WINGX’s weekly Business Aviation Bulletin.
Summary
Since week 4 of this year we have seen widening declines in bizjet flight activity compared to same weeks last year, with double digit declines in charter activity in each week since week 7, with this week 11 seeing 16% year on year dip in the US, 22% decline in Florida, 10% drop in charters in Europe. The recovery in longer international sectors is also running out of steam, transatlantic traffic falling 1% behind record levels in February 2023.
Global
Worldwide business jet sectors in Week 11 of 2023, March 13th through 19th, amounted to 70,444 sectors, a 1% decrease compared to week 10 2023, a 7% decrease compared with the same dates in 2022. The global trend for the last 4 weeks is 8% behind the same dates in 2022. Global Part135 and Part91K bizjet activity in week 11 was 14% below the same dates last year. For the year-to-date, January through March 19th 2023, business jet and turboprop activity is 2% behind last year, 12% ahead of 2019.
Global fixed wing flights, March 1st – 20th 2023 compared to previous years. (Note: business aviation includes turboprops)
North America
In Week 11, 54,888 bizjet sectors departed North American airports, 3% less than Week 10, 10% fewer than the same dates last year. In the last four weeks activity is 9% behind last year. Part135 and Part 91K activity during week 11 was on par with week 10, 16% below the activity during the same dates in 2022. So far this month 88% of bizjet activity is domestic flights. Domestic flights are down 11% compared to the same 20 days in March 2022, 14% ahead of 2019. International sectors are down 4% compared to last year, 10% ahead of 2019.
Teterboro is the busiest departure airport for part135/91k bizjets this month, although activity is down 16% compared to last year. Super midsize jets are the busiest in the 135/91k fleet departing from airports in the United States, sectors down 6% compared to last year. The Embraer Phenom 300 is the busiest aircraft type this month, and the Cessna Citation Latitude is the only top aircraft with activity ahead of last year.
North America bizjet markets, March 1st – 20th 2023 compared to previous years.
Europe
In Europe, 10,045 bizjet sectors were flown in week 11, 8% more than in week 10, 1% fewer than the same dates in 2022. In the last four weeks, flight activity has fallen 11% below the same dates in 2022. For the full month, sectors are down 7% compared to last year, 5% above 2019. Excluding Russia, bizjet flights this month are 6% behind last year, 8% ahead of 2019. 71% of bizjet activity this month is on international flights, these flights are 7% below last year, 7% above 2019. Domestic bizjet sectors are 7% down on last year, on par with 2019.
The top European markets this month are seeing declines compared to last year. France, the busiest market this month is 7% behind last year in terms of flight departures, United Kingdom also down 7%. Germany has seen sectors fall 4% behind last year, 2% behind 2019. Departures from Russia are down 35% compared to March last year, 59% down compared to 2019. Le Bourget is the busiest departure airport this month, flight down 3% compared to last year, elsewhere Geneva down 11% compared to last year, Farnborough down 8%, Zurich up 1%, Amsterdam Schiphol up 18%.
Europe’s busiest airports, March 1st – 20th 2023 compared to previous years.
Rest of World
In Week 11 of 2023, March 13th through March 19th, bizjet activity in Africa was up 15% compared with the same dates last year, Asia up 28%, Middle East up 17% and South America up 11%. So far this month, total ROW bizjet activity is 17% ahead of last year, 78% ahead of 2019. Brazil, Australia and India were the busiest three countries, all seeing demand well above last year. Tracked business jet activity in China is 48% higher this month than in March last year, but still 8% below comparable activity in 2019.
Bizjet activity in Saudi Arabia this month was 45% ahead of last March, 92% ahead of 2019. Average daily bizjet arrivals into King Abdulaziz International Airport (OEJN) during the F1 Grand Prix last weekend (17th – 19th March) saw triple digit growth compared to the 4-week average, although the total traffic was down on the last two years’ events.
Saudi Arabia F1 Grand Prix Business Jet Arrivals
