ACS up 20 per cent

UK-based Air Charter Service has seen revenue shoot up 20 per cent to £134 million (US$215 million) from £112 million ($179 million) in the first half of 2011 thanks largely to expansion of the commercial jets division.

The company arranged almost 3,000 charter contracts in the first six months of the year – an increase of approximately 20 per cent on the previous year. Private jet charters were up by 36 per cent.

“All three of our divisions cargo, commercial jets and executive jets showed very strong growth last year and our international operations all performed well,” ACS chairman Chris Leach commented. “This can be attributed to increasing our market share by expanding into new markets with the openings of new offices – we have opened in São Paulo [Brazil] and Los Angeles [US] this year.”

The results have also boosted by the high number of evacuation flights that ACS arranged for expatriates from Egypt, Libya, Tunisia and Japan in the first few months of this year.

“By continuing to expand our foreign operations, now almost 60 per cent of our turnover is generated from our overseas offices. Early results suggest that our traditionally stronger second half of the year is looking very positive already and we are on course to exceed 6,000 charters and £280 million [$448 million] turnover come the end of the year.”