Special jetsetters.

When Gary Mansour started Avion Private Jet Club LLC in 2003, he thought he'd be catering to first-class passengers tired of commercial airline travel.

But he soon realized that customers of the Beverly Hills-based membership jet program were accustomed to special treatment. In fact, he said about 50 percent of Avion's 60 members already pay up to millions of dollars for fractional ownership or hourly time cards to use private craft.

"It is pretty interesting how over 10 months, we have realized such a great higher end than ever was anticipated," he said. "They are not looking at Avion to replace anything. They are using it as a second option when it makes sense."

For these passengers, Mansour said, exclusivity is all important, and they'll pay top dollar for privacy. At Avion, initial membership costs range from $12,500 to $50,000, depending upon whether the member is an individual, couple, family or corporation.

The service is more exclusive than commercial first class. While the passengers are not alone on the flights, they fly with other high-paying customers. Unlike other private programs, Avion offers per-seat pricing, and passengers don't have to fork out for the entire jet.

It's a concept unique to Avion, but Mansour said it could be catching on: He's heard of other companies considering setting up shop in other parts of the country.

Avion runs two flights per week between Los Angeles and New York and expects to add six more. The company once planned to run flights to Cabo San Lucas and Las Vegas, but opted to stick with the popular cross-country route. The flights are operated by Burbank-based Avjet Corp.

Mansour conceived of Avion after 9/11, when demand for private travel spiked. He said he saw clients at his Beverly Hills agency, Mansour Travel Co., which specializes in the luxury sector, overpaying to fly private jets, and be wanted to provide a lower-cost option.

Mansour said the first flight, on March 6, 2004, was profitable. As a whole, he estimated Avion will be profitable within the first two years of operation. "It looks like it will be right on target," he said.

Meanwhile, Mansour Travel Co. will be opening a London branch office in spring. The office will be the first full-time branch office for the boutique travel agency. However, Mansour Travel runs a seasonal branch office in Cannes, France, for the Cannes Film Festival.