Editor's Desk:

It’s September – back to business

Alison Chambers, Resilient Aviation Editor.

The world’s airlines need their passengers to come back. Likewise, business aviation needs to maintain the extraordinary demand it has seen during the summer with the majority of airlines still at only 50% to 70% of capacity.

The ongoing ‘quarantine roulette’ which makes it so hard for operators to plan, is heaping on considerably more pain. Airline punctuality must at least be at a record high. In no other circumstance could you be out of the airport, on your way home, before you were scheduled to land.

Flying with easyJet to Mallorca and getting through Gatwick and Palma Airports in peak August was a breeze. Yet the eerie quietness of the airport terminals and worryingly low load factors is a big concern from an economic and mental health point of view. An estimated 100,000 jobs are feared to be lost from aviation as a result of this pandemic.

As Marc Bailey, CEO of the BBGA writes in this issue, experienced aviation leaders (and valuable mentors) face being forced into early retirement. More worryingly, young people are being put off from pursuing an aviation career. That is if Greta Thunberg, Extinction Rebellion and climate change hasn’t influenced them already.

London Oxford Airport, which features in GearupTV’s 'throwback' video, saw its business jet traffic up 27% in August compared with August 2019. Interestingly, it noted the jets flying in were notably bigger. Air Charter Service highlighted a 93% increase in enquiries. Many, as Victor and PrivateFly highlight here, are first time flyers turning to private charter. This is all great. But, the holiday bonanza season which saw passengers heading off to their second homes or using private jets to dodge quarantine restrictions, is over. Autumn is here and winter is looming. The real economic test starts now.

Amidst this backdrop, it is pleasing to see some genuine green shoots being pioneered by entrepreneurs from business aviation. We are pleased to highlight just a few of these here. This title will continue to run monthly, hosted by BlueSky, to the end of the year. We will, however, continue to champion and share examples of innovation and creativity on our Twitter @ResilientAv and LinkedIn @resilientaviation feeds.

As Richard Koe highlighted on last week’s informative Corporate Jet Investor Town Hall - now is the time to innovate.

Keep safe. Keep well.