Private Sky Aviation Services, a private airplane facility at Southwest Florida International Airport for three decades that has hosted Air Force One visits from presidents Barrack Obama, Donald Trump and Joe Biden, will be getting future competition from a company with trillions of dollars in assets.

Private Sky has alleged betrayal by Signature Flight Support LLC, a future competitor.

On Nov. 5, Private Sky sued Signature, which is owned by three of the nation’s most lucrative private equity companies that combine to own multiple trillions of dollars in assets. BlackRock ($11.5 trillion), Blackstone ($1.1 trillion) and Cascade Investment ($1 trillion) co-own Signature.

Signature Flight Support LLC bills itself as the world’s largest fixed-base operator, or FBO. FBOs provide aviation services, including refueling, hangar space and maintenance work for private aircraft.

Signature has more than 200 locations around the world but nothing yet in Southwest Florida. In 2021, Signature approached Private Sky to discuss acquiring it, according to Private Sky’s lawsuit. The Fort Myers-based company instead offered to share proprietary information to help Signature improve its profitability at other airports.

But Private Sky said it did not realize Southwest Florida International Airport had been making overtures to Signature about coming on board as an FBO.

“Private Sky gave Signature access to nearly all its confidential information and entered into a Mutual Confidentiality Agreement for a Proposed Transaction,” the lawsuit filed by Private Sky said. “But Signature was not telling the truth. Signature used its false assurances to squeeze Private Sky for its confidential information and then breached the Confidentiality Agreement by submitting a proposal to RSW to open a competing FBO at RSW using Private Sky’s information. Signature never made an offer to Private Sky; it made an offer to RSW instead. It appears RSW will be awarding the bid to Signature, which would complete Signature’s scheme to trick Private Sky into making disclosures that Signature could use to destroy Private Sky.”

Signature CEO Tony Lefebvre, one of several Signature leaders named in the lawsuit, could not be reached for comment.

At the Lee County Board of Port Commissioners meeting Nov. 7, Private Sky CEO Victoria Wolanin spoke during public comment, urging the commissioners, who double as the Lee County commissioners, to move against bringing in Private Sky’s competition.

“Private sky has been your partner for decades,” Wolanin said during public comment. She declined to comment further afterward. “We have weathered tough times and natural disasters together, not to name the two that just happened, right? We have enjoyed growth and success together for many years. Private Sky and my family haves invested tens of millions of dollars to improve our airport here. If you vote in favor of Signature’s proposal, you are, in effect, voting for the death of your partner. We sent you all the complaints that we have filed that relate to this matter. What we have said in those complaints is true, and now that you finally have the knowledge, because it is public, we implore you to please do the right thing. That is all I have to say.”

Commissioner Brian Hamman then moved to bring in a second FBO in addition to Private Sky. The motion passed 3-1, with Cecil Pendergrass opposing and Mike Greenwell absent.

After the meeting, Pendergrass and Hamman explained their decisions.

“Putting myself in the shoes of Private Sky, the company that already does this out here at the airport, I completely understand that they want to protect their business, and I understand them asking the government to step in and try and protect their business, but the truth is, we are required to have fair and open competition here,” Hamman said, noting he made his motion so that the Federal Aviation Administration would continue funding the airport with grant money.

“The FAA, who controls all the airports, wants us to have fair and open competition here,” Hamman said. “And the facts are that we do have the land available, and we do have companies that want to compete. And so, at this point, because we are a fast-growing airport, the best decision to make was to go ahead and move forward with negotiating with somebody else who could also provide the service. It doesn’t push one out. It really just opens up the ability for another company to also provide the service.”

During the meeting, Port Authority Executive Director Steven Hennigan noted that it’s unusual in Florida not to have multiple FBOs at the same airport. Palm Beach International Airport has three. Jacksonville International Airport has two.

“Orlando has a handful,” Hennigan said.

Miami was the rare example of only having one FBO, Hennigan said. Signature is Miami’s FBO.

“Private Sky’s been here over 34 years and been a great partner, and I’m making sure we protect their interests,” Pendergrass said of his vote against a second FBO. “Also, that was my concern today, making sure that we present the current lessee that’s here today doing business with us, paying all the fees all these 34 years. But looking out for the local business that currently exists.”

Private Sky is asking for a jury trial to determine financial damages Signature’s alleged betrayal has caused.