Flexjet has hired a senior service leader from a rival’s parent group, and the choice shows where the competition is heading. In mid-September 2026, Flexjet named Emma Sinclair its new Chief Experience Officer. Sinclair joined Vista Global, the group behind VistaJet, in 2020 and spent roughly six years in client services there before moving to Flexjet. Her remit now covers the client experience at a company that wants to be known for more than airplanes.
Who Emma Sinclair Is and Why Her Résumé Matters
At Vista Global, Sinclair worked on global service delivery, client retention and revenue protection. Retention matters most in private aviation, where keeping a client happy is worth far more than winning a new one, and it was a metric she was directly responsible for.
She also led tactical crew training for VistaJet and launched a private aviation venture in Botswana. Crew training shapes service quality directly, because a beautiful cabin means little if the person pouring your coffee doesn’t read the room.
She replaces Megan Wolf, who wrapped up a 26-year Flexjet career. Wolf joined in 2003 as an owner services director, rose to chief operating officer, and became Chief Experience Officer in 2022. That is a lot of institutional memory leaving, and Flexjet chose an outsider to fill the seat.
Why Flexjet Wants to Be Synonymous With Luxury
CEO Andrew Collins has said publicly that he wants Flexjet to become synonymous with luxury within five to 10 years. In 2025 Flexjet announced a roughly $800 million investment from L Catterton, an investment firm with LVMH among its backers. That makes it a luxury-oriented partner rather than a typical aviation investor.
The strategy shows up in several places:
- Sports partnerships with Formula 1 and the Laver Cup, which put the brand in front of the right crowd. We looked at the Formula 1 deal and what it means for owners earlier this year.
- A growing private terminal network, so the experience starts before you reach the aircraft.
- Bespoke LXi interiors across the super-midsize, large-cabin and ultra-long-haul fleet.
- Experiential travel, including a planned 2027 VIP journey to Machu Picchu aboard a Belmond train. Belmond is part of LVMH.
Flexjet is clearly betting that experiences will carry more of its margin than flight hours.
The VistaJet Connection
VistaJet built its name on a service-first model, with a promise of consistency anywhere in the world. Hiring from that world suggests Flexjet wants to tighten what luxury buyers notice most, which is whether the experience on trip 40 matches trip one.
A common owner complaint in fractional programs is inconsistency rather than the aircraft itself. Crew quality varies from trip to trip, or catering misses a preference because a ground handler doesn’t know the owner. Fixing that takes operational discipline, which is the territory of a client services executive.
How the Big Three Compare on Approach
| Operator | Positioning | Signal to watch |
|---|---|---|
| Flexjet | Luxury lifestyle brand | L Catterton investment (2025), Belmond journey planned for 2027 |
| VistaJet | Global service consistency | Vista Global group backing and a program-based model built around worldwide service |
| NetJets | Scale and fleet access | Fleet scale and Berkshire Hathaway backing |
If you’re weighing them, our guide to finding the right fit among NetJets, VistaJet and Flexjet breaks down which flying profile suits which program.
What This Means for Owners and Card Holders
Expect changes you can feel. Cabin service, catering and crew standards are the likeliest targets, since Sinclair’s remit centers on the client experience. If you care about details, our look at private jet catering shows how much a good galley program matters.
Competition helps clients here. When operators compete on experience as well as price, standards tend to rise across luxury travel. NetJets and VistaJet will likely answer with their own senior hires and cabin or ground-service upgrades.
One caution: luxury branding can raise expectations faster than operations can meet them. The real test for the new Chief Experience Officer comes on peak days, such as holiday weekends and major event dates, when crews, catering and ground teams are stretched. Watch how Flexjet performs then, and whether owners report the same service standard on those flights as on quiet ones.