Business aviation matched 2019 levels in summer 2020

Since the start of the COVID-19 pandemic, just two segments of European aviation have managed an extended period back at 2019 levels of traffic: all-cargo and business aviation.

Business aviation briefly matched 2019 volumes in summer 2020.

The graph shows that this segment’s recovery then restarted in April 2021, passing 2019 levels in July and stabilising at 20%-30% above 2019 since August (2,728 average daily flights in Aug-Sep compared to 2,182 in 2019).

As a result, its market share has climbed from around 6% in 2019 (Jan-Sep), to 13% in 2021 so far.

Growth as strong as this comes from changes in both supply and demand: operators finding new ways to reach customers, and new services to offer, such as shared flights; plus new passengers turning to business aviation flights, because the connectivity they want isn’t currently available with the timing or quality that they want.

Already this year’s recovery for business aviation is more sustained than last year’s. In summer, the focus of business aviation switches to Mediterranean, leisure destinations: Nice-Côte d’Azur airport often takes the top spot from Paris Le Bourget in July and August.

This year was no exception to that rule, but Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Athens and Malaga were also all higher in the rankings than in a normal summer, with Palma, Athens and Malaga more than 40% above 2019 flights in August.

So leisure has clearly contributed strongly to the growth of business aviation.