Bookajet ? "Mr.Dinsdale . . . . . . ."

[l8starter]

A search on Bookajet came up with zilch.Anybody know anything about this company ? Now operating out of Farnboro,but are they the same Bookajet who used to be at Southampton 2-3 years ago ?

I'm interested in their Legacy operation,which F.I suggests is going to happen in Albania ! Apart from King Zog and the local mafia,who could afford a private jet in Albania ??? Any info would be appreciated,with thanks-L8

[Chippie Chappie]

Try typing "Bookajet" into the search function again. There's a lot of info there.

Chips

[l8starter]

Thanks Chips,don't know why nothing came up first time;although I did go straight to advanced search ?

Anyway,stuff that came up was either v old or v uninformative.Anyone currently working for them,and would like to share their opinions about life at bookajet,terms,conditions,ball-park salary etc etc ? ? ? ?

[l8starter]

Are there no Bookajet pilots out there who would care to share their thoughts on this company.Before I go wasting EVERYONES time by applying for a job I may not want to accept,it would be nice to have some idea about what this company has to offer.Please ?

[happyjack]

Bookajet was at Farnborough around 4 years ago then moved to Southampton and became Club 328. After a very short time the two split up with 328 remaining in Southampton and Bookajet re-establishing ops from Farnborough where they still are and by all accounts are doing well. 'Hope this helps?

[Gulfstreamaviator]

Very nice operation, a lot of brokerage business too.

I would be very happy to be employed by them, but regretably I am in the sand dunes.....

glf

[l8starter]

Thanx Happy and Gulf. Gulf you have my sympathy,I did some time in the Middle East (not in aviation) and it cetainly wasn't for me-good luck.

Anyone currently working for Bookajet care to comment ? Happy to PM,but I'm sure there must be other people out there considering this company,and would appreciate some input from someone in the know.

Thanx in anticipation,

L8

[daimtona]

www.affarsvarlden.se/art/181529 (http://www.affarsvarlden.se/art/181529)

Article in Swedish Business World magazine from Aug 15 2007 talks about the Wallenius family acquiring 30% of the shares in Bookajet.

Using a free online website translator the article reads:

Wallenius buys business jet airlline


Wallenius family increases it's imperium. Not only in the shipping sector but also within the air transport. The family's parent company, shipping company "Rederi AB Soya" has bought a third of the shares in the the British business jet company Bookajet.com.
The Wallenius-Kleberg family does not only run the world's biggest car transport imperium. Now, the company aims on becoming big also within business jet activity. The parent company Soyas fresh annual report discloses that the company during 2006 bought 30 percents of the the British business jet airlline Boookajet.com.

The business idea is to sell charter flights on commission basis. The company disposes 8 business jet plane aeroplanes, among them the Gulfstream G550.

Bookajet.com concentrates among other things on industrial leaders that wants to do tour travels, aka roadshows, in connection with for example new issues or wide report presentations. On their web site Bookajet.com commends itself with neing one of Europe's fastest growing business jet operators. The aspiration is to become one of the conductive airllines in the world within its segment. Headquarters are in Farnborough.

The Wallenius family Already have a Swedish business jet airlline through SFS Holding, that owns several business jet planes. SFS Holding runs seven aeroplanes and had a turnover during the last year of 140 millions SEK. The profit after financial item landed on 41 millions sek. SFS Holding runs the Swedish EF's, European flight service, that is based at the Gothenburgh airport, Säve.

EF's will, according to the annual report, during 2007 take delivery of an other Gulfstream G550, a luxury aeroplane that can fly nonstop between Sweden and North america. The future is bright, according to EF's, that believes in international expansion and new investments in more aeroplanes.

Any additional info anyone??

[l8starter]

Indeed there is Level my son,however,details are a little thin on the ground-and by the look of this rather unoproductive thread are likely to remain so ! Must be a very well kept secret,or nobody works for them ?????????

[SussexBroker]

My understanding of Bookajet, in addition to their brokerage work, is that they are a marketing and scheduling company for a number of jets (G550, C560XL, C680, Legacy) operated by various companies in Scandinavia and Czech Rep. I think the only aircraft operated and crewed from London would be the BE390.

I could be wrong, but I beleive that the flight crew recruitment would be dealt with by the operating company not the marketing company.

Hope that helps...

SB

[l8starter]

Thanks for the info Daimtona.Your post is dated 29 August,but has only just appeared;whilst the post from 'Level' has disappeared,so not sure what's going on there ?

Anyway,some very interesting info,and it would appear they have some serious financial backing,which cann't be a bad thing and,on the face of it,means they might be doing something right ?

Thanks also to Sussex Broker.I'm not,I admit,very 'au fait' with the details and workings of the corporate world,but I get the impression that most companies seem to manage other peoples' aeroplanes for them,and that includes the crew.It seems to be hit and miss as to whether crews stay with the owner or the company,if there is a change of ownership/management ? Would welcome any insight into the way things work in this sphere.

The ads in F.I indicate that the aircraft won't be based in the U.K (e.g Albania-hence the original post,and allusion to N.W that well known Albanian hero).Which is why I would be very interested to get some idea of what Terms and Conditions are likely to be offered in the contract !

I've only had one PM from someone who has worked for them,and that wasn't exactly bristling with detail.I won't mention their Tag,as they say it's known to the company,but they've now moved onto to 'better things' ! ? Didn't say when or for how long they worked for Bookajet.

Keep it coming !

L8

[727 exec]

Excuse me chaps, but I do believe you mean Mr Grimsdale - assuming that it is Norman Pitkin that we're talking about...

Bookajet - as regulars here know, I don't work for them but do have an insight into their operations having recommended a number of friends to apply for jobs within Bookajet...and they are all still there!!

Why don't I work for them?? well - if they had an aircraft that suited my skills and abilities, I most certainly would...enough said??

ps was the pm'er who moved on to 'better things', a young fellow with a great personality, who moved on to get into the LH seat of something a little larger???????????

[l8starter]

"Ah Wilson,did you see that ? There's no fooling our boys ! I knew someone would see through my deliberate mistake,in an effort to provoke a response".

OK OK public humiliation never did anyone any harm,and I stand corrected (well it was a long time ago;and isn't Dinsdale a Python creation anyway . . . ) I digress,but that's easy when you've been up since 0330.

Thanks for your input 727. I'm afraid the PMer revealed nothing except their cryptic message.The website doesn't reveal much either,and contacting the company merely gets you referred back to the website ! If any of your chums still at Bookajet would care to comment with some detail . . . . ? ? ? ?

Thanks,

L8

[727 exec]

L8 - pm if you want some slightly biased independant opinions...

[formerijmpilot]

Well thats an interesting idea.

Perhaps a new thread: 727 exec's, ideal aircraft.

And the first one who says " lighter than air flying machine" is blocked....

I mentioned it once, but I think I got away with it.


Cheers, from insandity land