What is the connection between Juan Carlos I and Thomas Flohr: The owner of the Emeritus's jets

The Swiss businessman Thomas Flohr (1960) is a prominent figure in the aviation sector and plays a crucial role in Juan Carlos I's flights from Abu Dhabi. Flohr is the founder and chairman of VistaJet, a private jet company that was born in 2004. Felipe VI's father is a regular client of VistaJet, using its services for his travels from his residence in Abu Dhabi.

Thomas Flohr's connection to royalty is not limited to his relationship with Juan Carlos I. The Swiss magnate is also the father of Princess Nina of Greece, married to Prince Philip. He is the youngest son of King Constantine II of Greece and, therefore, nephew of the emeritus queen, Doña Sofía.

But what does the link between Thomas Flohr and Juan Carlos I hide? What is the story of the founder of the company VistaJet?

The link between Thomas Flohr and Juan Carlos I

In August 2020, Juan Carlos I established his residence in Abu Dhabi. Since then, his travels to some of his 'headquarters,' such as Sanxenxo (Pontevedra), Madrid or the Swiss city of Geneva, have been frequent. For these trips, Juan Carlos I uses the private jet service of the airline VistaJet.

Thomas Flohr burst onto the international scene in 2020. It was when he acted as a witness at the civil wedding of his daughter Nina Flohr with Prince Philip of Greece. The intimate ceremony took place in St. Moritz, Switzerland, and was attended by only five people, including the bride and groom and their parents.

A year later, in October 2021, the founder of VistaJet walked his daughter down the aisle at the religious wedding held at the Metropolitan Cathedral of Athens. This event brought together family, friends, and representatives of various European monarchies, marking the first royal wedding in the cathedral in almost six decades.

At that time, Thomas Flohr became related to the Greek royal family and, in fact, has been present at other significant events such as the wedding of Princess Theodora of Greece.

The beginnings of Thomas Flohr, a powerful aviation magnate

Thomas Flohr is one of the most powerful magnates in the international air navigation business elite. He was born on March 17, 1960, in Switzerland, although his childhood was spent in the city of Erlenbach (Germany).

After finishing his studies, he decided to take his first steps in the aviation field and started a flight course at the German airline Lufthansa, where he was rejected. It was then that Thomas Flohr temporarily distanced himself from the aviation field and began a degree in Business and Political Science at the Ludwig Maximilian University of Munich.

By the mid-eighties, Thomas Flohr had completed his university stage. In 1985, he began working at the American company Comdisco, which has a long history in the country's computer equipment leasing. At this company, Flohr was at the helm of the European division presidency and later the global asset financing vision.

It was then that Flohr began to forge his own business empire. He acquired much of Comdisco's European operations through Comprendium Investment, his own investment group, which he still leads, and whose headquarters are located in Switzerland.

Thomas Flohr's 'aerial empire': Power and controversy

Gradually, Thomas Flohr's name began to be recognized in the private aviation field since in the early 2000s, he acquired his first jet. It was a Learjet 60 model, a medium-sized executive aircraft designed for speed. However, the year 2004 would mark a turning point in the professional career of the powerful aviation magnate when he founded VistaJet.

For more than a decade, VistaJet has transported corporations or governments. Also, private clients from 187 countries, including King Juan Carlos I or singer Taylor Swift.

According to the LinkedIn portal, VistaJet is a pioneering company in commercial aviation. Its business model is innovative: clients have access to a complete fleet by paying only for flight hours.

However, traveling with this company is not within everyone's reach. For example, an hour of flight in a small cabin can be between 1,600 and 2,100 euros. A one-hour trip in a medium-sized cabin would cost about 4,000 euros.

Since he began in the aviation sector, Flohr has amassed a substantial fortune that Forbes magazine estimates at 2.3 million dollars. Meanwhile, his effort was recognized in 2016. The Swiss magnate was awarded the 'Entrepreneur of the Year' award at the Living Legends of Aviation awards.

Despite business success, Thomas Flohr's name has also been surrounded by controversy. In 2020, the US authorities announced their intention to seize some of the properties the Swiss businessman had acquired. One of them was a mansion valued at nearly 22 million dollars, located in Bel Air, one of Los Angeles's most luxurious residential neighborhoods.

This residence was bought from Kolawole Aluko, a Nigerian aviation businessman allegedly involved in a corruption scandal. According to several media outlets, Aluko partnered with Flohr to expand VistaJet in Africa.

In July 2020, a legal process began that culminated in an agreement between the US authorities and Flohr's legal team. Finally, Thomas Flohr paid the amount of 16 million dollars to solve the forfeiture case in which he had been involved.

The current life of Thomas Flohr

After that, Thomas Flohr returned to the spotlight after becoming related to the Greek royal family. And also for having acquired Jet Edge, one of the most important charter flight operators in the United States.

Currently, the magnate resides in the exclusive town of St. Moritz, where he usually practices motor sports. He has participated in competitions such as Le Mans, the East African Safari Rally, and the FIA World Endurance Championship. He is also a sponsor of the legendary Scuderia Ferrari team.

In addition to a millionaire business empire, Thomas Flohr has a significant contemporary art collection. It features works by renowned artists such as Jeff Koons, Keith Haring, and Sterling Ruby.

In the sentimental realm, Thomas Flohr married Katharina Konecny, a prominent figure in the fashion and jewelry world. Konecny has been the creative director of the exclusive jewelry house Fabergé and founding editor of Vogue Russia and Vogue Greece. The couple separated several years after marrying but reunited at the wedding of their only daughter, Nina Flohr, now Princess of Greece.

Another woman who occupied the Swiss magnate's heart was the model Shermine Shahrivar. They shared days at sea in the waters of Ibiza aboard the yacht with which Thomas Flohr usually sails the Mediterranean.

They say that sailing is another of the great passions of the founder of VistaJet that he shares with Juan Carlos I, one of his new (and exclusive) regular clients.