Business aviation marked a key milestone in Europe last month, reaching a consecutive full year of traffic growth, the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) reported today. Traffic was up 8.9 percent in October, the 12th straight month of year-over-year increases, the association said, citing Eurocontrol data.

“October was a watershed month for business aviation movements in Europe, denoting the first full year of traffic growth since 2008,” said EBAA CEO Brandon Mitchener. “What's more, all European countries have experienced traffic growth since January 2017, and all the top 10 business aviation airports in Europe have seen positive traffic figures since the beginning of the year.”

Last month was the best October in movements since 2009, the association further reported. The 8.9 percent improvement matched the gains in August and fell just shy of the 9 percent jump marked in March.

Business aviation departures at London Biggin Hill jumped 15.1 percent in October and departure growth in 2017 overall at the UK airport is among the strongest in Europe, up 16.3 percent. France, which leads Europe in average daily flights, marked an 8.8 percent improvement in October, compared with a year earlier.