Machi & The Jets, making corporate jet travel more accessible
Machi (Maria Jesus) Martin. Founder of Machi & The Jets
What does the company specialize in?
Machi & The Jets provides streamlined and efficient private jet rental. Our objective is to make corporate aviation accessible to more people. We do so by making it easy, good value, and of very high quality.
When did you start to work in this company?
My entire working life has been in aviation, particularly corporate aviation, but it was not until the arrival of COVID that I realized that jet travel needed to be more accessible so more people could benefit. This became clear at the beginning of lockdown in March 2020, which is when I started working on the idea.
What do you like most about your job?
I love my job! What I love most is that I don't feel like I'm working. It is my passion; it’s what makes me happy. The fact that my work is also my passion is a gift. It also gives me the opportunity to meet wonderful people who often end up becoming friends. And that’s another gift. There is a great deal of satisfaction in what I do.
And what do you like least?
The bureaucracy! Fortunately, I have a highly-trained team that does a great job and frees me up to focus on the technical and sales side.
What do you think your company excels at?
We don’t only rent jets for the client; we look for the best price and the highest quality service. And we make things easy. The message we like to transmit to our customers is “We do it for you.” This gives them peace of mind. And like finding different quotes and suppliers for a new kitchen or car insurance, we search out for and negotiate the best deals for our clients.
What is your main challenge?
Growth: because that will mean that we have made corporate aviation accessible to more people. Not many people use a private jet. We want to change that. We want as many people as possible to enjoy the advantages of flying by private jet. It is often more a question of lack of knowledge than price. There are many countries in which people use corporate aviation to make work easier. It would be great if we could enjoy those advantages here too.
Where is your business located? Do you know why this location was chosen?
Barcelona. That was the natural choice because it’s where I live, although now I tend to spend my life on the AVE between Madrid and Barcelona. But our scope is international; we can get you a plane anywhere in the world!
How important is Barcelona for your company?
Barcelona is a well-known brand and a favourite destination for a lot of people, so people look to the city. And Barcelona is very well located. It is a city with tremendous potential.
With which city would you compare Barcelona?
Barcelona is like no other city. No other city has the combination of different qualities. Paris is similar to Barcelona, its streets, its lifestyle... but Barcelona also has a nice climate, the sea, and the beach... Barcelona has it all!
What form of urban model should Barcelona adopt?
Barcelona is already a model in itself. What city wouldn't want to be like Barcelona? I think Barcelona should just be itself. We can improve by incorporating specific aspects of other cities but not by copying one in particular.
What best practices from other cities would you like Barcelona to adopt?
I would like us to value what we have more and to take care of it, treat it as our own. I have the feeling that we take too many things for granted and that we don’t realize that it’s up to us all to create a pleasant environment.
What do you ask of the Barcelona of the future?
Barcelona will be what we make of it. I hope that we will keep all that is best about the city, although sometimes we insist on doing the opposite. I would like Barcelona to continue being the city we are so proud of today.
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