Challenge

A university based in the Northeast brought on a new president whose primary initiative was a multi-year, $300 million capital campaign — raising donations in person in San Jose, Bellevue, Plano and Aspen while maintaining daily responsibilities on campus. The university sat in a secondary commercial air market served only by commuter flights.

The prior administration had owned a fractional interest in a private jet; the new president insisted on selling it as one of his first acts. As he put it: “The school needs to divest itself of all wasteful luxury items in order to reinvest in the students and faculty.”

Solution

PJS identified the university's specific constraints: reaching areas hard to serve commercially; on-demand access with a consistent point of contact, uniform billing and a developed client profile; freely interchanging aircraft types across itineraries; paying post-flight without tying up capital; and pre-approving all aircraft.

PJS presented a Total Flight Management (TFM) proposal: a dedicated Flight Concierge who met the president and his staff before the first trip, a Blanket Charter Agreement extending payment terms up to 14 days post-flight, and flight itineraries confirmed by email.

Result

The university enrolled in the TFM program, obtained the reach and flexibility to run a multi-year capital campaign, and avoided the balance-sheet implications of owning an aircraft. With fewer hotel overnights, per diems and luggage fees, the university saw a positive ROI on its capital campaign while meeting its long-term fiscal goals.