Oakland International Airport Sees 25 Percent Increase In Business Jet Arrivals

OAKLAND, Calif. – Whe number of business jets flying into KaiserAir’s Jet Center at Oakland International Airport has increased almost 25 percent in the past two months, according to figures compiled by KaiserAir, Inc., the fixed-based operator at the airport’s executive terminal.

"Normally, we would service 25 business jets a day," said Sandy Waters, KaiserAir vice president. "However, during the past two months, we’ve exceeded that number by far."

The increase in the use of business jets appears to be a direct outgrowth of the events of Sept. 11, said Waters. Passengers are concerned about security and also want to avoid the long waits to check in for commercial flights. In addition, most of the major scheduled airlines have reduced service, making commercial flights even more inconvenient.

"Smart businesses have always turned to private business jets because the savings in time translate into significant savings in dollars," Waters said.

"Today it makes more sense than ever, especially because security is even more of a major concern. When you use a private plane, you have absolute control over your time and who travels on your aircraft. In addition, a private jet is much less likely to be the target of a hijacker than a commercial aircraft," he added.

Operators of private jets have always had stringent security procedures, Waters said, noting that KaiserAir serves as a refueling stop for Air Force One. Foreign heads of state and past presidents also have been passengers on the corporate jets that KaiserAir manages.

KaiserAir’s charter business also has increased approximately 25 percent in the past month, while the number of companies seeking proposals for owning and managing their own aircraft has jumped almost 50 percent, Waters said.

The biggest increase in charters at KaiserAir has been for travel in the West, where an extra hour or two at check-in counters can significantly increase the length of a trip.

Oakland’s North Airport is the major airfield for business jet travel in the San Francisco Bay Area, handling about 40 percent of the Bay Area’s private jet operations.

KaiserAir manages more than 14 business jets for San Francisco Bay Area corporations and private owners and offers nine business jets for charter flights. Thirty-three of Fortune Magazine’s Top 50 corporations make KaiserAir’s Executive Terminal their home when they conduct business in the San Francisco area.

KaiserAir, Inc. dates back to 1946 when it began as the flight department for the Kaiser companies founded by the late industrialist Henry J. Kaiser. A full-service management company and fixed-base operator, it specializes in the operation and maintenance of Gulfstream, Hawker, Cessna and other business jet aircraft. Charter flights also are available.

Additional information is available on the Internet at www.kaiserair.com, or by telephoning 510-569-9622.

###

<< back to top