A multi-engine, instrument rated pilot, James Wynbrandt has been an AIN and Business Jet Traveler contributor since 2003. His in-depth reporting and insightful features have won more than a dozen editorial honors, including two National Business Aviation Association Gold Wing Awards (2019; 2021), and his articles have also appeared in the New York Times, Barron’s, Fortune, Forbes, and Smithsonian Air &amp; Space. He has flown his Mooney M20K 252 on assignments throughout North and Central America and the Caribbean. Wynbrandt is also the author of Flying High (Wiley &amp; Sons), a biography of Jet Blue founder David Neeleman, as well as histories, references works, and books on a variety of other topics from major publishers. He lives in New York City.

Contributor - Business Aviation

James Wynbrandt

Hamburg-based charter broker Elbjets (Booth V54) is making its EBACE debut one year after co-founders Alexander Mueller and Sven Loga established the company to serve retail charter customers in their region.

 


“There is high demand [for charter] in Northern Germany, but retail customers had no charter broker to help them,” said Mueller, who met Loga at a major operator where they both worked. “We saw a lot of clients new in the charter market, asking us at first for some consulting and honest opinions, and an explanation about how to charter a private jet.”

 


After a number of those inquirers led to charter requests, the pair decided to start their own brokerage.&nbsp;Their customers are a mix of business and leisure travelers in the region.&nbsp;“Our focus is for flights within Europe in small and mid-size category aircraft, but we also have clients looking for long-range flights across the Atlantic or going to Dubai,” said Mueller.

 


The personal contact the principals provide is key to services provided by Elbjets.

 


“We have the very big advantage of being close to the client—we visit them at the airport&nbsp;and they really appreciate it,” said Mueller. “They do not want to book with a broker sitting in Switzerland, the UK, or the U.S.&nbsp;when they're departing from Hamburg.”

 


Though Mueller and Loga have “been to a couple of EBACE shows already” while working for their former charter operator employer,&nbsp;“this is the first time representing our own company,” said Mueller. “We’re looking forward to speaking to other brokers, partners, and companies in person.”

 


Elbjets is displaying at the booth of Ecommpay, a payment services provider for the charter market that the Hamburg brokerage works with&nbsp;and that Mueller describes as “a very good partner.”

 


“Payment solutions are really important for us, especially as young company. We always need to be sure to receive the payment from our clients,” he said. “We can accept different payments via the [Ecommpay] system, and we have it integrated into our booking process.”

 


Asked about the current charter market, Mueller said, “Prices went up insanely in the past month” and show no signs of a&nbsp;decline through&nbsp;the summer.

 


“It's only end of May, and I hear from lots of operators that their fleet is completely booked,” he continued. “So I think because of the demand, the prices will become even a&nbsp;little bit higher than now.”

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