In the summer 2018, private flights from Europe to the United Kingdom have increased 10% year over year
A recent German survey points out a 10% increase in private flights from European German-speaking countries to the United Kingdom. The increase is likely to be the same for France, Italy and other European countries, even though we haven’t got any data yet.
Brexit is getting closer – and private flights are seeing increased demand from business travelers for flights to the UK. Background is the falling pound that companies want to profit from. Indeed, since the Brexit referendum in 2016, he British currency has lost about 20% of its value compared to the euro, what makes British products and services quite competitive. This devaluation renders also more profitable building factories to produce goods such as cars in the United Kingdom.
In the summer of 2018, the private jet charters of German, Austrian and Swiss companies at Air Partner, an Austrian private flights broker, increased by almost 10% compared to the same period of the previous year. Business travelers flew to Luton, Farnborough, Northolt, Biggin Hill and Manchester airports most frequently.
“Our latest figures also suggest that European companies are still banking with the UK. Bookings for private jet travel increased by 8% compared to the same period of the previous year “, explains Markus Hilchenbach, Director Regional Business Development at Air Partner.
According to Hilchenbach, the trend towards more business trips to the United Kingdom is due to the fact that Brexit is imminent, and the losses of the British pound against the euro. In the past, private jet flights were mainly used by financial companies.
In the recent past, however, business travelers from IT, telecommunications, pharmaceutical companies, the music industry, the oil and gas sector have increasingly joined. Air Partner also sees corporate group charter growth for events and incentives, especially through technology and pharmaceutical companies.