There was nothing romantic about the timing when Olivier Perdriel founded Skyfirst. It was 2008, the global financial crisis was still sending shockwaves through markets, and all he had to his name was a single Bombardier Learjet 45. Eighteen years later, the Paris-based company now manages a fleet of ultra-long-range business jets spanning three major manufacturers, serving corporate leaders around the world. That trajectory — born in one crisis, now scaling through another — is itself a clue to how he runs the business.
The first half of 2026 has been anything but calm for the aviation market. The conflict between the US, Israel, and Iran has complicated flight route planning, and fuel prices have climbed in tandem, hitting commercial aviation hardest. Yet demand for private aviation hasn't cooled off — major international events like the Monaco Grand Prix and the World Cup continue to keep long-range business jets highly visible. Perdriel's own assessment reflects that contrast: "The market is actually quite strong. Manufacturers already have order books stretching two years out, and the US market is booming, honestly — which is remarkable given the current geopolitical backdrop." But he's quick to add that the real challenge isn't demand, it's uncertainty itself — insurance terms and landing permits can shift within hours.
Skyfirst's core fleet is built around the Dassault Falcon 7X and 8X, supplemented by a number of Bombardier Global Express aircraft. Perdriel points out the significance of operating across three brands — Gulfstream, Dassault Aviation, and Bombardier — simultaneously: each manufacturer brings its own strengths, one leaning American in style, the other distinctly French, and those cultural differences add another layer to the partnerships. "It keeps the whole business dynamic," he says.
He describes his typical client as a CEO or senior executive operating across multiple countries, each with different needs — "adaptability" is the word he keeps coming back to. These clients frequently take red-eye flights and walk straight into a meeting room after landing. Skyfirst's job is to make sure they arrive ready to jump straight into whatever comes next.
Running a fleet involves far more than just getting planes in the air: crew recruitment and training, maintenance scheduling, flight planning, and regulatory compliance across jurisdictions are all part of the equation. But for Perdriel, the real differentiator lies in the relationship itself. "More and more, what actually makes the difference is being able to pick up the phone and talk to a real person." He admits his team isn't perfect, but the "people-first" mindset is something the company won't compromise on — the goal is to make the journey from A to B feel completely frictionless for passengers, "because we believe we're part of our clients' success."
