Dean Katamanin and The Future of Luxury Travel
Jet Agency’s Dean Katamanin on making private travel easier and more efficient.
Amidst a global pandemic lockdowns and restrictions created a demand for consumers to pursue alternative methods in their search for travel whether they seek to reach family, less restricted areas or just plain ole fun. In Prior years Private jet travel used to be restricted to the uber-rich however in recent years the industry has seen changes such as hourly rate jet memberships, fractional ownership, and per seat bookings. There are over 4,000 private jet terminals sprawling across the US, make it ideal for those traveling to those hard to reach locations especially with airlines cutting routes.
In today’s world, discretionary spending is down, the average savings account has increased by 10%, the CARES Act lifted the Federal Excise Tax reducing the cost of private travel by 7.5%, making booking a jet more affordable or attractive compared to a cramped commercial aircraft. There are 134,071 people that “like” the Gulfstream Aerospace Corporation on Facebook while only 27,380 people “like” the Transportation Security Administration and if that tells you anything, it’s that people want to fly private and we’re entering an age where private travel is soaring and booking a private plane is almost as easy as booking an Uber.
Jet operators are looking for avenues to offset their owners’ monthly expenses, lower repositioning costs and reduce their number of empty legs, resulting in a rise in the accessibility of flying private. A handful of industry innovators can be credited with capitalizing on this industry wide shift, and one of the people leading the charge is Dimitri “Dean” Katamanin with his Naples-based company Jet Agency. Jet Agency is disrupting the private jet travel space by providing its customers access to its own proprietary technology (known as Jet Genius) to allow for streamline bookings, better flight management and logistics operations, as well as an easier and more user friendly customer experience. (insert a one or two line good review on the tech from a client here).
While many business leaders struggle to revive their careers at the beginning of 2021, Dean Katamanin finds himself positioned for more success than ever before. His MBA background and extensive industry knowledge have allowed him to focus on the tech side of private travel and enhance the customer experience by leaps and bounds. In a time when legacy travel companies are relying on dated scheduling and pricing systems, Dimitri is making things easier, more efficient, and more cost-effective for this expanding base of new customers.
Dean became fascinated with private aircrafts at a young age when traveling with his family and their friends on Frank Sinatra’s G2SP, taking in the landing through the flight attendants jump seat, instantly, he was hooked. Upon graduating from undergrad at Northwestern University, his passion was calling where he joined Jet Flite International, an operator of private aircraft, and was quickly promoted to Vice President. Not long thereafter, he started his own brokerage company.
To capitalize on the influences of the entertainment industry and their private lives, Dean’s career took flight upon hanging his wings as a partner at Jet79 where he teamed up with film studios, concert promoters, and sports teams which lead to an elite clientele of movie stars, musicians, and athletes as well as many high net worth individuals, through his ability to create superlative experiences via his personalized touches and first rate service.
Dean’s involvement in every facet of the jet business including owner, operator and broker allowed him to see the lack of synergies in the industry, where operators don’t cater to clients’ needs and clients can’t handle a fleet. Recognizing enhancements to technology and the role it plays in disrupting archaic industry, along with the flourishing demand in private travel, Dean’s career is soaring to new heights in his current position as the Managing Partner of Jet Agency. Jet Agency is transforming the private aviation industry with their proprietary technology by offering streamlined quoting and lower pricing through operational efficiencies. Not only will Jet Agency revolutionize the way private aviation is consumed today, but it will also make it more accessible with less hassle.
As a practicing yogi, Dean is a firm believer in one’s energy, and improving that of those around him through volunteering and financial contributions in memory of lost loved ones. Dean’s admiration towards his family and Russian heritage is what he credits as the nurturer of the positive outlook he shares, and his experiences with his family is the tenant that makes him who he is today. His optimism and resilience have served him well throughout 2020, making the best of these circumstances for his company and career.
Dimitri Katamanin received his Master of Business Administration in Advertising from Kellogg School of Management at Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois, and his Bachelor of Arts in Economics and International Studies from Northwestern University, Evanston, Illinois.
SOURCE Jet Agency
Leave a Reply