Kolkata: India's Tata group tie up with Briley Group

Deliveries will be over a period of five years beginning in the first quarter of 2008 comprising 20 Cessna Citation CJ2+ jets and 20 Hawker 850XP and 900XP jets with options for 10 more. The first 15 new jets will be delivered by the end of 2008 setting a record-breaking milestone for BJETS. BJETS will have the biggest fleet of private jets in Asia in its very first year of operations.

To achieve its core focus of safety and service, BJETS will crew these new safe state-of-the-art high quality aircraft with only select qualified and extremely well-trained pilots.

The Briley Group is the majority shareholder in BJETS. The other significant shareholder is Indian Hotels Company Ltd, better known as the Taj luxury brand of hotels, resorts and palaces, a part of the Tata Group.

The partnership comes at an opportune time, as the Asean-India Free Trade Agreement (FTA) is expected to be signed in May this year. Together with the boost in air links between the two dynamic regions thanks to BJETS, this will serve to boost trade opportunities and volume in the region as a whole.

RK Krishna Kumar, vice-chairman of the Tata Group, said in a statement: "BJETS will set a new standard in the way we fly and do business in Asia. The Indian Hotels Company is very proud to be an investor in this landmark venture. This will further underline the luxury experience which the Taj is known for."

"For the first time in Asia, BJETS will combine the best of the US and European models of fractional ownership, block charter and aircraft management services and provide a new benchmark for private aviation services," said Bala Ramamoorthy, founder and managing director of BJETS and chief executive officer of the Briley Group.

Mark Baier, chief executive officer of BJETS said: "Finally, India and South-East Asia, the two most dynamic regions in the world will have their own first true and dedicated private jet operator. Asian economies are expanding at a phenomenal pace and BJETS will serve the immense growing demand for safe, efficient and reliable private jet travel."

BJETS' flight operations will begin in May 2008. In Singapore, BJETS will operate out of Seletar airport. In India, BJETS will be headquartered in Mumbai with the entire Flight Operations Center based out of the new Hyderabad International Airport.

BJETS will recruit and train over 550 new hires worldwide in the next five years, including more than 250 pilots. BJETS' principal offices are in Mumbai and Singapore, with flight operations centre based in the new Hyderabad International Airport.

The Tata Group is India's best-known industrial group with revenues in 2006-07 of $29 billion the equivalent of about 3.2 per cent of the country's GDP.

- By Business Desk

The Statesman

Publication Date: 20-02-2008