Broker Spotlight: Stratos Jet Charters

Downtown Orlando, FL. Photo Credit: rabbit75_ist, iStock / Getty Images Plus

Air Charter Guide recently spoke with Joel Thomas of Stratos Jet Charters, a worldwide charter services broker based at the Orlando Executive Airport (KORL).

1) How do you guide a customer through the process?
Ever since we started Stratos Jets in 2006, we’ve focused on delivering an exceptional customer experience through education, personal relationships, and customer advocacy. For us, that means we’re dedicated to recommending the right aircraft and air carrier for every client and every mission.

While the customer and private flight advisor plan the charter, our Trip Support Team works with our advisors to deliver a remarkable travel experience. Our Trip Support Team ensures that the aircraft, carrier, and crew meet our rigorous standards and offers concierge services to all our clients, whether that’s making hotel reservations or coordinating transportation to and from the FBO.

In addition to our great team of friendly and talented professionals, we also invest in technology to deliver industry-leading customer service. Our platform makes it easier for customers to search and request flights, explore empty-leg charters, view their upcoming itinerary, access their flight history, and receive exclusive invites from our partners.

As an ARGUS-certified broker, we pride ourselves on our safety-first culture. Through our Approved Vendor Program, we screen every operator in our network to ensure they have the appropriate experience and track record to fly safely. 

For our customers, all of this comes together so that they can trust us to take their safety seriously and always get them the best deal possible.

2) What does the future look like for your company?
Stratos Jets is growing, and we’re growing quickly. For us, the future brings multi-site campuses with several locations across the United States. We will also be looking to add to our team of dedicated private flight advisors.

At Stratos, we believe in building a strong foundation based on our company values and encouraging growth with profit-sharing opportunities that ensures everyone shares in our success.

As we continue to grow, we’re also looking to secure our own source of aircraft supply for the development of our own air carrier. 

3) How did you get into aviation?
I still remember the day I fell in love with aviation. My dad had just earned his private pilot’s license, and he picked me up from school and took me to the Orlando Executive Airport. He said we were going for a burger—in the Bahamas. Soaring above the barrier islands in my dad’s 1960 V-tail Bonanza M35, I was hooked.

4) What is the hidden gem destination city you would recommend for charter travelers?
Asheville, North Carolina is a beautiful place to be year-round. Asheville is full of great cultural activities, delicious craft beer and fine dining, and there’s lots of business to be done in the area. You can stay at the historic Biltmore Estate and tour the grounds year-round, and when the weather is warm, it’s the perfect place for any outdoorsman to enjoy river rafting, hiking, camping, and fishing.

5) What is the must-see attraction you recommend?
I’m a big US history buff, so for me, I recommend any attraction that educates people about our Founding Fathers and how our great nation was built. Whether it’s visiting Plymouth Rock in Massachusetts to see where William Bradford and the Mayflower Pilgrims disembarked or visiting George Washington’s Mount Vernon estate, there are countless important attractions and monuments across the United States that everyone should see.

6) List your top five restaurants in the world.
Nothing beats a good steak. Some of my favorites are Hall’s Chophouse in Charleston, Bern’s Steak House in Tampa, and the Wagyu Olympics at Blackstone Steakhouse in Melville, New York.

7) Fun stories or narrative to share?
A few years ago, we booked a charter for show penguins. The Atlanta Zoo was hired to do a stunt in Los Angeles, so our team arranged a charter for one person and five penguins. It’s been years, but I still remember our team asking if we needed to make the cabin really cold. Turns out we didn’t, and the penguins made it to LA before waddling onto the jet and going back to the zoo.

8) What is your #1 travel tip for charter travelers?
It’s tempting to book based on the cost, but when you charter a private jet, you should really have multiple criteria: choosing the right aircraft for the mission, the air carrier’s history, the crew’s experience, and ensuring the aircraft meets your needs, whether that means it has enough storage or the ability to get you to your destination without having to stop to refuel. The best way to ensure your criteria is met is to book through an ARGUS-certified broker like Stratos Jets.

9) Contact Info:
Stratos Jet Charters, Inc.
Orlando Executive Airport
321 N. Crystal Lake Drive, Suites 200-208
Orlando, FL, United States
Tel: 888-478-7286
Fax: 888-488-6599
Email: charter@stratosjets.com
http://www.stratosjets.com