October 21, 2024
Vista Global Holding outlined some previously undisclosed growth figures in a recruiting post to celebrate National Aviation Day. It also reaffirmed it has big plans for Red Wing Aviation, which operates light jets in the U.S., serving XO jet card and on-demand charter clients as well as third-party wholesale customers.
As private aviation has led the covid pandemic travel recovery, VistaJet recruited 240 new starters in the last year. That’s a 52% increase year-over-year increase in headcount during the first half of 2021.
Its XO unit hired 60 new employees over the past year. There was a 112% year-over-year increase of new employees during the first half of 2021. It said its new Fort Lauderdale headquarters had become its technology hub.
Red Wing Aviation is planning to add 250 people to its headcount by the end of 2022. The growth corresponds to previously announced plans to increase its fleet by 350% to over 50 private jets. Vista Global bought a minority interest in the charter operator in March 2021. It was the first update on the Red Wing fleet plan since the acquisition.
Last week, officials told Aviation International News it is launching a fleet of midsize Citation Excel jets in Europe under the XO brand at the end of this month. A spokesperson declined to provide additional details.
In April, VistaJet said it would add a dozen Bombardier Global 7500s and 10 Challenger 350s by the end of next year in a deal valued at over $1 billion.
It also consummated its long-rumored deal to acquire on-demand charter broker Apollo Jets and its stake in aircraft management and charter operator Talon Air. Last month, it announced aircraft management under the XO brand.
Vista Global has been among the busiest players in our Private Aviation Dealbook.
It currently ranks fourth in our list of Top 30 fractional and charter operators ranked by flight hours through June 2021.
The group currently has 2,000 employees. According to the post, units are hiring pilots, flight attendants, flight instructors, simulator technicians, mechanics, sales directors, aviation advisors, accountants, schedulers, auditors, and even a private dining specialist. For the latter, you’ll need to create “a menu that is tailor-made to the customer’s needs on each and every VistaJet flight; contributing to the home away from home experience.”
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