November marked another upward month for business aviation in Europe, with flight departures soaring 6.1 percent year-over year, to 61,837, taking the year-to-date growth trend to 4.2 percent, according to data released yesterday by WingX Advance. However, activity last month was still down 10.5 from the pre-crisis peak in November 2007, the business aviation information firm noted.
The largest growth last month came in Western Europe, with business aviation departures up “significantly” in the leading markets—the UK, Spain, and Switzerland. Year-to-date, Germany has added the most flights, though, WingX said. Smaller markets in Europe, including Greece, Belgium, and Portugal, still saw activity rise in November by more than 15 percent year-over-year, with flights from Poland and Croatia up 25 percent. Business aviation flights from Turkey dipped 12 percent last month, but year-to-date growth there is 6 percent.
Business aviation arrivals into Europe surged in November thanks to strong growth in transatlantic connections, WingX noted. Meanwhile, arrivals from the CIS region and Middle East were flat, and North Africa arrivals fell. Flights from Europe to Latin America declined 5 percent.
Air charter activity continued to be the main overall growth driver, representing 47 percent of activity and rising 10 percent year-over-year. According to WingX, charter growth rates since the summer have exceeded 8 percent each month. Private activity improved slightly last month, but it was flat for the business jet segment.
WingX noted “solid growth” at French airports Paris Le Bourget and Nice, with the latter recording the most growth of any airport this year. Notably, Geneva International Airport reported 13 percent growth in departures, all from increased charter activity. Spain’s Ibiza Airport experienced 15 percent growth in business aircraft traffic, and London Biggin Hill departures climbed by 23 percent from a year ago.
“November’s flight activity was typically low-season, but the strong year-on-year growth is evidence of the ongoing recovery in demand in 2017,” said WingX managing director Richard Koe. “A lot of the additional flying is being operated as large-cabin [charter] missions on short European sectors, suggesting some aggressive pricing. Excess capacity is encouraging the buyer’s market.”
