Million Air Interlink

What It Is: Million Air provides general-aviation terminal facilities and ground-handling services through franchised fixed-base operations (FBOs) at more than two dozen airports in the U.S. and internationally. The Houston-based company also provides aircraft charter, management, maintenance, and sales services. 

How It Grew: An outgrowth of the Mary Kay cosmetics company’s flight department, Million Air was founded at Addison Airport outside of Dallas in 1984. The single-site FBO aimed to provide a luxury “aviation oasis” for the locally based firm’s customers and sales reps arriving by private aircraft. Owned by Richard Rogers, son of cosmetics queen Mary Kay Ash, the facility drew positive attention and, in 1985, the company established Million Air Interlink, a franchise business. Independent FBOs began branding as Million Air locations. 

In the 1990s, the burgeoning fractional industry helped drive growth, and Ash sold the business to Lou Pepper, now CEO of Atlantic Aviation. In 2000, former charter pilot Roger Woolsey bought the existing Million Air Houston franchise. and two years later he acquired Million Air Interlink and moved its headquarters to Houston. Woolsey, the CEO, promotes a service culture based on Malcolm Baldridge National Quality Award standards. New FBO terminals opened at New York Syracuse Hancock International Airport in the fall of 2018 and at New York’s Westchester County Airport in March. In addition to servicing transients, Million Air facilities provide a home base for more than 800 aircraft.

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Million Air Debuts FBO in White Plains, NY

A waiting room you’ll actually enjoy waiting in.

What It Offers: 

FBO services. More than two dozen locations in the continental U.S., and half a dozen more in Canada, the Caribbean (San Juan), South America (Cartagena, Columbia), and China (Beijing).

Air Charter, management, maintenance, and sales. Available at select locations.

Quote: “We are trying to replicate the Four Seasons Ritz-Carlton type experience.” —CEO Roger Woolsey

Notable Achievements: Introduced the FBO franchise model, and luxury FBOs, bringing white-glove ground handling to what had been a blue-collar service business. 

Recent News: Million Air’s new $70 million Adirondack-style FBO at New York’s Westchester County Airport is the bizav hub’s first new general-aviation terminal in decades. A $40 million western-style FBO at Austin-Bergstrom International in Texas is slated for completion this summer.

FAST FACTS

Founded: 1984

HQ: Houston

Employees: about 1,000

Revenue: $100 million (estimated)

CEO: Roger Woolsey

Website: millionair.com