CJI London: Operating business jets in 2026, ‘a balancing act’
Operating business jets in 2026 is a story of “robust demand” tempered by regulatory and supply chain pressures, according to operators speaking at CJI London 2026.
While business is “fundamentally strong”, executives warned that navigating a growing volume of new rules and persistent parts shortages is consuming more and more energy and resources.
“The simple answer would be: fantastic, never been better. But realistically, we are facing issues — not business-related, but regulatory,” said Robert Fisch, chief aviation officer at Luxaviation. He detailed an expanding rulebook, alongside new environmental reporting, SAF mandates and carbon emissions declarations. “We are allocating more resources to compliance rather than business development,” he added, noting that business aviation remains bound by airline-style regulations.
Supply chain delays remain a big frustration, sometimes grounding assets for weeks or months. “Waiting six weeks for a generator is unacceptable. You cannot ground an asset that long,” Fisch said.
Guy Farnfield, MD at Hyperion Aviation, highlighted that mid-sized operators are particularly squeezed for parts like windscreens, struggling against larger rivals with more buying power. This operational friction is testing client relationships, with Skyfirst founder and CEO Olivier Perdriel confirming some owners depart for fractional schemes or jet cards perceived as less risky. “When costs skyrocket unpredictably and aircraft are grounded for months, some move because they perceive less risk,” he said.
Despite these headwinds, the panellists reported that 2025 finished better than expected, with Farnfield noting “numbers in 2025 were better than 2024”. They also felt early 2026 showed signs of a pickup.
However, rising costs are a universal challenge, with management fees failing to keep pace. “Management fees have remained flat, or even decreased, while all other costs have risen annually,” said Perdriel. The panel agreed that explaining maintenance budgets that balloon from €100,000 to €1m is increasingly difficult. “If straight management doesn’t meet our financial benchmarks, we won’t take it on. We won’t race to the bottom,” said Farnfield.
Fleet modernisation and connectivity are becoming non-negotiable for charter competitiveness.
“We are seeing younger owners — around 40 years old, highly IT-literate… Their pace is faster. Expectations are higher. Decisions are immediate,” said Fisch.
Ultimately, the panellists concluded that success hinges on trust and deep client relationships more than any technical specification. “It’s about solutions and relationships,” summarised Fisch.
