Volato CEO Matt Liotta. Image courtesy of Volato
With demand for private aviation growing in recent years, new players are catering to clients by centering sustainability and efficiency.
Private jet ownership company Volato prioritizes intimate aviation experiences for affluents that limit waste while flying high. Since launching in 2021, Volato — which translates to "fly" in Italian — has ordered more than 15 jets from Honda's aircraft company, as the brand works on fostering its flexible fractional program and meeting consumer needs.
"We were driven to create the most efficient solution to meet customers’ private aviation needs," said Matt Liotta, CEO at Volato, Jacksonville, Fla. "Our dedicated concierge team exists to put customers first."
In this Q&A, Ms. Liotta explains how Volato how its ownership model works, its emphasis on customer experience and future hopes for growth. Here is the dialogue.
Your private jets sit four or five. This is both more intimate and less wasteful — what are your overall goals with this model?
From both personal experience and researching industry data the average number of passengers on a private flight is just two people so we decided to focus on four-or-fewer passenger missions. This approach leads to less waste: fewer empty seats, less fuel consumption, and lower costs.
We then chose the HondaJet for our fleet given it’s the most efficient aircraft for these missions.
What is your ideal clientele?
Our ideal clients are those looking for the most efficient private aviation solution for their four or fewer passenger missions, up to three hours flight time.
Individuals who are looking for a complete aviation solution. Those who want to supplement their larger aviation portfolio with more efficient missions, which they likely fly most.
Volato has ordered more than 15 jets from Honda. Image courtesy of Volato
Those who simply want the most flexibility in their fractional program. A unique differentiator at Volato is how we decouple ownership from use; not only can owners fly as little or as much as they like, they also earn money every time their aircraft flies a paid mission.
Corporate clients who are unsure just how many flight hours they’ll need each year, given they can fly as little or as much as they like, and earn money back on every paid flight.
Are you able to cater to special requests?
We are able to cater to special requests. Our concierge team, with years of experience servicing discerning private aviation clients, can help arrange ground transportation, catering, hotels, restaurant reservations as well as other requests.
What sets your jets and services apart from competitors?
What sets us apart the most is the feedback we are getting from our owners. We can tell you all the things we are doing to optimize their experience; however, when we hear their feedback, we know we really are setting ourselves apart.
Specifically, however, owners can fly as little or as much as they like, without penalty. Who really knows how much they're going to fly every year over a five-year program?
The cabin of one of the jets. Image courtesy of Volato
Owners can earn money every time their aircraft flies a paid mission; the larger your share, the more revenue you earn up to $1,250 per hour. This flips the fractional ownership model from simply an expense to an investment.
Owners do not pay repositioning fees if they are within two hours of a Volato base. We charge fuel and other services at cost.
Tail numbers on all new aircraft include the letters ‘CX’ which stand for customer experience. That’s how dedicated we are to placing our customer-owners at the center of everything we do.
What is a goal your organization has for the future?
Our purpose is to serve our owners and deliver to them the best, most flexible solution for customers. Our lifetime experience flying private and our wider team's extensive industry experience allowed us to consider all the areas where private aviation could be optimized.
We then crafted Volato from the foundation up to be the most efficient and friendly solution in the category, and we will continue innovating to better service our customers, it is a key part of our culture.
To be the best place in the industry for pilots to fly and be part of our team. Our focus on customer experience extends to our team as well.
We currently have six HondaJets in our fleet, with 18 additional to be delivered. We view our relationship with Honda as long-term, as we look to grow and better serve our owners.