Rectrix Aviation's plush, private air-travel facility at Sarasota-Bradenton International Airport has been ranked among the top fixed-base operations nationwide, according to a new survey.
Open since November 2008, Rectrix's service tied for seventh place in the Aviation International News survey, out of about 3,000 such operations around the U.S.
In the Orlando-Tampa region, the Rectrix operation, which provides fuel and other amenities for private airplanes, came in second.
At Sarasota-Bradenton, the company's three-story, glass-walled building provides passengers and pilots a panoramic view and a short walk to their jets. The facility also contains an abundance of plush chairs and couches, a coffee and soft drink bar, meeting rooms and a catering kitchen.
"Sarasota is a really nice airport," said Rich Cawley, president and CEO of the Massachusetts-based Rectrix Aviation. "We're pleased and honored that Rectrix has been recognized among the top FBO providers in the nation."
Rectrix plans to begin offering aircraft maintenance at Sarasota-Bradenton in the fall, Cawley said.
The company, which also runs private aircraft terminals at four airports in Massachusetts, may expand elsewhere in Florida, too, Cawley said.
Eighty five percent of respondents selected "excellent customer service" as the top factor in selecting an FBO, while 71 percent said "poor customer service" was a key reason to avoid an operation, according to a recent AIN survey.
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