When the commercial aviation industry ground to a halt in 2020, Yerdos Ussenov saw a massive opportunity even as others only saw a terrible crisis. The Kazakhstani private jet broker transformed stranded passengers into shared flight communities, creating a product that would survive long after face masks disappeared from airports. His Jet Sharing concept didn’t just fill empty seats during the pandemic’s darkest months, it redefined how business aviation operates across Russia and the Commonwealth of Independent States.
Ussenov’s background hardly suggested he would become a disruptor in luxury aviation. With a bachelor’s degree in pedagogy, he entered the private jet industry in 2017 as a charter broker. Two years later, he had risen to chief sales executive, but his real legacy emerged during those critical pandemic months when borders slammed shut and desperate travelers needed new solutions.
Creating Connections When the World Divided
The concept behind Jet Sharing was elegantly simple: connect 2 to 13 clients who are interested in flying the same route (e.g., Moscow to London), and offer individual seat sales on a private jet instead of chartering the entire aircraft. What started as a cost-saving measure during travel restrictions evolved into something more profound: a new model that challenged traditional aviation economics. Due to restrictions, commercial airlines couldn’t perform many flights, leaving passengers stranded across different countries with limited options for returning home.
“Because of flight restrictions, commercial airlines couldn’t perform a lot of flights, and we could help our clients go back to their homeland when they were stuck in another country,” Mr. Ussenov explains. His solution filled a critical gap, turning private aviation from an exclusive luxury into a practical necessity for those caught between closed borders and cancelled flights.
The timing proved crucial. While established airlines struggled with capacity constraints and route suspensions, Ussenov’s team moved quickly to capture market share. They developed a mobile app that streamlined the booking process, giving clients better visibility into available flights and upcoming departures. This technological edge separated them from competitors still relying on traditional phone-based bookings.
Beyond Pandemic Relief: Building Lasting Change
Many industry observers were surprised by the product’s persistence after travel restrictions were lifted. Jet Sharing continued attracting clients who had discovered the benefits of shared private flights: better pricing than individual charters, more flexibility than commercial schedules, and luxury service throughout the journey. The concept had evolved from an emergency solution to a permanent market fixture.
Yerdos Ussenov’s success sparked widespread imitation across Russia and Europe. Companies that had initially dismissed shared private flights as a niche pandemic response began developing their own versions. The model’s appeal extended beyond cost savings, it addressed fundamental inefficiencies in private aviation, where empty legs and underutilized capacity had long been industry pain points.
“After we developed this project, a lot of companies in Russia and Europe started doing the same,” Ussenov notes, acknowledging both the validation and competitive pressure that followed his innovation. The copying represented the highest form of business flattery, confirming that he had identified a genuine market need rather than a temporary disruption.
The product positioned Ussenov’s company as a serious competitor to commercial airlines’ business class offerings. Clients began viewing them as a scheduled carrier that happened to use private jets, regularly flying popular routes with predictable frequency. This perception shift marked a significant evolution in how private aviation could be marketed and consumed.
Credit Not Going Where It Was Due
Despite the project’s success and industry influence, Yerdos Ussenov faced a common entrepreneurial frustration: his employer claimed credit for the innovation without acknowledging the individuals behind it. This experience highlights a persistent challenge in corporate environments where breakthrough ideas emerge from employee initiative rather than executive mandate. The oversight became more significant as geopolitical tensions escalated. When Russia’s military actions triggered international flight restrictions, the very innovation that had helped clients navigate COVID-19 travel barriers faced new challenges.
Political developments beyond any company’s control disrupted the business model that had thrived during health-related restrictions. Ussenov has since moved to a different industry, though he occasionally organizes charter flights for former clients. His departure from business aviation represents a personal transition, but his influence on the sector persists through the companies that adopted his shared flight model and the technological standards he helped establish.
The story of Jet Sharing demonstrates how a crisis often reveals hidden opportunities for those willing to think differently about established systems. While Ussenov may not have received individual recognition for his contribution, his innovation permanently altered how private aviation serves clients who need flexibility without paying premium individual charter rates. The concept survived both its pandemic origins and its creator’s career change, becoming embedded in an industry that had operated the same way for decades.
