April 18, 2024
Following its order last month for Gulfstream G280s, start-up fractional operator Volato is expanding its HondaJet fleet.
Speaking during the NBAA-BACE conference in Orlando, CEO and Co-founder Matt Liotta says more HondaJets are on the way.
Five more of the very light jets will join the fleet by the end of the year, with six more projected in 2023.
Currently, Volato is flying 11 of the type.
While those deliveries will complete its current order with the OEM, Liotta says he would continue to grow the HondaJet fleet.
Via upgrades, older models will get an extended range, and future deliveries of the Elite II will add even more range.
Around 250 of the jets are currently in operation. While it is very popular with pilots, several Private Jet Card Comparisons subscribers say they have been disappointed with the range constraints of older versions.
Since launching Fall, Volato has gained 73 share customers.
It sold 20 of its Stretch jet cards in two months while taking a measured approach.
Liotta says the company turns off sales when it reaches specific targets.
The refundable, as-available cards offer a fixed hourly rate but reward members with flight credits for being flexible.
That includes moving departure time and even flying from a nearby airport.
While the card is targeted primarily to leisure flyers who aren’t tied to specific dates and times, Liotta says one member uses it for business.
“He’s a business owner who has to visit his businesses, but it doesn’t matter when he visits them,” says Liotta.
So far, one card customer has already upgraded to fractional ownership.
The company currently has 166 employees and will reach 200 by the end of the year. It is currently offering $20,000 bonuses for new pilots.
James Cuff, Vice President of Marketing and Business Development, says Volato now provides customers flying to and from Atlanta, Tampa, and St. Augustine meet and greet service.
The company’s Volato Aircraft Management Services, which operates its HondaJet fleet, is now up to 12 managed aircraft.
The division is a rebrand of the acquisition of Gulf Coast Aviation. It recently celebrated 25 years of accident-free flying.
It is currently Argus Platinum and IS-BAO Stage 2, although Liotta expects it to reach Stage 3 in the coming months.
