Story ID: 23fFBOSurveyIntroAINApril2017
AIN FBO Survey 2018: Worldwide Results
By: Curt Epstein
Caption: Operators ready for long-promised rebound.
Word Count: 386
European business aviation activity has experienced a modest improvement of late. Between 2016 and 2017, departures from European airports rose by 4.6 percent, numbering 676,202 departures, according to data from the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA).
Private jet activity rose by approximately 5 percent during that period, observed Richard Koe, managing director of industry data tracker Wing X Advance. “The generally reported increase in global business aviation industry confidence is reflected in increasing flight activity trends,” he told AIN. While activity for privately owned aircraft and usage by corporate flight departments has not yet rebounded, “charter activity in Europe has clearly recovered over the last 12 months, especially business jets,” Koe added.
Overall, France saw the most private aviation departures in 2017, at nearly 130,000 for the year, according to EBAA statistics, with Paris Le Bourget leading the pack at nearly 26,000 flights, followed by Nice Cote D’Azur International Airport at more than 17,000 departures. Geneva, London Luton, Zurich, Farnborough, Milan’s Linate Airport, Vnukovo in Moscow, Rome’s Ciampino, and London Biggin Hill rounded out the top 10 European airports in terms total departures for the year, said Wing X Advance.
While Germany and the UK were second and third in terms of departures, each with more than 98,000, Spain and Greece saw the highest percentage growth in activity at 9 percent and nearly 15 percent, respectively, according to Wing X statistics. Incoming traffic from North America also rose by 4 percent year over year. “On the international scene, growth is accelerating, and advancing beyond the U.S. in several key markets in Eastern and Western Europe,” Stephen Dennis, chairman of Aviation Resource Group International (ARGI), told AIN. “Very few operations are being sold internationally, as the most successful operators are increasing their investments in their operations, preparing for increased growth.”
More business aviation activity is good news for the region’s fixed base operators (FBOs), and to serve those passengers and aircraft, Europe’s major airports have attracted capable service providers, which have established facilities in the North American style, with comfortable lounges and amenities for crews and passengers. Each year, in its FBO Survey, AIN asks its readers to rate the locations they visit, and the results show that the top service providers in Europe can compare favorably to their counterparts across the Atlantic.
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