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.

Private jet charter broker arrested in child sex probe

Central Jet Charter Paul Alexander

Central Jet Charter’s Paul Alexander was arrested for allegedly trying to sell sex with underage girls to an undercover agent

The future of Central Jet Charter, which sells on-demand private jet charters and 25-hour jet cards, is in the spotlight. Its founder and CEO, Paul Alexander, was arrested last week on sex crimes charges. The incident is being widely reported.

Private Aviation Deal Book by Private Jet Card Comparisons

Private Aviation Deal Book

Let’s make a deal. The M&A market for private jet operators is hot. Over 50 deals, fundraise, launches, and bankruptcies detailed

(Updated January 26, 2023) The COVID-19 crisis may be bringing the already simmering mergers and acquisitions market for private jet operators and brokers back to a boil.

%d bloggers like this: