Saturday, Aug. 8, 2009 | 2:05 a.m.
Las Vegas hypnotist and success seminar operator Marshall Sylver says problems with a charter jet flight caused him emotional distress and gave him migraine headaches — apparently big problems for a man whose career has been based on harnessing the power of the human mind.
So Sylver and his company, Mind Power Inc., have sued the charter jet company, Executive Jet Management Inc. of Cincinnati.
In a lawsuit filed Thursday in Clark County District Court in Las Vegas, Sylver and Mind Power said they booked a Gulfstream 200 for a flight from Las Vegas to St. Thomas for Sept. 13, 2008, returning to Las Vegas on Sept. 21, 2008. The cost was $115,414.
The suit charges that Sylver thought he would be flying in a fast, 4-year-old plane, but at the last minute Executive Jet provided a larger and slower Challenger 601 aircraft that was at least 20 years old.
Sylver said he and his guests found the flight to be "extremely unpleasant" because the aircraft was not well maintained, with loose panels in the cabin, condensation dripping from the ceiling onto the passengers and their laptops and loud noise from the engines causing Sylver and another passenger to develop persistent migraine headaches.
"Plaintiffs and their guests experienced extreme fear that the Challenger 601 was not suitable for flight," the lawsuit charged, adding the plaintiffs' vacation itinerary was interrupted because the Challenger was slower than the Gulfstream.
The suit didn't say how much longer the flight took because of the change in aircraft.
The suit alleges breach of contract arising from the alleged "bait and switch" of the planes, intentional or negligent misrepresentation and unjust enrichment.
"Executive Jet Management provided plaintiffs with an aircraft that was in poor condition and did not perform in the same manner as the bargained-for aircraft. Executive Jet Management did not discount the price of the aircraft to reflect the lesser-quality aircraft," the suit charges.
Officials at Executive Jet Management could not be reached for comment on the lawsuit after hours on Friday. The company is part of billionaire Warren Buffett's Berkshire Hathaway Co.
Sylver is an occasional performer who over the years has headlined at such hotel-casinos as the Stratosphere and Harrah’s Las Vegas.
Sylver says on his Web site he is a respected business consultant sought by Fortune 500 companies and is the creator of the No. 1 personal development program worldwide.
He calls his Sylver.com Web site "the ultimate source on the Internet to learn the secrets of mastering sex, money and power!"
Join the Discussion:
Check this out for a full explanation of our conversion to the LiveFyre commenting system and instructions on how to sign up for an account.
Full comments policy