Business Aviation Means Business

Private jet use in the Middle East continues to soar

According to MEBAA — the Middle East & North Africa Business Aviation Association — the Middle East’s private aviation sector grew around 26% year-on-year in 2022 in terms of aircraft movements, thanks in part to the positive impact of Expo2020 Dubai and the FIFA World Cup 2022 but also as a result of the growth in aircraft registrations in the UAE. The business aviation sector is now looking to sustain healthy future growth and is confident of achieving this.

Business jet manufacturers may still be facing issues such as in the supply chain, which delays some deliveries of new aircraft. However, the market for pre-owned aircraft remains healthy, although there is still the challenge of finding high-quality aircraft for buyers.

According to WINGX, in the rest of the world (excluding North America

Shantanu Mehrotra Director of Finance, Empire Aviation

and Europe), business jet activity started January 2023 38% above last year, with demand 82% above pre-pandemic January 2020 and 50% above 2021. At the end of 2022 to early January 2023, activity in the Middle East was up 28% compared to a year ago and, at the moment, Al Maktoum is the busiest business jet airport in the rest of the world region. Honeywell recently published its 31st annual Global Business Aviation Outlook, which forecasts strong fiveyear purchase plans for new business jets. The business aviation industry has benefited from first-time private aviation users and buyers, which is thought to be the result of the pandemic. According to Honeywell, almost 74% of surveyed new private aviation users expect to maintain the same level of flight in 2023 as in 2022, and only 4% expect to fly less in 2023.