NBAA, NATA take CNBC to task for Clay Lacy and CARES Act coverage

Clay Lacy Aviation private jet charter

Two private jet trade groups are accusing the cable network of misrepresenting Clay Lacy and the importance of business aviation

A letter issued yesterday by the top executives of the National Business Aviation Association and National Air Transport Association said CNBC coverage of the CARES Act distorted the impact of Covid-19 on business aviation.

A post on NBAA’s website was titled, “CNBC Distorts Pandemic’s Impact on Business Aviation, Specifically Charter Company Clay Lacy.”

UberJets denies ties to defunct jet card broker JetCard Plus

JetCard Plus, a private jet charter broker, closed earlier this year after it was hit by a $220,000 judgment in favor of Treasury Secretary Steve Mnuchin

Paul M. Svensen is registered as manager of UberJets LLC in Massachusetts and listed as CEO on its NBAA membership page. His LinkedIn profile still lists him as sales director of JetCard Plus

Paul A. Svensen Jr. was CEO of JetCard Plus, which is no longer an active company, and before that, COO of Jet Network LLC, a jet card seller that went into bankruptcy around 2007

In 2016, Paul A. Svensen Jr. registered another aviation business at the same Hingham, Massachusetts, address where Paul M. Svensen registered UberJets LLC, in August 2017

FlyUberjets.com promises members savings on full aircraft charters and empty leg flights

UberJets LLC denies any affiliation to Paul A. Svensen Jr. or JetCard Plus

UberJets LLC, a charter broker selling private jet memberships from a Park Avenue address in New York City promises “unlimited access to book and travel worldwide to luxury lifestyle destinations.”

It denies having any affiliation to a private aviation company that closed earlier this year amid litigation and a top executive, Paul A. Svensen Jr., who was CEO of that company and COO of another that also failed.

CNBC reports the FBI and US Attorney have questioned JetSmarter customers

JetSmarter

Two former customers of the private jet-sharing service told the cable news network they were interviewed by law enforcement in March

JetSmarter is hoping to put its troubles behind it. Earlier this month, without admitting guilt, it agreed to settle a class action arbitration for $6 million. It also agreed to be acquired by Dubai-based Vista Global, parent of VistaJet and XOJET. However, a CNBC report yesterday says JetSmarter may be under investigation.

JetSmarter agrees to settle Class Action Arbitration filing

JetSmarter

The jet sharing broker remains the subject of individual lawsuits, however, up to 12,000 members may be eligible for cash and credits under a proposed Class Arbitration settlement

We take an in-depth look at the value of the proposed settlement

Anyone who was a member of JetSmarter from September 5, 2014 until June 19, 2018 should be receiving a Notice of Settlement (Arbitration Matter No. 01-18-0003-3338) as part of a Class Action filed via arbitration last September. It’s estimated as many as 12,000 former and current members of the private jet plane sharing membership program could be eligible.

The proposed settlement offers members of the Class a net distribution of $2,975,000 plus potentially tens of millions of dollars in free membership extensions and flight credits.

The action was filed by Solowsky & Allen, P.L., a Miami law firm, which also apparently negotiated the settlement with JetSmarter. Requests for comment were not returned from either Solowsky & Allen or a second law firm listed on the settlement notice.

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