South Florida Charter Operator Shuttered

South Florida Part 135 charter operator Executive Airlink abruptly ceased operations on June 6. In a note to clients, the Fort Lauderdale Executive Airport–based operator said it had grounded its fleet, adding, “If you or your clients have a planned flight, we recommend you make alternate plans.”

In an email to BJT, Shawn Griffith, the company’s president and director of operations, said he had resigned from Executive Airlink, which had had financial problems for months. The company was allegedly run day-to-day by vice president Jakub Marek. An industry source familiar with Marek told BJT he is “a good person who ran a bad company.”

Executive Airlink operated three 20- to 25-year-old Hawker 800XPs and one 30-year-old Beechcraft King Air C90A, which were all owned by third parties in Missouri and Texas. It began shedding aircraft late last year and again last month. The company offered charter, cargo, air ambulance, and diplomatic flights, as well as aircraft management and maintenance services.

Aviation analyst Brian Foley recently told BJT that he expects continued financial contagion in the Part 135 charter and Part 91 fractional space as COVID-driven demand for private lift continues to subside.