CHARTER brokerage Exec Air is navigating the economic headwinds with a push into providing private aviation for the well-heeled golfing market.
• Elena Torres
The new strategy has culminated in a sponsorship deal with Scotland’s Paul Lawrie, winner of the 1999 Open at Carnoustie. Lawrie will wear the Exec Air Charter logo on his shirts between now and the end of this year, with an option to renew for 2012.
The exclusive agreement was negotiated through 4Sports & Entertainment, the Swiss management agency that represents Lawrie. He and others from the 4Sports stable – which includes Justin Rose and Edoardo Molinari – are expected to increasingly use Edinburgh-based Exec Air.
Founder Elena Torres began courting the golf market in late 2009, as the recession crimped demand among business leaders and wealthy individuals for private aviation.
“The worst for us was definitely a year ago, when lots of companies fell off the radar and went into administration,” she said. “The business obviously took a hit with the recession, so we looked at adapting, and we saw that golf was pretty unaffected. It is a great platform for us, really. It’s not just the players – there are a lot of wealthy fans that fly air charter services, and there are the corporate sponsors as well.”
Her first PGA passenger was current world number one Luke Donald. She has flown Molinari to tour events, and transported Rose on a family holiday to Ibiza.
About one-fifth of Exec Air’s passengers are now golf-related, and Torres hopes to raise that figure further. In total, the company charters roughly 100 flights per year to destinations around the world, and is in line to generate annual revenues of about £1 million.
In a further concession to tighter consumer spending, Torres is looking to launch a second travel-related business by the end of this year. Xclusive Travel Club will put together handpicked itineraries to luxury destinations and events. Customers will then have the option of getting there by private charter, or if they want to save a bit of money, they can travel by commercial flights.
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