European business aircraft flights in May were 2% down on 2013

A Dassault Falcon 7X lands at London City Airport (Photo: Alud Davies).

Economic uncertainty and political instability on the fringes of Europe slow down business aviation’s recovery, according to new data from WINGX Advance.

Dassault’s Falcon 7X has been a popular aircraft in the first half of 2014 (Photo: Alud Davies).

European business aircraft flights increased by 17 per cent in May 2014 from the previous month, but fell by 2.2 per cent when compared with activity in May 2013.

According to WINGX Advance, the European market is currently below 2013 activity levels by 0.6 per cent.

ALSO READ: How European business aviation fared in 2013

Richard Koe, managing director of WINGX Advance, said: “The combination of the EU’s uncertain economic recovery and the instability in its peripheral regions is continuing to impede any generalised recovery in business aviation activity.”

Compared to last May, France, Italy, Spain, Switzerland, Russia, Ukraine and Turkey all lost activity.

Germany and the UK were more prosperous, along with Portugal, Greece, Belgium and the Czech Republic, and there was a significant increase in the number of business aircraft flying into Europe from North America and the Middle East.

Business jet activity fell by 2.3 per cent, which was largely triggered by a 34 per cent decrease in Ukraine, while the 2014 UEFA Champions League final held in Porto saw flights to Portugal increase by 70 per cent.

Demand for ultra-long-range business jets grew by 19 per cent year-on-year, with Gulfstream and Dassault enjoying gains up 25 per cent and 13 per cent respectively. Dassault’s Falcon 7X has been particularly popular throughout the year so far with 19 per cent activity increase.

Very light jets also continued their trend of increasing activity across every month since 2012.

“After some growth in Q1, Q2 is resembling the pattern of the last 18 months’ recession: a vibrant demand for ultra long range aircraft, a migration of cost-conscious customers to VLJs, and in between, waning demand for the excess capacity of mid-size and light jets,” said Koe.