Cleveland, Sept. 29, 2023 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Flexjet Inc., a global leader in private aviation, has, for the 20th year, been named one of the 99 best places to work in Northeast Ohio by Employers Resource Council (ERC). The NorthCoast 99 Platinum was awarded the same month the company also celebrated the grand opening of its new state-of-the-art Global Headquarters.
Flexjet is, at its core, a private aviation provider and its customers, who are referred to as Owners because they have purchased a fraction of the aircraft, are leaders in their respective lines of business. These ultra-high net worth individuals expect excellence in every element of their Flexjet experience – from the purchase of their shares, booking their trip, interactions onboard with the flight crews and the caliber of events and benefits that come with the lifestyle of the Flexjet brand. Without the industry’s finest, most respected and customer service-oriented employees, there would be no Flexjet. This is so vital to the company that one of its three fundamental principles is ‘Employees are the foundation of a service company.’
“When your success is as closely tied to your people as it is for us, it is important to be able to attract the most qualified, most enthusiastic and hardest-working people out there, and being ranked among the top places to work in Northeast Ohio increases our appeal to prospective employees,” said Flexjet Chief Administrative Officer Robert Sullivan. “We are honored to once again rank among the NorthCoast 99, and proud that our team members are so committed to our mission of providing exceptional service.”
Managing by Reimagining: How Flexjet Has Mastered Dramatic Growth Since COVID-19
The private aviation industry recovered rapidly from travel declines early in the COVID-19 pandemic, seeing record growth as the pandemic-era lockdowns declined. Now that customer demand has leveled out, but remains strong, Flexjet continues to invest in infrastructure, aircraft and workforce.
“Managing growing demand has been possible only by recruiting, training and retaining outstanding professionals in every aspect of our business, in the air and on the ground,” said Sullivan. “Equally importantly, we have taken a proactive approach to integrating new employees into our culture so that they can immediately become productive contributors. We are well-positioned to handle sustained growth even while making this a place where employees can build satisfying and rewarding careers.”
Among the investments Flexjet has made:
- New aircraft: Flexjet’s global fleet is expected to reach nearly 270 aircraft by year-end 2023 (excluding helicopters), more than double the fleet size in 2018. The fleet includes the Embraer Phenom 300 and the Praetor 500 and 600; the Bombardier Challenger 350 and 3500; and the Gulfstream G450 and G650.
- New personnel: During 2022, Flexjet hired 350 additional pilots, and plans to hire 388 additional flight crew members and 338 aircraft maintenance technicians in 2023. Through the first six months of 2023, Flexjet has filled approximately 1,000 of the 1,400 positions we set out to add this year for positions such as pilots, maintenance technicians, cabin servers and more.
- New headquarters: Flexjet has opened a new, $50 million headquarters and global operations center at Cuyahoga County Airport outside of Cleveland. The futuristic operations center, with a seamless LED screen spanning more than half a football field wide mapping all of Flexjet’s flights globally, will give Flexjet employees the most technologically advanced facilities in the industry.
- Expanded global facilities: Flexjet has opened five Private Jet Terminals, located at some of the nation’s most favored destinations including Naples, FL; the greater Los Angeles area; Dallas, TX; and two locations outside New York City. Additional terminals are slated to open in Palm Beach, FL; Miami, FL; Bozeman, MT; and Scottsdale, AZ.
- Industry-leading maintenance: With the acquisition of maintenance, repair and overhaul (MRO) companies Constant Aviation and Flying Colours this year, Flexjet has the private aviation’s industry’s most significant finishing, maintenance and product support network.
- Innovative training: Flexjet offers extensive training and professional education programs for its entire workforce, together with outreach and apprenticeship programs to attract high school and college students to careers in aviation. The past year saw the opening of an expanded Flexjet Innovation and Career Center targeted at students of Embry-Riddle Aeronautical University, the graduation of the first class of airframe and powerplant (A&P) technicians from their FAA-accepted apprentice program and the 24th consecutive year in which the FAA recognized Flexjet for excellence in maintenance technician training.
Flexjet offers an open and inclusive working environment that provides its team members with a career path and opportunities for growth, whether as a member of a flight crew or in one of the many essential supporting roles on the ground. Flexjet also provides a safe, progressive, diverse and rewarding workplace with highly competitive pay and benefits.
Information on open positions at Flexjet is available at www.flexjet.com/careers.
The NorthCoast 99 is an annual program and event that honors 99 outstanding Northeast Ohio workplaces for their accomplishments during the period January 1 - December 31 of each year. It includes a meticulous assessment that addresses factors such as top-performer recruitment, development and retention and distinction in areas including organizational strategy, policies and benefits; talent attraction, acquisition and onboarding; employee well-being; employee engagement and talent development; total rewards; and diversity, equity and inclusion.
About Flexjet
Flexjet, Inc., a global leader in private aviation, first entered the fractional jet ownership market in 1995. Flexjet offers fractional jet ownership and leasing and is the first in the world to be recognized as achieving the Air Charter Safety Foundation’s Industry Audit Standard, is the first and only company to be honored with 24 FAA Diamond Awards for Excellence, upholds an ARG/US Platinum Safety Rating, a 4AIR Bronze Sustainable Rating and is IS-BAO compliant at Level 2. Red Label by Flexjet, a market differentiator, which features the most modern fleet in the industry, flight crews dedicated to a single aircraft and the LXi Cabin Collection of interiors. To date there are more than 40 different interior designs across its fleet. Flexjet is the first fractional provider of the Praetor 500. The full fleet is comprised of the Embraer Phenom 300 and Praetor 500 and 600, Bombardier Challenger 350 and 3500, the Gulfstream G450 and G650. Flexjet’s European fleet includes the Embraer Praetor 600 and the Gulfstream G650. Flexjet’s helicopter division sells fractional, lease, and on-demand charter access to its fleet of owned, operated and maintained Sikorsky S-76 helicopters which boast 55,000 hours of safe flying certified by Wyvern and ARG/US and serving locations throughout the northeastern United States, United Kingdom, and southern Florida. Flexjet is a member of the Directional Aviation family of companies. For more details on innovative programs and flexible offerings, visit www.flexjet.com or follow us on Instagram @FlexjetInc.
*Note: Prior to 2016, Flexjet ranked in the NorthCoast 99 as Flight Options. In late 2013, Flight Options’ parent company, Directional Aviation, acquired Flexjet. The two companies were combined, and the Northeast Ohio headquarters was maintained.
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