PROFILE • SINO JET
‘It took a book to build’
From humble, one-office beginnings to managing assets valued close to $8bn, Sino Jet has built itself into a leader of Asian business aviation. Founder and president Jenny Lau explains the story so far. Words: Yves Le Marquand
PROFILE • SINO JET
‘It took a book to build’
From humble, one-office beginnings to managing assets valued close to $8bn, Sino Jet has built itself into a leader of Asian business aviation. Founder and president Jenny Lau explains the story so far. Words: Yves Le Marquand
IT BEGAN WITH a book of clients amassed during Jenny Lau’s former career as a banker with Morgan Stanley. From a single office and 11 staff, Lau has built an operation ranked as the largest business jet fleet in Asia for the seventh consecutive year. For founder and president Lau, Sino Jet is the job of a lifetime.
The team has grown to more than 400 with bases in Beijing and Hong Kong alongside satellite and subsidiary offices throughout China, Singapore, North America, Dubai and Zurich. The fleet now sits at more than 40 aircraft, mostly ultra long range, of which Gulfstream is the most popular platform, with G650s, 650ERs and G700s making up more than 70% of the fleet. There is also a smattering of BBJs and ACJs. Total managed asset value is close to $8bn, according to Lau.
About 70% of Sino Jet’s business is aircraft management and maintenance says Lau. About 20% is charter and buying or selling, and about 10% is FBO income. The most recent addition to the fleet is the G700, which, along with the rest of the fleet, speaks to the preference for ultra-long aircraft synonymous with Asian business aviation.
“The G700 represents the pinnacle of ultra-long-range business aviation today: outstanding range, cabin comfort, mature technology and stable dispatchability,” Lau tells CJI. “It reflects strong and growing demand for international travel, especially in Asia. With geopolitical tensions in the Middle East, Russia and Ukraine, some airspace is closing – not operationally friendly for flights from Asia to Europe or the US. The G700 gives passengers comfort and a one-stop flight without technical stops.”
Although many argue it has not yet realised its full potential, the Asian business aviation market is markedly more mature than it was when Lau arrived back in Asia after leaving the US and Morgan Stanley following the 2008 financial crisis. Largely thanks to the work of companies like hers.
Using the book of clients built as a banker, one of whom was a business jet owner, Lau returned to Hong Kong. There, the owner tasked her with finding him a good aircraft management company.
“I assisted him, and after seeing how other management companies operated, I felt maybe it was time for me to start my own operation,” Lau recalls. “The market in Asia was very young and immature. So, I started a business, used my book of clients and reached out to see who was interested in buying a jet. That’s how Sino Jet began.”
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The jump from finance to business aviation is something even Lau calls a coincidence. One that has brought learning curves. The steepest of which has come in managing each separate stakeholder to get the right result.
“As a management company in Asia, we’re pretty much stuck in the middle between the authorities, the airports, the clients and the weather. If one element doesn’t work in our favour, it brings tremendous challenges,” explains Lau. “It took us a long time to build relationships with the local markets and airports, to visit CAAC [Civil Aviation Administration of China] and negotiate with them.”
Back in the early days of Sino Jet, Lau says it took about a week to apply for a permit to fly from Hong Kong to Beijing – losing the advantage of business jet flexibility. Over the years, after efforts with Sino Jet and the Asian Business Aviation Association, CAAC has relaxed its policies.
“They dropped the six-leg requirement for foreign-registered planes, which was a big plus. But at airports, business jet income might only be 1-2% of a busy airport’s revenue. We had to educate them: the service you provide to ultra-high-net-worth clients who bring GDP to your city is more meaningful than their parking fees,” she says. “And educating clients too – some first-time owners think they can make U-turns in the sky. It takes time and patience to educate all stakeholders.”
The reverse of those challenges has been the opportunity for the Sino Jet team to grow – both in numbers and experience. “The team and I have grown up so much,” says Lau. “We’ve become mature and flexible. When handling challenging tasks, we work as a close team – the synergy is there. We help each other out like brothers and sisters. Now, when I see operational challenges, I don’t get a stomach ache anymore.”
When Lau first started, she had two or three phones on 24/7, afraid to miss any calls. Now she says she can relax, because the team is capable. “Internally, the strength we’ve built over the years has been most rewarding,” she adds.
“We help each other out like brothers and sisters.”
Sino Jet manages and operates more than 40 business jets, accounting for about 10% of China's business aircraft market share.
“We help each other out like brothers and sisters.”
Sino Jet manages and operates more than 40 business jets, accounting for about 10% of China's business aircraft market share.
Continued leadership
Sino Jet’s operation is rooted in five strategic pillars: safety, global footprint, digital operations, worldwide service network and all-scenario service ecosystem.
Beginning with safety, Sino Jet was the first operator in China to get IS-BAO Stage 3. The company has now renewed this accreditation and holds it for a further 10 years. “Safety is our number one focus. We highlight safety issues in monthly and weekly meetings and share stories so we can avoid risks,” says Lau.
Second is global credentials and global footprints. After Covid, the company expanded because its clients were moving out of Asia to places like London, Dubai and Vancouver. Sino Jet applied for a Cayman AOC, established offices in Singapore and Dubai, and provides diversified registration choices: San Marino, Bermuda, Aruba, Cayman, t Part 91 and N-registration. “We can accommodate any demands,” adds Lau.
Third, digital operations. Many management companies are still traditional – “doing things by hand”, she says. Due to Sino Jet’s fleet size and shareholder background, it has invested heavily in digitalisation, including incorporating AI into its dispatch centre for real-time updates. “We’re building an application for clients to get quotes, view invoices, talk to their relationship manager making it more transparent and cost-efficient and avoiding human errors,” says Lau.
Fourth, it is the worldwide service network. In line with its efforts to build a global footprint, Sino Jet has FBOs in Macau, Chengdu, Nanchang and Guangzhou, and it is looking to develop more in Asia Pacific, Europe and the US.
Finally, the fifth pillar is the all-scenario service ecosystem. Sino Jet launched its “Business Jet+” strategy in December 2025, anchored by the Unionsky Curated Collection initiative. (This is a comprehensive report launched by Sino Jet designed to map the premium lifestyle preferences of China’s high-net-worth population). With the release of the 2025 Unionsky Curated Collection List, it has compiled a selection of hotels, golf courses and restaurants to offer clients a one-stop experience.
“Some golf courses you can’t just book, you have to be a member – we partner to make it accessible. It’s not just managing their fleet, but ground services, air services, even cruises for family or company celebrations,” Lau explains. “We’ve also added low-altitude operations – helicopters, and we’re waiting for eVTOL manufacturers to get their TC [type certificate] and CAAC approval. We’re planning to make Sino Jet a one-stop solution for clients’ travel needs.”
Main picture: Sino Jet's fleet is largely made up of large-cabin jets and bizliners, such as Gulfstreams and BBJs.
Inset: The company placed an order for 100 eVTOL aircraft with Wofei Changkong, a subsidiary of Geely.
Inset: The company placed an order for 100 eVTOL aircraft with Wofei Changkong, a subsidiary of Geely.
Main picture: Sino Jet's fleet is largely made up of large-cabin jets and bizliners, such as Gulfstreams and BBJs.
Low-altitude economy
The low-altitude economy (LAE), known largely in the west as advanced air mobility, has been a significant focus of the Chinese administration for the best part of a decade. Every administrative region in China has invested in LAE to some extent.
Sino Jet recognised this momentum and began preparing about six years ago, says Lau. The company partnered with Hainan Airport in April 2026 to jointly establish Hainan Low-Altitude Mobility Company
According to a press release: “With Hainan as the strategic focal point, the company will deeply integrate into the national low-altitude economic development agenda, and work to build a new model for three-dimensional transportation in the Pilot Free Trade Port.”
Lau says the company partnered with Hainan Airport because it is on an island which means its airspace is less busy and less restrictive than other areas. “It’s an opportunity to run a mature business model there and then copy it to other cities. It would be more operationally challenging in Shanghai or Beijing because of airspace controls,” explains Lau. “We think three-dimensional intercity travel could lead the Chinese economy. I believe that eVTOLs will be the next trend for China to take the lead worldwide. That’s why we’re keen to partner with local municipalities and airports.”
China still in ‘recovery stage’
Despite impetus for the LAE growing in China, its business aviation market remains in the “recovery stage”, according to Lau. Brand new sales are “still a bit slow” compared with other years, while more people are selling aircraft versus new buyers arriving. But there is strong demand in the pre-owned market, she says.
“The economy is picking up – manufacturing and real estate haven’t recovered to pre-Covid levels, but the stock market in China has been very active over the past year, and Hong Kong has been one of the busiest IPO [initial public offering] hubs in the world,” she continues. “There’s a lot of new money being created in this region, with strong demand for business jets. I’m optimistic about the Chinese market. Especially with President Donald Trump in Beijing recently – I feel there will be better business opportunities between China and the US, tensions relaxed. Business jets will have their springtime soon.”
Clientele changes are also a positive, says Lau. About 10 or 15 years ago, real estate business owners were the majority owners of Sino Jet’s fleet. Now video game and high-tech company founders are becoming Sino Jet clients.
“That represents the direction of the China economy: shifting from traditional industries to technology, AI, games and batteries,” says Lau. “It’s a big shift in client demographics. It’s very positive – those companies are financially strong, and the clients are even more educated, younger, more adaptive to new ideas, more understanding of operational challenges.”
“South East Asia is like China in the post-2008 period – rapid growth, rapid demand for private jets.”
Growth opportunities
Lau has her eyes on multiple possible growth areas for Asia in the next five years. Firstly, fractional ownership could gain further traction in the market. “In the past, you always saw single jet owners using the aircraft for themselves, maybe flying only 100-200 hours,” she says. “But new structures like timeshare – with five or six owners owning one jet – could become a popular trend, expanding the fleet size and demand for private jets in the Asian region.”
Regionally, South East Asia is becoming a “very strong market”. Lau says Sino Jet needs to pay special attention there with additional business development focus. “South East Asia is like China in the post-2008 period – rapid growth, rapid demand for private jets. The service providers there are very new, just entering the market, still learning. It brings us an opportunity to put our footprints there and develop a market for ourselves,” she explains.
Elsewhere, Lau believes further integration of digitalisation with full-suite services will enable operators who succeed in combining the two to differentiate from competition. “Jet travellers want simplicity – just click one button and we process their travel needs, hotels or restaurants,” she says. “The opportunity comes when you align high-end services together. There are a lot of opportunities to connect the dots to become a comprehensive travel concierge. That’s what I see in the next five years.
While AI is helping to drive efficiency in business, Lau recognises the need for human interaction in service delivery. “I said to my staff at our annual dinner: perhaps lawyers and bankers can be replaced by AI, but we are service providers,” she expains. “We’ll probably be the last ones replaced by robots. We need quality people to understand quality service, deliver it in the most quality way and set the standard for the industry. That brings tremendous opportunity.”
