hours."

Once the issue of African accessibility is resolved the company plans to turn its attention to Europe. "London is an important route, as is Frankfurt," he says. "In the Middle East Dubai is crucial so Lagos to Dubai is a route we will look at. South Africa to Dubai is a busy route as well. We are going to take it slowly and keep a close eye on where our requests are coming from."

At the moment the company is trying to raise a first round of funding to help with the upscaling process. To date a lot of what it has done so far has been organic. Most immediately it is looking to run major routes within the continent such as Lagos to Johannesburg and Cape Town. Nairobi is a good option too, as is Angola. Okwa says: "This work may well be carried out by larger types such as ACJs, with smaller turboprops, such as B200s or B350s carrying out the short hops and able to land on tough terrain and narrow and short runways, getting people closer to their final destinations. At the moment we are working on the back end before we roll it all out; it all takes a bit of time.”