MACAU -- Agents are still buzzing about a story that came out of
ASTA's annual congress: A travel agent in Australia made a whopping
$225,000 commission helping an Asia charter service sell one of its
planes.
The agent is one of a small number of retailers earning up to
six-digit commissions from Jet Asia Limited.
Touted as the "Air Limousine of Asia," the 6-year-old company,
based here, has a fleet of on-demand aircraft throughout Asia. With
interiors resembling corporate lounges and nearly unlimited
flexibility with flights, Jet Asia can accommodate working groups
of all sizes and individuals who want unique Asian tour
packages.
It's also another way for agents to serve clients who want to
travel the way executives, politicians, movie stars and rock
musicians do and are willing to spend money for efficiency and
convenience.
And it's a way for agents to earn significant commissions.
How it works
Jet Asia has a travel agent commission plan that encourages
agents to tell clients about its services, then invite Jet Asia
into the relationship and let their leaders do the selling. The
bottom line: You keep the clients (and keep them informed) -- and
earn a healthy commission for putting the right people together.
Jet Asia provides the information. On your first $50,000 charter,
you can make $2,500.
The system is complicated, so interested agents should contact
Jet Asia directly for details. Essentially, there are three ways to
earn commission. The first is by selling hours on a charter
flight.
As a client books more charter hours, the agent's commission
level increases, starting at 5%, up to 50 hours. At Challenger
prices (Lears cost less and Boeing costs more), an agent can earn
$87,000 at the 250-hour mark. At that level, each additional flight
hour is commissionable at 10%.
Hours are accrued in each calendar year, and annual charter
volumes apply to each agent or agency, not to each client. And it
doesn't matter which plane is used.
While Jet Asia expects travel agents to ensure communication
between the client and the company is clear and accurate, the
carrier will perform all management services for the client.
Jet Asia's revenue has doubled in the last year, according to
CEO Chuck Woods. Woods said that agents "in many cases already know
people who would need these types of services."
In the past, he said, "the travel agent has been left out of
corporate aviation brokerage." That will change in this blossoming
market, he said. Now agents can start going after some of those big
commissions.
The second way to earn commission is by helping Jet Asia sell a
maintenance contract for an executive who already owns a plane but
wants to base it in Macau and let Jet Asia take care of everything
else.
The third is by assisting with the sale of an airplane. Jet Asia
does not have aircraft to sell directly but knows where they are
should anyone express an interest -- essentially acting as a broker
for the brokers.
Agents who help with the sale in any way will earn 50% of the
possible commission received from the seller or sales broker.
For example, if a Challenger sold for $14 million, commission
would be $560,000. The travel agent or agency would receive
$280,000 for assisting with the transaction.
While Miller admits this is rare, when it happens "the
commission goes where it should go."
The charter hours, at least, are an easy sell to clients who
demand service.
Changes can be made on short notice. Menus, in-flight
entertainment, hotel bookings, helicopter transfers and ground
transportation are customized and part of the standard fare. Each
aircraft has dual channel satellite phones and electrical outlets
for business travelers.
In addition to travel throughout China, Jet Asia's new Bangkok
base makes it less costly to operate within Thailand, Cambodia,
Vietnam, Malaysia, Indonesia and Myanmar.
For details, call (888) JET-ASIA or visit www.jetasia.com.