THE CHARTER ADVANTAGE
Charter flights are often considered convenient alternative to owning a private jet. But they are also reasonably priced considering the services they provide, and sustainable in the long run
From its humble beginnings in the basement of a London house back in 1990, Air Charter Service (ACS) has grown extensively to become a leading name in private aviation charter. The company employs over 600 staff spread across a global network of regional offices spanning all six major continents.
The award-winning company arranges and manages over 28,000 private charter flights per year, racking up a whopping US$1.15 billion in annual revenue. Named the ‘STT International Air Charter Provider of the Year’ and the ‘ACW Charter Broker of the Year’ for several years running, the company prides itself on their excellent customer service standards. ACS is also a member of various leading international aviation trade organisations and has earned various types of ISO accreditations.
Brendan Toomey, who hails from the UK, has been an employee of ACS for the past 13 years. Toomey started as a trainee junior broker and slowly worked his way up to become the current CEO of the Singapore branch, which he opened back in March 2020. He now oversees regional operations in all of Southeast Asia, in places such as Indonesia and Malaysia.
Expanding on their bespoke customer service, Toomey says, “Whether we are entrusted to fly passengers or important cargo, ACS delivers a personal touch that goes beyond what is expected of us.
Some customers come with very specific needs, concerns, or catering requests. Our aim is to make the entire customer experience a seamless one from start till end.” The company has a dedicated team of highly experienced and dedicated account managers who are on call 24/7 to manage the expectations and requirements of each client. Every broker undergoes at least six months of training before they get to serve the clients.
With access to a wide range of aircrafts from small jets for urgent package deliveries to large freighters for oversized cargo consignments. The list of available aircraft totals over 50,000 from light jets such as a Cessna Citation Bravo to midsized planes such as a Embraer Legacy 500, all the way to ultra-long range heavy jets such as Bombardier Global 7500 or Gulfstream G650.
Toomey beckons me to a wall in his office where a large photo of an Iron Maiden Boeing 747 jumbo jet hangs. ACS was hired to be in charge of the aircraft on its world tour. Toomey proudly adds, “Our clients consist of high-net-worth individuals such as movie stars, musicians, supermodels, and famous athletes. ACS offers chartered helicopters and private jets to MNCs, government agencies, and event organisers for their meetings, events, conferences, film productions, company incentive trips, and more. We also offer door-to-door personalised onboard courier