WINGX’s weekly Business Aviation Bulletin.
Summary
Business jet activity in 2023 is stabilising at a little over 6% decline compared to last year, and between 15% and 20% up on 2019 for the year to date. Flight demand in Europe is flagging, although the UEFA Champions League Final drew in significant traffic. The US market remains buoyant, Florida and Texas the busiest.
Global
In the opening 11 days of June, business jet and turboprop activity was 6% below the same 11 days in June 2022, 17% ahead of pre-pandemic June 2019. Specifically, week 23 was 7% up on 2019, up 19% on 2019. In contrast, scheduled airline sectors have started this month 9% ahead of June last year, still 14% below June 2019. Focussing on just the top 5 airlines, (Southwest, American Airlines, Delta Airlines, Ryanair, United Airlines), commercial airline activity this month is 12% ahead of last year, 8% ahead of 2019. Dedicated freighter activity has dropped 12% at the start of this month compared to last year, 4% ahead of 2019.
Chart 1: Global fixed wing flights, 1st – 11th June 2023 compared to previous years. (Note business aviation includes turboprops
North America
In Week 23, business jet sectors grew 4% compared to the previous week, 8% below the same dates in 2022. So far this year, bizjet activity in North America is 18% up on 2019, 7% down on last year. Activity in the Caribbean this month is mixed, departures from the Bahamas on par with last year, Sint Maarten 12% ahead of last year, double digit declines across Jamaica and Cayman Islands.
In the US, Teterboro is the busiest bizjet departure point this month, although activity is 5% behind June last year, 3% ahead of 2019. Dallas Love Field, the second busiest departure point this month, is seeing 7% less demand than last year, 23% growth compared to 2019. 3rd ranked Washington Dulles is the only major bizjet airport to see growth compared to last year, departures 1% ahead of last year.
60% of flights in the region this month have been under 90 minutes in length, flights of this duration are 6% below last year, 16% ahead of 2019. Short haul flights (1.5 – 3 hours) are the furthest ahead of June 2019, departures up 31%, although down 9% compared to last year. Just 35 bizjet flights this month have been 12+ hours, 8% below last year, 17% ahead of 2019.
Chart 2: North America Business Jet Airport Trends 1st -11th June 2023
Europe
In Week 23, European business jet activity grew 4% compared to the previous week, although down 8% compared to the same dates in 2022. Year to date, bizjet activity is up 6% compared to 2019.
France is the busiest bizjet market in Europe this month, just over 3,600 departures, 10% below June last year, although 4% ahead of 2019. Most major European countries are experiencing a decline in departures compared to last year, notably the United Kingdom, Germany and Switzerland experiencing double digit declines compared to last year.
Paris Le-Bourget is the busiest bizjet airport in Europe so far this month, departures are down 13% compared to last June, 10% ahead of 2019. Nice, the second busiest airport in the region has seen activity drop 10% compared to last June, although 13% ahead of 2019. London Luton and Farnborough are two bizjet hotspots seeing 3% declines compared to June 4 years ago, Madrid Barajas down 32% compared to June 2019.
Istanbul airports (LTFM and LTBA) have started the month with very strong activity trends, reflecting the city´s hosting of the UEFA Champions League final on June 10th. During the event weekend the average daily business jet arrivals were up 226% compared to the previous 28 days, showing a sharper increase from normal activity than for last year at Le Bourget.
Chart 3: Champions League Final 2023 vs 2022.
Chart 4: European Business Jet Airport Trends 1st – 11th June 2023 compared to previous years
Rest of World
Outside of North America and Europe, business jet activity is 6% ahead of last June, 83% ahead of 2019. 17% of all departures are from Brazil, activity from Brazil is 6% ahead of June last year, triple digit growth compared to 2019. Australia and India are seeing declines compared to last year, -5% and -8% respectively, although both well ahead of 2019. China has started June 31% ahead of last year, although almost a third down compared to 2019. In Week 23, business jet activity in the Middle East grew 14% compared to the previous week, 13% ahead of the same dates in 2022.
Chart 5: Rest of World Aircraft Segments June 1st – 11th 2023 compared to previous years.
