Liftbrief / Market data and deal flow
What should procurement do before the next booking or renewal?
Use the market data to improve the purchasing process—not to declare a universal cheapest provider. The following is the desk’s recommended approval checklist:
- Freeze the mission brief: airports, dates, passenger count, baggage, arrival deadline and acceptable stops.
- Compare total mission cost: distinguish occupied time, billable time, positioning, minimums, taxes and conditional charges.
- Test the aircraft promise: obtain written operator confirmation of the actual configuration and mission feasibility.
- Verify the operating carrier: the FAA’s Part 135 operator-and-aircraft resource supports searches by operator and registration; the FAA advises contacting the local Flight Standards District Office when a listing cannot be confirmed. The page was updated 2 September 2026. (faa.gov)
- Price disruption separately: require an explanation of replacement responsibility, substitution and additional payment exposure. Do not budget a fixed-deadline mission around an empty-leg discount without a documented fallback.
- Stress-test commitments: model expected usage, lower usage and peak-date concentration before buying hours or renewing a membership.
- Keep commercial alternatives visible: compare feasible itineraries and cash expenditure; record any assumed value of executive time separately.
Which indicators should this desk refresh next?
| Indicator | Suggested refresh | Decision it informs |
|---|---|---|
| Permissioned, like-for-like mission quotations | At each live procurement; aggregate periodically | Whether a particular quote is competitive. |
| Jet-card rates, minimums and peak rules | Quarterly and immediately before renewal | Whether the programme still fits actual flying. |
| Supplier financials and major financing events | Each reporting period and before material prepayment | Counterparty exposure and questions for finance/counsel. |
| Fleet deliveries and aircraft availability | Quarterly | Whether announced capacity has become usable supply. |
| Delivered service outcomes | After each trip | Whether the supplier fulfilled the promise purchased. |
These are desk recommendations, not claimed industry standards.