Caveat Emptor: Avoiding private jet scams, bankruptcies, and shutdowns

Zetta Jet

New and veteran private jet flyers have discovered that if it seems too good to be true, it may well be. Here are some of the sad stories we’ve covered in the past five years

Summerset Maugham once wrote about the French Riveria it is “a sunny place for shady people.” While private aviation has a lot of great people, and I enjoy covering the industry, I have to admit I was surprised that, looking back over the past five years, there have been over a dozen private jet scams, bankruptcies, and shutdowns. To me, that seems like too many.

Former Zetta Jet boss Geoffrey Cassidy charged with embezzlement

Zetta Jet

The co-founder of bankrupt Zetta Jet has been charged in Singapore with embezzling $7.6 million from the defunct private jet charter operator

In its 2017 bankruptcy filing, defunct Zetta Jet listed 58 pages of creditors owed between $50 million and $100 million.

A private jet company with ties to JetBlue founder David Neeleman hits turbulence

David Neeleman private jet

Climb promised to revolutionize private aviation. JetBlue and Breeze founder David Neeleman is an advisor. It already suspended operations

David Neeleman is best known as the founder of JetBlue and now Breeze. He’s credited with starting five airlines and bringing multiple innovations. He and his family members have been advising Utah-based Climb Inc, which promises to disrupt private aviation. Months after its initial launch, Climb has already suspended operations, although it is promising to return.

AccorJets’ website no longer working after Accor, Directional say there is no affiliation

wood court still life judge

After a Private Jet Card Comparisons’ report that AccorJets was not connected to either Accor Hotels or Flexjet owner Directional Aviation despite claims in a press release, its website and marketing material, the AccorJets.com website appears to be offline

It’s unsure of the objective for the owner of the AccorJets website. It was promoting a financial scheme to buy shares in private jets that would produce immediate returns. Ostensibly, it was offering charter flights on its claimed fleet of private jets. It said it was owned by the Accor group of hotels and part of Directional Aviation, owner of Flexjet and Sentient Jet. It liberally used images of Flexjet aircraft in its marketing materials.

%d bloggers like this: