WINGX’s weekly Business Aviation Bulletin.
Summary
During a week where the industry has faced violent protests and media criticism, the post Covid rebound in bizjet flights in Europe is ebbing fast. The US market is holding onto its gains, although the charter market is softening.
Global
Seven days into November, business jet and prop activity is 1% behind the same November period last year, 12% above pre-pandemic comparable November 2019. For business jets only, activity is 2% below the same period last year, 15% ahead of three years ago. Global passenger airlines started the opening week of November 23% behind pre-pandemic November, 11% ahead of last year. Focussing on the top 5 global airlines (Southwest Airlines, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Ryanair, United Airlines), flight activity is 9% above the same period last year, 2% below three years ago. Dedicated freight activity is 3% above the same 7 days in November 2019, although 5% below comparable last year.
Global Fixed Wing activity November 2022 compared to previous years
North America
So far this month business jet activity is on par with last year, 14% above three years ago. In Week 44 ending November 6th, activity across the region dipped 2% below the previous week, 1% above the same week in 2021. In the last four weeks activity is trending 1% above last year.
North American Business Jet Markets, 1st – 7th November 2022 compared to previous years
So far this month the US business jet market is well ahead of three years ago, activity is up 17% compared to November 2019, although 1% below last year. Other key North American markets are behind pre-pandemic November, Canada activity is down 12%, Mexico down 33%. Busiest regional bizjet airport Teterboro is seeing 2% growth compared to last November, 8% decline compared to three years ago. Palm Beach Intl is 41% above three years ago, though 2% below last year, Las Vegas McCarran is 5% ahead of three years ago, 8% below last year. Van Nuys is seeing demand up by 3% compared to last year, 18% above three years ago.
United States business jet airports, November 2022 compared to previous years
Europe
So far this month business jet activity in Europe is 16% lower than in November last year. Despite this drop, activity is still 12% above pre-pandemic November. In Week 44, activity fell 10% compared to the prior week, 18% below the same week in 2021. In the last four weeks activity is trending 17% behind the same period in 2021.
Paris Le-Bourget is the busiest European bizjet airport so far this month, departures 15% below last year, although 15% above three years ago. Milan Linate is in fact the only busy airport to see activity above last year, bizjet departures up 4% compared to last year, 37% above three years ago. Elsewhere Ataturk and Amsterdam Schiphol are ahead of last year, 40% and 2% respectively.
Aircraft Management and Branded Charter fleets are the busiest operator types in Europe this month. But both are seeing significant drops in flights compared to last year, respectively 28% and 22% fewer flights. In contrast, Private flight departments are flying 13% more than last year, 79% ahead of three years ago, fractional fleets are 5% busier than November last year, 49% above three years ago.
Business Jet Operator Types, Europe, 1st – 7th November 2022 compared to previous years
Rest of World
Outside of North America and Europe, business jet activity is 22% ahead of last year, 53% above three years ago. Across the ROW region there were just over 4600 flights operated in the first 7 days of November, Brazil, the busiest market is seeing activity in 10% decline compared to last year, despite 55% growth compared to three years ago. Business jet flights in China have recovered to 24% above last year, despite being almost half of three years ago. Egypt, host of the COP27 conference is seeing 19% more activity compared to November last year, 41% more than three years ago.
There were on average 1.8 daily business jet arrivals into Sharm El Sheik airport during the last four weeks, 32 on the opening day of the COP27 conference. During the opening weekend there were a total of 37 bizjet arrivals into HESH, compared to 79 arrivals into EGPK, EGPH, EGPF during the opening weekend of COP26 in Glasgow last year.
Arrivals into Sharm El Sheik airport (HESH), 10th October 2022 – 6th November 2022
