Story ID: 3100212alerts
Charter Demand Increase Suggests Long-term Recovery
By: Charles Alcock
Caption: 
Word Count: 198
Forecasted demand for charter flights this month is up on a year-over-year basis but lower than last month, according to the latest data from online charter portal Avinode. At 158.54, the company’s forward-looking demand index for the 30-day period beginning October 1 was almost 12 points down on where it was on September 1. Nonetheless, the index was still 40 points above where it was this time last year, suggesting that a gradual long-term recovery is continuing.

Over the same period, Avinode’s October 1 price index for the next 30 days was essentially flat in both the U.S. and European charter markets, with marginal increases since September 1 and from a year ago. Average flight-hour rates paid over the past six months showed somewhat more fluctuation, based on three sample aircraft types.

In North America, rates ranged from a 2.6-percent decrease for a Cessna Citation Excel since June 30, to $3,622, to a 6.3-percent increase since March 30 for a Bombardier Challenger 604. In international markets, the Challenger and Citation both achieved only marginal rate increases over the past three months. At €3,424 ($4,707), the Hawker 800 was almost 7 percent higher on September 30 than three months prior and 36 percent above the rate for March 30.