Business aviation is continuing to return to pre Covid-19 levels globally according to industry analysts WingX Advance.
Overall, the sector continues to recover much quicker than commercial airline flying, which is down 57 percent in the U.S. and 60 percent in Europe as it continues to stutter under the lingering effects of Covid-19.
Meanwhile in comparison, business aviation is down only 12 percent year-over-year so far in September in the U.S. which is a marked improvement from the declines experienced in the peak of Covid-19; those figures reading June (20 percent), July (18 percent), and August (16 percent).
WingX provided context to the to the recovery story for business aviation, adding the recovery is occurring at different rates through the various regions. Some 65 percent of global activity is the U.S., Europe, the next busiest market, has seen activity drop to circa 6 percent below September 2019 after posting a 3 percent year-over-year jump in August.
Demand for charter flights is the leading activity propelling the recovery of private and business aviation.
However, as with the global stage, recovery is uneven throughout the U.S. with traditionally busy charter markets such as Teterboro, McCarran Las Vegas, and Oakland still “way behind,” expected numbers.
On the flip side, Van Nuys is up 5 percent year-over-year and, following the trends of more leisure flights, with charter gains also posted at Miami-Opa Locka, West Palm Beach, and Nantucket.
Charter flights between the U.S. and the Bahamas are up 11 percent thus far this month.
According to WingX managing director Richard Koe: “The European market is showing predictable slowdown as leisure demand winds up, although the light jet charter market has stayed resilient. That may change in the second half of the month as holidays end,”.
“The U.S. market is improving on its recent YOY trend, with the boost coming from charter operations. A key question for the industry going into Q4 is whether the new first-time users of business aviation will stick.”
For more information on business aviation intelligence: wingx-advance.com
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