Business jets are seen at the National Business Aviation Association exhibition in Las Vegas, Nevada, in October, 2019. – REUTERSPIXA pick-up in leisure trips and easing European travel restrictions are driving demand for business jet flights this summer, fuelling cautious hopes for a rebound in an industry hit hard by the coronavirus pandemic, executives and forecasters said.
Adam Twidell, chief executive at Private Fly, a global booking service for charter flights, said his company's booking levels are around 80% of last year's mark in Europe, and over 100% in the US, helped by inquiries from new passengers. But industry executives cautioned that the green shoots of demand for private aviation will only continue into the fall if there is a pick-up in company travel.