313 Equity Partners is backing Justin Firestone to launch TLC Jet as a new entrant in the private jet charter market.
Industry veteran Justin Firestone has launched TLC Jet, a new entrant in the private jet space.
The new private aviation company will initially focus on aircraft management and on-demand charter flights.
However, that’s just the start.
Firestone began his career at Sentient Jet, launching its sports marketing division.
He then moved to Marquis Jet Partners and later Wheels Up as a co-founder.
At Wheels Up, he helped build the largest membership program in the industry.
Firestone will lead TLC Jet.
313 Equity Partners and the Firestone Management Group are backing the new entity.
Marc Rollins, principal at 313 Equity Partners, says, “This is our second investment in the private aviation space in the last six months.”
He adds, “We are not only bullish about the space, we invest in world-class operators.”
313 Equity Partners is a multi-family office with previous investments in luxury travel.
Its first deal in private aviation was Toledo Jet, an MRO, with locations in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, and Toledo, Ohio.
Toledo Jet CEO Greg Fell is a partner in 313 Equity Partners.
He returned to private aviation in December with the purchase of Toledo Jet.
Fell, a former automotive and technology executive, served as CEO of JetNet.
Firestone, a co-founder at Wheels Up, exited the Delta Air Lines-backed flight provider in early 2024.
He says TLC will differentiate itself by providing responsive service backed by decades of industry knowledge and expertise.
“Private aviation flyers today are looking for experts who can go out into the market and find the options that best fit their needs,” Firestone tells Private Jet Card Comparisons.
“For TLC Jet, AI stands for actual intelligence,” he continues.
“Clients want quick responses from people who know what they are talking about, not bots,” Firestone says.
He adds, “Our team knows the operators, their strengths, their fleets, what they do well, and we are using that knowledge from arranging thousands of successful trips to assist our clients.”
Firestone says TLC Jet will excel with seasoned brokers who respond quickly and know the right questions to ask.
He adds that clients typically reach out for quotes via text messages.
“Clients expect a quick response. They don’t want to be in the position where they feel they are educating their broker,” he adds.
Firestone notes that while TLC Jet will provide tender, loving care, the acronym stands for The Legends Club.
Headquarters will be at Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport, with 6,000 square feet of space to expand.
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