UK's Farnborough Keeps Top Spot in AIN FBO Survey

Though the past year was one unlike any other the business aviation industry has faced due to the Covid pandemic and its chilling effect on global aviation, there remained at least one thing that went on as normal, uninterrupted: the AIN FBO Survey. For more than three decades, AIN has conducted its annual survey, in which we ask our readers to rate the FBOs they frequent worldwide.

Readers are given the opportunity to evaluate FBOs they visited during the previous year in five categories: line service; passenger amenities; pilot amenities; facilities; and customer service representatives (CSRs). For each of these categories, the participant is asked to assign a number from 1 to 5, with 1 being the lowest. AIN's online survey database now offers respondents a comprehensive list of 4,500 FBOs worldwide, and here we present this year’s top finishers in Europe, Middle East, and Asia.

EUROPE

4.66 Farnborough Airport (EGLF), UK

Of course, the 60 percent dip in 2020 aircraft movements compared with the 32,000 recorded in 2019 was a shock to the system, but overall the UK’s Farnborough Airport has shown resilience throughout the ongoing Covid-19 crisis and continued its more than decade long reign as the most highly-ranked FBO outside of the Americas in the AIN survey.

While FBOs outside North America tend to lag in terms of scores, Farnborough’s overall rating is high enough that the FBO, which was ranked second-highest in the world by readers this year in the facilities category (4.85), would place among the top 10 percent of North American service providers.

Its immaculate three-story, 52,000-sq-ft business aviation terminal features VIP customer lounges that can accommodate up to 60 people for high-volume flights, conference rooms, crew lounge, and snooze rooms, work area, passenger and crew shower facilities, laundry service, and gymnasium. Drive-through customs and immigration clearance is available, along with an on-airport hotel (The Aviator).

CEO Simon Geere, who succeeded Brandon O’Reilly in July 2020 following the September 2019 purchase of the property by Macquarie Infrastructure and Real Assets, now feels able to anticipate a resurgence in activity as travel restrictions start to lift.

Geere told AIN that he anticipates a “sharp recovery” with business aircraft operators better placed to respond to demand for flights than airlines that face ongoing struggles to manage yield and profitability from their less flexible scheduled services. While acknowledging that business aviation has suffered with “expensive assets parked on the ground,” he said it has been encouraging to see new customers gravitating toward private charter services in the months between the UK’s three national lockdowns when travel was permitted.

Evidence of this glass-half-full perspective can be seen in plans to add a third hangar to add to the pair of three-bay units already on-site that offer 240,000 sq ft of climate-controlled shelter. The company will seek approval for this construction later this year, as part of a process in which it works closely with local authorities to manage growth within the currently agreed confines of 50,000 annual movements.

Farnborough is also proud of its standing as the first purpose-built business aviation airport to be certified as carbon-neutral.

“Our main focus now is on further improving the customer experience and we have an incredible canvas to build on,” he commented. In addition to initiatives such as new electric ground power units, Farnborough aims to make sustainable aviation fuel (SAF) available to operators within 12 to 18 months.

4.61 Universal Aviation, London Stansted Airport (EGSS), UK

Universal Aviation, the ground handling arm of Texas-based Universal Weather and Aviation, operates FBOs and general aviation terminals around the world, from Beijing to Barcelona and Singapore to Toluca, but its facility at London Stansted Airport continually earns its highest accolades, according to AIN readers. Home to the company’s European operations center, and its flight planning and trip support services, the two-story, 11,000-sq-ft facility offers a wide variety of amenities and services, including VIP arrival and departure lounges, conference rooms, crew lounge, and crew business center, shower facilities, dedicated in-house security screening, customs and immigration areas, and catering preparation kitchens.

“Our facility is often likened to a boutique hotel,” said Sean Raftery, Universal’s senior director of international business for Northern Europe and Africa. “That is probably as much about the team and the attention given to our customers as it is about the fixtures and fittings,” he said. Indeed, the location which has a staff of 60 and is normally open from 7 a.m. until 10 p.m., received its highest score (4.79) this year in the CSR category.

The facility, which has obtained Stage 2 registration in the International Business Aviation Council’s IS-BAH program, has been in operation since 1984. “Our in-depth local knowledge and our long-established relationships with the regulatory and government authorities help take the pressure off the customer,” Raftery told AIN. “Passengers arriving at London Stansted can be on the road within minutes of landing, and are able to concentrate on their purpose for coming to the UK, and not be distracted by complications.”

With 40,000 sq ft of private ramp, the facility has the ground equipment to handle the largest passenger aircraft. While the UK has been severely impacted by the Covid pandemic, Raftery noted the demand to fly remains. “Customers need borders to be open, but also hotels and restaurants, and while lockdown is necessary, it has of course made travel difficult.” He added that the company has worked ceaselessly with its clients to help them navigate the ever-changing regulations and requirements.

4.48 Jet Aviation, Schiphol Airport (EHAM), Amsterdam, Netherlands

In operation for more than three decades as the KLM Jet Center and from 2018 when it was acquired by Jet Aviation along with its sister location in Rotterdam, the FBO at Amsterdam Schiphol Airport has long been an outstanding performer among our readers. Located just off the airport’s Runway 04/22, which is primarily used for general and business aviation, Jet Aviation’s nearly 5,000-sq-ft facility occupies approximately 60 percent of the airport’s general aviation terminal and includes two passenger lounges, two crew lounges with a pool table, beverage bar, computer workstations, international television channels, and on-site immigration and customs clearance.

Open daily from 6 a.m. until 11 p.m. with a staff of 22, it offers dedicated refueling and deicing services on the ramp. “This set-up allows us to perform quick turnarounds and fuel stops for all types of customers,” explained Edwin Niemöller, the company’s senior director of FBO operations for the Netherlands. As a result, the facility tallied its highest category total this year in line service (4.62). While the location does not possess hangar space of its own, it can, depending on availability, accommodate aircraft all the way up to the size of an ACJ or BBJ.

Over the past year, like other FBOs in the world, the location worked to establish protections and social distancing during the pandemic. “We had to rapidly adjust to the challenges of Covid and do everything in our power to ensure the health and safety of everybody visiting our facilities and using our services,” Niemöller told AIN. “Despite the uncertainties and ongoing challenges posed by Covid, I’m very proud of how our teams are supporting customers and flight operations in this environment.”

The FBO earned its IS-BAH Stage 1 registration in 2020 and, according to Niemöller, is currently preparing for its Stage 2 certification audit in October.

ASIA-PACIFIC

4.50 ExecuJet Australia, Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (YSSY), Sydney, Australia

Earning its spot among the top-rated international service providers in AIN’s FBO Survey for the second straight year is ExecuJet’s location at Australia’s Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport. Over the past year, the facility which serves the country’s largest city, underwent a refreshment, including a complete interior repaint of its 3,230 sq ft of passenger and crew lounges, as well as its trio of conference rooms and catering preparation kitchen.

The FBO also includes on-site customs, immigration and quarantine services, valet parking, and crew concierge. Other improvements were made to the ramp, with new lines drawn to extend the parking area and the maximum wingspan of the apron increased to the latest ultra-long-range business jets such as the Bombardier Global 7500 and Gulfstream G700.

“This is an important step in future-proofing our service offering, as new aircraft types are added to the industry, and means that the ExecuJet ramp is now the only private, direct-access bay on the airfield that can cater for aircraft this size,” said Darren McGoldrick, the company’s v-p for Asia-Pacific. The FBO has access to two hangars, one occupied by its collocated MRO facility, as well as the largest hangar on the field, which it manages. The latter can accommodate four large-cabin business jets, with room to spare for a midsize jet.

In operation for 35 years, and part of the global ExecuJet chain since 2017, the IS-BAH Stage 2-registered location received its highest scores this year in the customer-facing line service (4.72) and CSR (4.69) categories. “The relaxed and comfortable nature of traditional Australian customer service seeps into every conversation with the ramp and customer service agents, where clients are welcomed and the team's combined 170 years of experience bolsters confidence in decisions and planning,” McGoldrick told AIN.

The Sydney location—like all of the company’s FBOs—participates in the FlySkills Hygiene Certification Program, with Socotec-approved Covid control processes.

4.46 MJets FBO, Don Mueang International Airport (VTBD), Bangkok, Thailand

MJets FBO, which serves Thailand’s capital city’s private traffic aviation at Don Mueang International Airport, has been in operation for more than a decade now. Its new facility has impressed AIN readers since its debut in 2016, resulting in it being the highest-rated FBO in Asia.

The 26,000-sq-ft, two-story terminal celebrates its fifth anniversary this year and is open 24/7. It features on-site customs, immigration and quarantine clearance with visa availability on arrival, crew suite with three sofa beds and shower facilities, 3,400-sq-ft executive lounge that can accommodate up to 75 guests, private passenger lounge, conference rooms, and concierge. These attributes enabled the FBO receiving its highest scores (4.62) in the passenger amenities and facilities categories.

Those amenities are certainly there for those who want them, but the facility is known for its quick-turn capabilities. “Normally, a passenger will spend less than seven minutes in the terminal for formality and screening process before boarding the aircraft for an international trip,” said company chairman Jaiyavat Navaraj. “For domestic trips, it takes even much less time.”

Customers can even arrange security services through the FBO ahead of arrival.

The location, which was the first in Southeast Asia to earn accreditation under IBAC’s voluntary International Standard for Business Aviation Handling (IS-BAH), has now reached Stage 2 in the program and is currently in the process to obtain Stage 3.

A full-service FBO with a staff of 176, the location offers aircraft charter and management services, operates its own Part 145 repair station with AOG service, and has more than 86,000 sq ft of hangar space, which is currently home to 14 jets and turboprops.

4.27 Jet Aviation, Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport (YSSY), Sydney, Australia

Private aircraft operators heading to Australia’s largest city have their choice of service providers at Sydney Kingsford Smith Airport, with two FBOs there earning recognition among FBOs outside of the Americas in this year’s FBO survey.

Jet Aviation’s facility, which was last remodeled in 2017, consists of a nearly 31,000-sq-ft terminal with on-site customs, immigration and quarantine clearance, passenger lounge with complimentary refreshments and snacks, crew lounge, shower facilities, and vehicle access to its 26,000-sq-ft private apron. The company also has hangar space available to accommodate several jets, up to the size of a Dassault Falcon 7X, and two large-cabin-jet parking bays directly outside the terminal. Established in 2002, the IS-BAH Stage 1 registered location is normally operational from 6 a.m. until 10 p.m., with after-hours callout available.

The FBO earned its highest score (4.41) in the CSR category. “We strive to get to know and understand our customers so we can anticipate their needs,” said general manager Andy Gahan. “We also always try to provide a warm, personalized welcome, whether it’s washing a customer’s vehicle as a surprise when they are away, starting their vehicle just prior to the aircraft arriving to cool it down, collecting favored catering, or anything else we can think of that we know they’ll appreciate.”

Like many in the industry, Gahan noted that the location saw a significant drop in international traffic over the past year, the result of border restrictions brought on by the Covid pandemic. While business aircraft movements on the domestic side were down as well, the facility has seen an uptick in local aeromedical operations, sports charters, and military flights. The location instituted a business continuity plan that included PPE requirements for employees and customers, increased facility and vehicle cleaning measures, reduced face-to-face interaction between staff and customers, and online training for employees on signs and symptoms of exposure.

MIDDLE EAST

4.25 ExecuJet Middle East, Dubai International Airport (OMDB), Dubai, UAE

One of the busiest airports in the world in terms of international flights, Dubai International has several FBOs to choose from, including ExecuJet Middle East. In operation for 15 years, the location offers a 12,300-sq-ft terminal with eight passenger lounges, a transit lounge, prayer room, duty-free shop, showers, business center, and in-house customs and immigration clearance, all of which combined to earn the facility its highest score (4.42) this year in the passenger amenities category. According to regional FBO manager Dumani Ndebele, clients can walk off the airplane and pass through the facility—immigration and customs cleared— within minutes.

Flight crews have their own dedicated lounge with ensuite washrooms and massage chairs. The company has a complete renovation of the facility scheduled for this August, which will update the crew lounge with an entertainment center and add club and majlis lounges.

Home to a dozen private jets and turboprops, ExecuJet also manages 55,000 sq ft of hangar space at OMBD capable of sheltering aircraft up to a Boeing 737-800, which can be used for transient aircraft storage or the company’s maintenance activities.

In operation 24/7, the IS-BAH Stage 2 registered FBO shares 42 employees between this location and its smaller facility at Al Maktoum International Airport/Dubai World Central. A new terminal and hangar complex currently under construction will open there in 2022.

Dumani explained that Dubai has remained largely accessible during the pandemic, resulting in record flight movements. Following the lockdown period, it became a regional hub for connections between commercial airlines and private jets, which saw many private aircraft operators reposition their aircraft there. Dumani noted that traffic has increased month-on-month, with March showing a 40 percent increase over 2019 numbers, with much of the traffic originating from Russia and CIS countries.

4.18 Jet Aviation, Dubai International Airport (OMDB), Dubai, UAE

Global FBO operator Jet Aviation has an extensive FBO network throughout the Middle East including locations at both Dubai International Airport and, since 2017, Al Maktoum International Airport/Dubai World Central. The former earned recognition in this year’s AIN FBO Survey.  

The FBO, a member of the Air Elite Network, and staffed 24/7 was founded as a joint venture with the Al Mulla Business Group in 2005. It occupies a stand-alone 10,700-sq-ft terminal, and tallied its highest score for passenger amenities (4.30), offering executive lounges with a refreshment bar, a conference room, a prayer room, duty-free shop, on-site customs and immigration clearance, and door-to-door VIP transfers for customers between commercial airlines and their private jets. For crews, there is a lounge with a snooze room and flight planning area. Aircraft cleaning, both inside and out, is available along with fueling coordination.

The IS-BAH Stage 2-registered facility’s 54,000-sq-ft hangar, which can shelter a pair of bizliners, is currently home to nine based aircraft and the company’s Part 145 repair station, which can provide everything from line to heavy base maintenance to scheduled checks to AOG service. The FBO’s ramp can accommodate aircraft up to a Boeing 747, and the company plans to install a 400-sq-ft stand-alone staff canteen just outside the hangar.

According to Phillippe Gerard, Jet Aviation’s director of FBO operations in Dubai, the 60 staff members there are experts at building and establishing long-term meaningful relationships with its clientele. “Our customers know and trust us to ensure their safety and well-being as they travel throughout the region and around the globe,” he told AIN. “They are comfortable when they visit us and they feel safe in our care with every take-off and landing.” In light of the Covid pandemic, the company has installed a temperature scanner at the facility’s entrance as well as an in-house nurse to manage the PCR testing for passengers.