In the rarefied world of private jet charters, discretion, luxury, and security are crucial to success. Nowhere is this truer than in Latin America, where the region’s dynamism can boil over into volatility and where high-end clients require travel partners that prioritise their safety.
Michael Darko
Since setting up Farringdon Jets in 2020, Londoner Michael Darko is attempting to leverage a team of experts to navigate the complexities and eccentricities of LatAm and provide a secure and luxurious private jet service to a host of high-end clients. Farringdon’s other unique selling point is its unique global ‘experiences,’ which Michael Darko asserts can create lasting memories for even the world’s most wealthy.
Darko had already carved out a successful career in international wealth management in the UK and UAE when a holiday to Colombia sparked a love for LatAm and an eventual relocation. Firmly ensconced in the ex-pat business scene, first in Colombia and now in Mexico, Darko works closely with a consortium of British Independent Financial Advisors serving nationals and foreigners across the continent and beyond.
Having learned the tendencies and preferences of the region’s wealthy and powerful, Darko became aware of a gap in the market for travel solutions that met the highest standards in luxury, comfort, and most importantly, security. In a part of the world where income gaps can be cavernous and locations extremely remote, the high and ultra-high-net-worth individuals in Darko’s network needed a private jet chartering service that met exacting demands.
Long an aviation nut – Darko took his first pilot lesson at the age of 14 as part of the Royal Airforce cadets – the young entrepreneur seized the opportunity to merge his passion for flight with the business and financial acumen developed over the previous decade. The resulting venture, launched in 2020 as Farringdon Jets, aims to be “the world’s most security-focused private jet charter company.”
Based on this dedication to security, the firm has been able to build a client book including celebrities, politicians, business executives, film & television production crews, NGOs, and transporters of precious cargo. Services provided range from threat analysis & vulnerability assessment, personalised security strategies, armed/unarmed executive and VIP protection, secure transportation on the ground in armoured or non-armoured vehicles, and bilingual security details for clear communication.
Pressed on the biggest challenges he has faced in building the business thus far, Darko points to the difficulties of penetrating an industry full of established companies as an upstart. However, while potential clients may already have an established travel partner, Darko feels that Farringdon’s LatAm expertise makes it a more comfortable fit for those wary of travelling to the continent for the first time.
Additionally, he underlines the value of establishing partnerships with other service providers to create tailored, one-off ‘experiences.’ These range from luxury camping on an Arctic glacier to bespoke snowmobile and golf trips, as well as custom travel experiences to the Big Four global fashion weeks in Paris, Milan, New York, and London. While Farringdon’s wealthy clients may seemingly have everything, Darko boldly states that there is always room to create memorable and unique experiences.
As a council estate boy made good, Darko’s advice to other budding entrepreneurs is simply to “go for it,” and not be afraid to take chances. His vision is to build up Farringdon Jets into a household name within the industry, offering an unparalleled mix of security and comfort, as well as unique experiences.
Proclaiming that “every successful flight” is the most rewarding part of his job today, Darko and his business look set to go from strength to strength in the coming years based on the identification and answering of client needs as well as a network of strategic partnerships and alliances.
