Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.

Managing Editor

Charles Alcock

VistaJet公司正在努力争取于2013年底完成新建的中国合资企业工程并开始营业。一月，该公司在香港成立了一家办事处，并已拥有一个销售团队。该公司的下一步目标是，和合资企业合作伙伴联手在北京建立一家办事处。目前，该公司开始着手申请中国的航空经营许可证，也开始将一些飞机在中国注册。


在2012年举办的亚洲公务航空会议和展览会（ABACE）上，VistaJet和北京航空公司签署了一项谅解备忘录。北京航空公司是国有企业中国国际航空公司旗下的一家子公司，主要经营私人航空服务。不过，截止记者发稿时，双方还尚未确认这一临时的协议是否符合完全合资条款。


据VistaJet公司的主席Thomas Flohr透露，在过去的12个月里，该公司的来往中国的机票预订数量有所上升。在接受《国际航空新闻》的采访时，他说：“我们的客户既有中国人，也有西方人，我们负责将跨国公司的客户送到中国，并将中国公司的客户送往国外。”


一旦VistaJet获得了航空经营许可证，且合资企业也获得认可并开始营业，该公司就可以在中国大陆开展国内航空业务。“不过，能够从北京飞往成都并不能改变需要从北京飞往安哥拉的旅客的需求，”Flohr表示，“中国幅员辽阔，而且大多数航程都集中在东海岸。如果将中国比作美国，那么你可以说丹佛西部几乎没有地方可以飞行。”


Flohr认为，中国市场依然是“完全开放的”，因为VistaJet已设置了多种业务，并临时开设了备选的飞行业务。“起初，很多人认为他们应该在中国开设一家[传统的]包机公司，不过，他们已吸取教训，知道这样做行不通，”他说，“我们提供的服务非常具有可塑性。中国人认识到拥有一架私人飞机十分昂贵，而且很难。我们的重心是为那些年飞行任务在50至500小时之间的人提供服务。”


西方运营商有一个共同的观点，那就是，在包机服务领域，既获得指定的空域和降落的经营许可，又要满足客户的弹性化需求，这是很难做到的。据Flohr透露，VistaJet公司的早期经验证明，这并不是一个不可逾越的障碍。“在[获得认证]方面，我们有非常宝贵的经验，而且，紧急情况下，只要我们需要什么许可，我们都可以拿到，”他说。“我们感觉[中国相关部门]对我们非常好。他们知道我们非常值得信赖，并且我们能够遵守所有规则。这使我们得到中国相关部门的认可，成为其可信赖的合作伙伴。”他还补充说，VistaJet与当地部门之间有保持着良好的合作关系，这一点从VistaJet在北京开设一家办事处就可以看得出。


VistaJet公司所使用的飞机全部是庞巴迪公司出品的。这家加拿大飞机制造商在产品支持方面对中国进行投资，为此Flohr表示赞赏。在这点上，他认为，VistaJet公司的环球系列商务机与庞巴迪公司出品的CRJ系列支线飞机之间具有一定的共性，VistaJet公司的运营者也因而从中获益。“我们将激励飞机制造商们最大限度地满足客户需求，实现[每个地方都有服务设施]，”他说。


在Flohr看来，虽然中国机场设施不足，但这并不是运营者和客户所面临的重大障碍。“我们所到之处有的是世界上最偏远的地区，”他说。“在许多机场，你必须经过主航站楼[而不是私人航站楼]，中国有许多机场是不受军队控制的。”他相信，最终这些设施大多数都会对公务航空开放。


2012年11月，VistaJet开始了“国际化思考”这个营销活动，与此同时，该公司还将按时间顺序依次购买142架庞巴迪公司出品的环球系列飞机，而中国是主要的目标市场。“中国是亚洲北部和东北部的主导市场，不过，我们希望在俄罗斯[东部]和独联体也能有所增长，”Flohr总结说。“在印度难以获得经营许可，因而开发印度市场依然极具挑战，不过，我们所需要做的是一个一个的来应对这些市场。”


VistaJet（展位号：P604）已在马来西亚成立了一家合资企业，并随时可能在亚洲添置三至四架飞机。“其他西方运营商，都没有像我们这样频繁地飞往[亚洲]，”Flohr声称。“难题是你不能哪里都去，我们需要确保在某些地方提供服务。”

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