Piper M600 single engine turboprop. Photo: Piper.
The new CEO of the European Business Aviation Assn. (EBAA), Brandon Mitchener, said traffic numbers are reaching heights unseen in several years, the association said.
“We’ve now had six months of steady growth in traffic numbers and they’re the best since 2011,” Mitchener said. “This is an exciting time for business aviation, with innovative new aircraft, technologies and business models coming to the fore. The industry is looking dynamic as it expands its offerings for new and existing customers and aircraft owners.”
While presenting the state of the European business aviation industry at the association’s annual press conference, Mitchener underlined the value business aviation brings that commercial and other types of air transportation do not. In business aviation, customers have direct access to destinations more quickly, even remote destinations. This type of flexibility is only enhanced by mechanisms like online booking platforms and better pricing. Customers can also choose between single and twin-engine aircraft.
“We are reaching out to new types of customers, one-third of whom are first-time private jet users, and many of whom are in the 25 to 34 age segment, comprising a tech-savvy new audience of fliers,” said Ricardo Gato, CMO of Stratajet.