The numbers say it was a flat year in charter, up from 2008's lows, far from prior highs, but essentially static since late last year in terms of demand, pricing and operations. But flat should not be read as placid. The year in charter was marked by noteworthy developments, including major expansions into charter from fractionally rooted providers; the ascendant demand for point-to-point pricing; a move toward right-sizing aircraft to the mission; and the rise of the suddenly super-sophisticated consumer. In addition were myriad examples of operators, brokers and other charter professionals adapting to the realities of a marketplace that will likely never return to what was once called normal. This special report on the charter market reviews the changes of the past year, and looks at where they will likely take us in the next.
By most measures U.S. charter operations flat-lined this past year. Cincinnati-based Argus, the aviation data research service, reports 55,759 charter operations were conducted in September compared with 54,436 the same month a year earlier, a 0.98-percent increase, after peaking at 58,949 this past March. Turboprops were the busiest aircraft segment during the year (approximately 20,000 operations per month), according to Argus, followed by light jets (approximately 15,000 ops per month). Heavy jets, the least in demand, stayed remarkably flat, at about 6,000 operations every month.
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