We speak with Matteo Atti, CMO of VistaJet – the most admired and trusted private aviation brand in the world
May 6, 2023
VistaJet is known for its distinctive silver and red fleet and for meeting every need—whether you need a fully equipped business suite while in the air or simply a quiet space away from home. We interviewed Matteo Atti, CMO of this ever-expanding luxury jet charter company. Let's learn more about the company and the marketing that led to such success in the world of luxury travel:
Please tell us a little more about VistaJet and your role.
MA: I have served as Chief Marketing Officer of VistaJet since 2016 and its group company, Vista Global Holding (Vista), since its inception in 2018. During this time, we have positioned the market-leading VistaJet as the most admired and trusted private aviation brand in the world. At Vista, I oversee branding, marketing, public relations, and service innovation, focusing on exceeding customer expectations.
As a professor of luxury studies at the University of Monaco, I spent 20 years working with luxury and iconic brands such as Gucci under Tom Ford, Paul Smith, Bottega Veneta, Nokia and Vista.
Since 2004, VistaJet has been transporting corporate executives, government officials and private clients to 187 countries using its fleet of silver and red business jets – making a global, elegant and consistent service the core of its offering, both aesthetically and operationally.
What distinguishes VistaJet from other charter services?
MA: While private jets are synonymous with luxury and travel efficiency, chartering a plane is often an unpredictable experience.
VistaJet offers a unique product—guaranteeing an aircraft available to its customers anytime, anywhere, with the highest level of service and a consistent experience on every flight. While this may be commonplace in luxury retail stores or five-star hotels, it has never been attempted in private aviation—because it requires a tremendous level of coordination to provide consistent customer service from every airport in the world, 365 days a year.
VistaJet's renowned service—from fully equipped business suites to relaxing family rooms curated by the British Butler Institute, MedAire, Norland College, and the Wine & Spirit Education Trust—is unparalleled. It creates a home-away-from-home experience, combined with an office in the sky—on every flight.
While there are thousands of private jets on the market, none stands out more than the silver-and-red-striped VistaJet. VistaJet has just trademarked this design as its iconic symbol—a unique recognition of its value as a key component of brand equity.
What has been your most successful marketing campaign for VistaJet to date?
MA: Observations made in the cabin inspired the creation of some of VistaJet's services and campaigns: from VistaPet, the first service to make it easier to fly with four-legged friends, to Adventures in the Sky, specifically aimed at children, and finally to our valuable wine program.
As such, the ongoing VistaJet Private Dining campaign has been our largest marketing campaign to date, generating approximately 700 global impressions to date with a global reach of 2.7 billion. Our customers' passion for fine dining sparked our partnership with Chef Nobu, and we now partner with 100 of the most sought-after private chefs and Michelin-starred restaurants worldwide to deliver gastronomic experiences in the air and on the ground.
A table at 13,000 meters—higher than Mount Everest—is likely the highest place our Members and Customers will ever dine. With VistaJet, they embark on a journey through the world's best experiences—onboard and at their destination. VistaJet focuses on seasonality, health, and wellness, constantly evolving our menus to suit all palates, no matter where our customers are flying from.
In-flight dining is often overlooked and not properly considered for altitude and its impact on the palate. Therefore, collaborating with world-renowned chefs to expand on this theme and offer food that is truly delicious both on the ground and in the air is incredibly important to us – we, and our customers, value their expertise. Many of our award-winning partners have reimagined their iconic dishes and created exclusive meals that taste delicious in the VistaJet cabin.
It's undeniable that high-net-worth individuals have more choices than most. On the other hand, they are also bombarded with requests and sought after by a larger number of suppliers. Furthermore, to protect their privacy and time, they often surround themselves with support teams—advisors and assistants—a complex network of influence. Therefore, it's crucial for brands to understand this to deliver services and campaigns that provide a sense of individuality. Brands must remain close to their customers' desires, needs, hopes, and dreams.
How does social media affect VistaJet?
MA: Our key social media platforms are Instagram and LinkedIn, both of which exceed 110,000 followers. Social media is a valuable tool that can attract potential customers, allow us to gather customer feedback, and build loyalty. Both platforms have a proven track record of expanding our international reach. Additionally, social media allows us to showcase VistaJet's wide range of services—from exquisite in-cabin experiences to VistaJet's Private World—a service that opens doors to the world's most exclusive destinations and builds a social presence for the brand through events and experiences.
What are the most important things customers should know when booking with VistaJet?
MA: We're seeing a growing trend toward asset-free solutions. Individuals want to avoid owning a multi-million-dollar private jet when they can purchase a subscription and pay only for the hours they need. As a result, 2022 was another year of record flights, with Vista's revenue increasing 50% year-over-year.
Over the past 12 months, we have continued to make significant investments in global infrastructure, scale, and technology. To meet demand, we expanded the Vista fleet by an additional 117 aircraft in 2022, now operating over 360 aircraft worldwide.
We offer every private aviation customer a simple, flexible and secure solution for their aviation needs: from one-off flights to global subscriptions for corporations and individuals, starting from just 25 hours per year.
How many jets are in the VistaJet fleet?
MA: Vista's fleet is over 360 aircraft – a global fleet across all ranges and aircraft classes, including the Global 7500, Global 6000, Falcon 7X, G450, Challenger 350 and Citation XLS jets.
What has been your most important achievement for VistaJet so far?
MA: In business aviation, getting compliments from customers is undeniably difficult. That's why I'll always remember last year, when, after a 14-hour flight on a Global 7500 jet, a passenger asked the crew if he could stay on the plane a little longer!
What does your workday look like?
MA: We work 24/7, across multiple locations. The day starts early by reading at least three different regional newspapers. A quick walk to the office, followed by a team meeting to plan the day. The day often ends with client meetings and networking. After all, business aviation is about building personal trust with clients and partners.
What challenges does VistaJet face in 2023?
MA: More and more customers around the world recognize that Vista, through its market-leading VistaJet and XO brands, provides the best value and comprehensive experience, and our expanded team of over 4,000 experts is fully committed to developing the next era of innovative and advanced aviation solutions worldwide. We saw strong momentum in early 2023, which is expected to continue in our dynamic global markets.
Aviation contributes significantly to global economic prosperity, unlocking trade, investment, and understanding across cultures. Private aviation, in particular, has seen unprecedented growth since the pandemic, as travel remains a necessity for businesses to ensure the acceleration and continuity of their operations through point-to-point connections. Therefore, it is essential to ensure that economic growth and environmental protection go hand in hand. Vista is committed to reducing the industry's environmental impact. Therefore, in 2021, after years of research, VistaJet committed to carbon neutrality by 2025—a commitment that will serve as a model for all Vista companies.
The biggest challenge, which we see as a positive, is reiterating our commitment to carbon neutrality to ensure a greener future for our industry and our customers. The political landscape is highly sensitive regarding private aviation, particularly in Europe, and the industry is under pressure on all fronts to operate more sustainably.
VistaJet continues to actively research and invest in new solutions that align with the latest available science to help exceed current limits to further reduce greenhouse gas emissions – with the goal of becoming the first carbon-neutral business aviation operating company by 2025. After years of research and collaboration with customers, the industry and regulators, VistaJet has delivered:
Increased carbon offset adoption on VistaJet aircraft to over 89%;
Ensured global access to sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) regardless of where customers travel while continuing to externally advocate for widespread SAF adoption in the industry;
Leveraged artificial intelligence to maximize fleet optimization to improve fuel efficiency by 8%;
Added 18 new Global 7500 aircraft to the fleet, the first business jet with a third-party-verified Environmental Product Declaration (EPD). The Global 7500's high-speed transonic wings reduce drag and fuel burn and emissions, while its GE engines improve fuel efficiency.
Invests in the development of new aviation technologies.
How do you see VistaJet developing?
MA: Business aviation remains popular, with people seeking private and efficient travel options. We are experiencing positive trends in VistaJet's dynamic global markets and unprecedented levels of demand from existing and new customers.
VistaJet views its brand as a holistic experience. Beyond the aircraft and crew, this encompasses every sensory detail, right down to the cabin's aroma, across all fleets. Similarly, cabin colors and furnishings, even wine selection and amenities, are consistent no matter where in the world you're flying from. The cabin design is carefully considered so that by the time customers board, they know exactly where to sit and where to leave their belongings. The brand isn't built solely through design, but with the experience in mind.
After purchase, brands focus on retention and referrals. To remain a partner of excellence, a brand cannot risk its flights being perceived as a commodity. Therefore, to ensure memories are created on every flight, the VistaJet brand is constantly evolving.
Partnerships are key here. While the cabin concept remains unchanged, onboard and in-destination entertainment continues to evolve through VistaJet's Private World – a collection of exclusive opportunities for customers to enjoy the best the world has to offer. Private World opens doors to the world's most exclusive places and people and builds the brand's social dimension – through events and access to the most extraordinary people and services on the planet.
Thank you for the interview.
