Zebu Air

What Zebu Air does

Zebu Air is a London-headquartered aviation services provider operating as an ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) specialist, established in 2020 in cooperation with Phab Aviation (Seychelles, 2005) and Trans Mage (Kenya, 2007). The company runs a diversified fleet of six aircraft types — Cessna Caravan C208, Let 410, Bombardier Dash 8, Hawker 800, Boeing 737-300F, and IL76 TD — available across wet lease, dry lease, ACMI, charter, cargo, and medical evacuation arrangements. STOL-capable turboprops and the IL76 TD enable access to remote and unprepared airfields, addressing regional connectivity gaps in Africa and underserved markets.

The company serves multiple customer segments: airlines and tour operators requiring capacity solutions (primary), NGOs and humanitarian organizations for medical evacuation and cargo, oil and gas operators for specialized flights, express cargo/freight customers, and corporate/business travelers via charter and the Zebu XPLORE adventure travel subsidiary. Revenue is generated through managed services (ACMI, wet lease, dry lease), one-time charter fees, professional services (maintenance and training), and transaction fees from the travel agency. All pricing is quote-based with no public disclosure.

Zebu Air also operates a Malawi-certified Approved Maintenance Organisation (EASA Part 145 equivalent, certificate MI/432/2023) for Let 410 series and Walter M601 engines, an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) for pilot and mechanic training, and holds EASA Part-NCO authorization. The company maintains regional offices in the UK, Madagascar, Malawi, Vietnam, China, and UAE, with customer geographic distribution of approximately Africa 60%, Europe 25%, and Asia 15%. Headcount is approximately 13 employees, and no funding rounds or institutional investors are disclosed.

Name

Zebu Air

Legal name

Zebu Air

Website

https://zebu-air.com

Company type

Private

Founded year

2020

Operating status

Operating

Headcount range

11–50 employees

Short description

London-based ACMI specialist operating wet lease, dry lease, charter, cargo, and medical evacuation services across a six-aircraft fleet, serving airlines, NGOs, oil and gas, and cargo clients primarily in Africa, Europe, and Asia, with in-house maintenance and training arms.

Ownership category

akta.pro rank

Product category

Aviation Services

NAICS

Nonscheduled Chartered Passenger Air Transportation (481211), Nonscheduled Chartered Freight Air Transportation (481212)

SIC

Air Transportation, Nonscheduled (4522)

akta.pro primary industry

Charter Airlines & ACMI / Wet-Lease Passenger Operators (TLAFAAAC)

akta.pro secondary industries

ACMI / Wet-Lease Cargo Operators (THABAEAC), Group & ACMI Charter Airlines (Ad-hoc/Wet Lease) (TLAFABAC), Emergency, Evacuation & Repatriation Charter Operators (THABADAH)

Keywords

• ACMI aircraft leasing
• Wet lease services
• Charter flight operations
• Cargo air transport
• Aviation training services

Headquarters

HQ city

London, England

HQ country

United Kingdom

HQ region

Europe

Offices6 records

Markets served

GTM type

B2B and B2C

Offering type

Services

Cost components

Personnel, Operations, Infrastructure, Technology or R&D, Marketing or Sales, Supply Chain

Revenue model

1. ACMI Leasing: Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, and Insurance leasing arrangements where Zebu Air provides aircraft with full operational support to airlines and tour operators facing capacity or scheduling challenges.
2. Wet Lease: Lease arrangement providing aircraft plus crew, maintenance, and insurance. Used for opening new routes, increasing seasonal capacity, and fulfilling ad-hoc requirements.
3. Dry Lease: Aircraft-only leasing without crew or operational support, available for Dash 8, Let 410, and other fleet aircraft.
4. Charter Services: Direct charter flights for regional transport (19-50 passengers), business flights, medical evacuation with stretchers, and cargo operations up to 5,000 kg.
5. Travel Agency (Zebu XPLORE): Corporate and adventure travel agency services including team building, family-friendly trips, private groups, photography tours, and over-55 adventures across seven continents.
6. Aircraft Maintenance Services: Maintenance services for LET 410 series aircraft and Walter M601 engines under EASA Part 145 approval.
7. Aviation Training: Training services for pilots (PPL, CPL, IR, ME, type ratings), mechanics (A1-A4, B1, B2), operations staff, flight attendants, and e-learning modules.

Go-to-market motion2 records

Distribution channels4 records

Marketing channels4 records

Core offering

Zebu Air is a multi-purpose aviation services company that provides ACMI (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance) leasing, wet lease, dry lease, and charter flight services to airlines, tour operators, NGOs, and other organizations globally. The company also operates an Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) for LET 410 aircraft and Walter M601 engines, an Approved Training Organisation (ATO) for pilots and mechanics, and a subsidiary travel agency (Zebu XPLORE) offering adventure travel experiences.

Product overview

Zebu Air is a multi-purpose aviation company established in 2020, operating as an ACMI specialist offering aircraft charter, leasing, and related aviation services. The portfolio consists of six aircraft types (Cessna Caravan C208, Let 410, Bombardier Dash 8, Hawker 800, Boeing 737-300F, and IL76 TD) available for Wet Lease, Dry Lease, ACMI, and Charter arrangements. Core services include Medical Evacuation, Cargo, and Regional/Business flights. The company also operates an Approved Maintenance Organisation (AMO) and Approved Training Organisation (ATO) supporting Let 410 and King Air series aircraft. A subsidiary travel agency, Zebu XPLORE, provides adventure travel experiences.

Differentiator

Problem solved

Functional benefit

Brands

• Zebu XPLORE: Adventure travel experiences on all seven continents, offering expedition-style trips including corporate team building, family-friendly tours, private groups, photography, and over-55 adventures.

Products and services

• ACMI Leasing (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance, Insurance)
• Wet Lease
• Dry Lease
• Charter Flights
• Medical Evacuation (MEDEVAC)
• Cargo Services
• Aircraft Maintenance Organisation (AMO)
• Approved Training Organisation (ATO)
• Zebu XPLORE Travel Agency

Quantifiable outcome

• Aircraft can serve runways with 800m take-off distance (Let 410 STOL capability)
• +1 more outcomes

Named customers4 records

Segments5 records

Ideal customer profiles6 records

Technology focussed No

API detail

Has API

No

API docs

API detail

Core technology

AI maturity

App detail

Feature3 records

Partnerships

Four partnerships are on record, tiered core and minor.

• Trans MagecoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2007Kenya-based aviation company established in 2007. Co-founding partner of Zebu Air providing East African operational expertise.
• Phab AviationcoreStrategic or Co-development Partner · 1 January 2005Seychelles-based aviation company established in 2005. Partner in founding Zebu Air and provides regional operational expertise in the Indian Ocean region.
• Mage RminorStrategic or Co-development PartnerMadagascar-based partner providing regional coverage and operational support in the local market.
• Zebu XPLOREcoreChannel Partner/ Reseller/ DistributorSubsidiary travel agency (zebuxplorer.com) offering adventure travel and tourism services. Provides distribution channel for travel services across seven continents.

Scale indicators3 records

Recent moves6 records

Expansion highlights6 records

Direct peers

• Air Atlanta Icelandic: Icelandic ACMI/wet-lease and charter operator with 747 and 777 freighters and passenger capacity; comparable ACMI business model with heavy-cargo and passenger charter overlap.
• Amelia (Regourd Aviation): French ACMI/wet-lease operator (formerly HOP! for business jets) providing regional aircraft and crew capacity to airlines; comparable wet-lease structure with European base and African/Med operations.
• SmartLynx Airlines: Latvian ACMI/wet-lease operator flying A320 and 737 families on behalf of European and African carriers; directly comparable ACMI model targeting similar seasonal and capacity-gap demand.
• Avion Express: Lithuanian narrow-body ACMI specialist serving airlines across Europe, Africa, and Asia; directly comparable ACMI model with similar geographic target markets to Zebu Air.
• Hi Fly: Portugal-based ACMI and wet-lease specialist operating Airbus widebodies for airlines worldwide; most direct comparator to Zebu Air's ACMI/wet-lease business model, though at a much larger scale.
• Titan Airways: UK-based charter and ACMI operator with A320, 757, and 767 fleet; comparable ACMI/chartermodel from a UK corporate base, serving corporate, government, and airline wet-lease demand.

Emerging players

• Ascend Airways: UK start-up ACMI/wet-lease operator launched in 2024 with737-800 capacity; comparable early-stage ACMI position with similar fleet type and target customer profile.

Others

• CAE Inc. Global aviation training leader and existing simulator partner of Zebu Air (CAE Simulateur); directly comparable training infrastructure and the natural anchor of the ATO business model.

Broad incumbents

• Western Global Airlines: US-headquartered cargo ACMI operator with 747 and MD-11 freighters; broader incumbent with overlapping wet-lease cargo capability serving time-sensitive freight customers.
• Flexjet: Large private-aviation incumbent offering fractional ownership, jet card, and charter; comparable only on the Hawker 800 / corporate-charter portion of Zebu Air's fleet, but as part of a much wider portfolio.

Market position

Strengths5 records

Weaknesses5 records

Competitive moat4 records

Key risks6 records

Key highlights6 records

Customer concentration

• LinkedInlinkedin.com/company/zebu-air

Compliance3 records

Revenue estimate

Valuation estimate

Number of profiles

Subsidiaries1 record

Funding overview

Funding rounds

Investors

Funding detail is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

M&A

Investments

M&A and investment is available on the Subscription and Enterprise plan.Contact sales →

Frequently asked questions about Zebu Air