Net Jets, the charter plane company favored by professional athletes, raps stars, and Warren Buffet, has a dodgy ad campaign that touts a one-time price for air travel but neglects to mention hidden fuel fees, a Nevada business man claims in a new $5 million law suit.
Stephen Haberkorn, 70, who made his fortune running billboard company Outdoor Services before selling out to Viacom, claims the executive jet company never warned him that he would be asked for gas money when he shelled out $123,000 for the Marquis Jet Card.
The company’s pitch offers "the gold standard in private aviation—Net Jets, 25 hours at a time for one simple payment."
But after Haberkorn toured the country, using 20 of his flight hours checking in on his various investments, Net Jets tacked another 3.6 hours on to his card for fuel costs.
"They advertise it as a onetime price for air travel and the next thing you know you get a bill for $25,000 for fuel," said Maxwell Blecher, Haberkorn’s lawyer. "It’s very deceitful and quite misleading."
Blecher is seeking class action status for his false advertising claim.
“They’re still doing it,” he said.
Up until last month, Net Jets, a Berkshire Hathaway subsidiary, was being run by chairman and CEO David Sokol. He resigned in March amid an insider trading scandal.
The company did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
