Taking a new direction: ACE expands into passenger charter service.

• Author: Barbour, Tracy

ACE, formerly ACE Air Cargo, has expanded its services to include passenger charters, bringing a viable option to the business community, rural Alaskans and others around the state.

Recently, ACE added Beechcraft 1900C airplanes to its fleet, allowing the company to transport passengers, cargo or a combination of the two. The aircraft has a removable bulk head that makes it possible for ACE to tailor service to companies needing to ship their employees, equipment and supplies to remote locations simultaneously, according to ACE President Mike Bergt. "We can adapt to whatever condition is at hand. We can fly 19 passengers," he says. "But if a company has 10 employees and groceries, we can accommodate that as well."

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ACE has four Beech 1900Cs in its fleet. Currently, one of them is configured to carry passengers; the other three are dedicated to transporting cargo only. Having the capability to carry both passengers and cargo concurrently gives ACE a niche in the Alaska marketplace. "I'm not aware of any other company that has the Beech 1900C with the removable bulkhead," Bergt says.

The decision by ACE to expand into the passenger charter business was prompted by consumer demand and a growing need for such services, explains Bergt. The company had received repeated requests from its freight customers to provide passenger charter service. In addition, increased scrutiny at airports and other industry conditions presented ACE with a unique opportunity to better serve business customers.

"I think that ever since 9/11, there has been a trend toward companies looking to charter their employees to whatever destination they need to go to," Bergt says. "They're finding that it's much better for them to charter aircraft; they can get their employees and gear to their destination with a lot less hassle."

A VIABLE ALTERNATIVE

Passenger charters are a practical alternative for Alaska companies, particularly those in the fishing, construction, oil and mining business, says Maria Tibbetts, ACE's manager of cargo sales. Tibbetts--who oversees marketing, customer service and charters, among other things--says chartering a flight is a viable option to owning a corporate jet because it allows companies to avoid the costs of ownership, such as pilots' salaries, insurance and fuel.

Chartering flights can be quite cost-effective for businesses, Tibbetts says. For example, chartering an ACE flight from Anchorage to Dutch Harbor--a common...