Charles Alcock is managing editor of the AIN Media Group, having rejoined the company in 2019. He has been an aviation journalist since 1986, and previously worked for AIN from 1990 to 2017, most recently as editor-in-chief. His main focus is on covering new aviation technology and business models, as well as international news.
Having been raised in the London area, Alcock studied at the University of Manchester in the UK and earned an honors degree in Politics and Modern History. He speaks English and French, and some German.

Managing Editor

Charles Alcock

The owners of business aircraft brokerage Guardian Jet are breaking into the on-demand charter flight sector with a service—Capstone Jet Charter—that they say will provide clients with a higher level of expertise and accountability than online marketplaces. Capstone Jet, announced today,&nbsp;is independently&nbsp;owned and operated from Guardian Jet.
According to the company, rather than simply locating available aircraft for clients seeking to book flights, the Capstone team will thoroughly evaluate operators based on factors such as the quality of their aircraft maintenance and mission suitability before making a recommendation. An assigned advisor will take full responsibility for each trip from the initial request through to final billing to maintain continuity.
Capstone is led by Victoria Reina-Duffy, who has spent more than 10 years as director of charter sales with Jet Aviation. Her previous roles include sales vice president with Priester Aviation and account manager with Jet Professionals.
The trip process will be supported by the Vault, which is Guardian Jet’s proprietary database spanning the past 15 years with comprehensive information about an individual aircraft and its operators. The new charter interface will allow customers to see all aspects of each trip as well as previous transactions, including contracts, approvals, and spending reports.
<h2>Industry Experience Counts</h2>
“The Vault provides structure and transparency,” Reina-Duffy said. “But trip execution still depends on real operational knowledge. I’ve worked inside charter brokerage and aircraft management environments where international permits shift, airport slots tighten, and maintenance issues arise without warning. Clients want experienced people evaluating those factors before departure, not after.”
Capstone is recruiting experienced charter and business aircraft sales professionals to support clients. “Each client will deal with the same person throughout [a trip] with no pass-downs, which can mean things getting lost in translation,” Reina-Duffy told AIN.
In response to each trip request, the Capstone account managers will curate and recommend aircraft options from a select group of operators meeting the requirements spelled out in the broker’s own safety management system. They also vet operators for specific factors such as a high flight dispatch reliability, minimum pilot experience level, and whether or not the approval of the aircraft owner is required.
According to Guardian Jet’s leadership team, the idea for the new global charter brokering business came from some of the advisory support it provides to clients who may need supplemental lift beyond their own aircraft or membership in fractional ownership programs. The group’s consulting unit often helps clients to analyze whether it makes best sense to charter flights, or purchase fractional shares or whole aircraft, based on factors including projected travel needs, long-term cost, and personal priorities.
“We are not just here to sell you a trip,” Reina-Duffy stressed. “We will advise clients what is in their best interests in any situation, and, for instance, if we feel there is no safe or reliable option for a flight, we won’t recommend that they proceed.”
The intervention of experienced professionals is also important when it comes to dealing with operators who, according to Reina-Duffy, “don’t treat all charter brokers equally.” Operators prefer to deal with flight bookers they can count on and who don’t waste their time with frivolous flight requests.
<h2>Supply Is Visible, Judgment Is Not</h2>
“Our clients don’t just want access to airplanes,” said Don Dwyer, Guardian Jet managing partner and co-founder of Capstone Jet Charter. “They want experts who understand their standards and take responsibility for the decision behind the flight. AI-powered booking platforms can show you which aircraft are available and generate instant quotes, but they don’t reveal maintenance history, crew experience, or operator reliability. Supply is visible, judgment is not.”
The vast majority of Guardian Jet’s customer base is large companies and high-net-worth individuals. “Many of our clients own aircraft and also charter them a lot,” Dwyer said. “With aircraft being in for maintenance more these days, there is a greater need to charter, and large corporates in particular need supplemental lift.”
In launching Capstone, the Guardian Jet owners are looking to respond to rising demand for charter, and especially for international flights. Another strong trend is that the customer base is getting younger, with a new generation of wealth creators entering the private aviation market.
According to Dwyer, they generally have more money than their predecessors and are more willing to buy and charter larger aircraft, rather than steadily working their way up through the industry food chain from smaller turboprops to jets. Capstone aims to support younger charter clients more used to the shared economy, and who it views as being more discerning in terms of the service levels and responsiveness they expect.

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