In 2006, the travel agency ASL Travel was set up. On the one hand, this new company provides support for ASL Airtaxi, that cannot organize complete programs itself; and, on the other hand, ASL Travel can also organize initiatives using scheduled flights or other companies. “in fact, we have three mainstays”, says Arne Geusens, “Business travel, incentives, and own initiatives/programs. We can profile ourselves pretty well in these niche markets because our risk profile is very low due to the close cooperation with ASL Airtaxi.”

Own Trade fair flights
One of ASL Travel’s special initiatives is the ski trip to Ischgl, an all-in package in which an ASL aircraft carries 18 travelers to and from Innsbruck. Transfers, ski pass, equipment, hotel, … everything is taken car of down the last detail. In the future ASL Travel also wants to put more emphasis on fully organized incentives and trade fair visits. Whereas up till now ASL arranged trade fair visits only on behalf of a customer. ASL Travel now wants to organize trade fair visits itself. “We intend, in the future, to provide a complete package in which a trade fair visit is accomplished in a single day.” Says Arne Geusens,. “Be received in style at the airport with a light breakfast. Fly directly to the airport that is closest to the exhibition centre. From there transfer is arranged to ensure arrival at the fair by 09:00. And around 18:00, when the fair closes, again a transfer and a meal is provided, so that everyone is back home by 20:00 or 21:00. It is the often the case that two days have to be reserved for such a visit, with the associated accommodation costs. If we add it all up: scheduled flight, hotel costs, staff away for two days,… then our price is quite attractive.”
ASL Travel is now busy investigating which trade fairs are appropriate targets for one of our all-in programs. “Firstly we shall make a list of all the important trade fairs.” says Arne Geusens, “Then we shall check just where these trade fairs are held. If there is a good link between the town of departure and that of the trade fair, then there is little time advantage. But if, for example, someone from West Flanders wants to visit a trade fair in Dresden, then it does become interesting. There is no direct link between Brussels and Dresden, so anyone wanting to go to Dresden from West Flanders would have to drive to Dusseldorf. In this case we can therefore offer an interesting solution, because we can fly directly from Wevelgem to Dresden. We shall therefore make use of/employ two criteria for our trade fair program. The trade fair must be sufficiently interesting to fill our plane and the location of the fair must be such that we can make a difference.