Summer Demand Drives Bizav Recovery, but Not Everywhere

European business aviation activity has heated up since the start of summer, but worldwide flight hours have fluctuated as Covid continues to drag demand.

The seven-day rolling average data in WingX's Global Market Tracker shows how business aircraft traffic in 2020 (pink line) has continued to lag behind where it stood at the same time in 2019 (gray line). [Graphic: WingX]

By Charles Alcock • Managing Editor

August 6, 2020

Business aviation flight activity has seen a welcome resurgence in recent weeks, with positive trends being most evident in areas where demand for trips has been bolstered by the Northern Hemisphere summer season, according to the latest Global Market Tracker produced by aviation data specialist WingX. Throughout July and into the first few days of August, activity levels were just 18 percent below where they had been during the same period of 2019, with more than 23,000 business aircraft operating some 500,000 flight hours.

The European market, which historically has always counted on higher demand during the peak summer period, saw activity levels at 89 percent of the same time last year. By the end of July, WingX’s seven-day rolling average recorded more than 2,200 sectors, compared to 1,800 at the start of the month and just 452 during the most severe Covid-19 restrictions in April. Travel associated with events such as the Hungarian and British Grand Prix car races contributed to the stronger demand.

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