Over 1,500 business aircraft flights for World Economic Forum 2014

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Private jets parked at Zuirch AIrport during WOrld Economic Forum 2014

Early reports suggests that more private jets flew into World Economic Forum 2014 than in the last five years.
Private jets parked at Zuirch AIrport during WOrld Economic Forum 2014

Private jets parked at Zurich Airport during World Economic Forum 2014 (Photo: Alex Burlet).

Around 725 unique business aircraft were responsible for a total of 1,595 flights during the week of the World Economic Forum 2014, held from 22-25 January in Davos, Switzerland.

Data from WINGX Advance shows 1,451 private jet flights and an additional 144 piston and turboprop movements between 20 January and 29 January 2014.


Zurich handles the bulk of traffic

Zurich Airport – home of Jet Aviation and ExecuJet – handled 67 per cent of the total business aviation movements and St. Gallan Airport, near Lake Constance, handled 25 per cent.

Most business aircraft arrive on 21 January (Source: WINGX Advance).

Most business aircraft arrive on 21 January (Source: WINGX Advance).


Business jets return to Davos after economic slump

Jet Aviation says it handled 726 business aircraft flights at its Zurich FBO during the Forum, as well as a number of business jets at the nearby military airport in Dübendorf.

Coincidentally, 726 is the same number of business jets that the FBO handled at the 2012 event in Davos and also in 2011, reflecting a 10 per cent increase in traffic from 2010.

An additional 150 business aircraft movements were handled by ExecuJet in Zurich, which was a record for the company.

From 22-25 January, Air Service Basel also says it handled up to 60 business aircraft movements – up from around 24 movements over a typical four-day period – at its facility at Basel Airport, including around 20 long-range business jets and 40 small and medium-sized jets. At peak periods, there were up to 20 aircraft parked.

More than half of flights were on heavy/large jet aircraft (Source: WINGX Advance).

More than half of flights were on heavy/large jet aircraft (Source: WINGX Advance).


Ultra-long-range jets dominate

More than half of flights were on heavy/large jet aircraft, according to WINGX Advance, with ultra-long-range business jets dominating the aprons with a total of 410 movements. There were also 387 heavy jet movements and 137 corporate airliner – or ‘bizliner’ – movements.

Cessna’s Cittaion XLS and the Dassault Falcon 7X jets were the most-used business aircraft over the week.

Flights from France, the UK, Switzerland and Germany generated over half of the total arrivals, with the US responsible for around 6 per cent. Saudi Arabia and the UAE were the only other countries outside of Europe with five or more inbound business aircraft flights.


PHOTOS: Gulfstreams flock to Zurich

Alex Burlet, an aircraft photographer and blogger, described the scenes at Zurich Airport as a “paradise” for business jet fans, claiming that “more than a dozen” Gulfstream business jets flew into the airport on 21 January. This included four Gulfstream G650s operated by US cororations (including Exxon Mobil) and Coca-Cola’s G550, as well as a BAe 146 aircraft, which flew in British prime minister David Cameron.

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