Brussels: The use of private jets has increased in Europe by 30 percent as compared to before the pandemic. At Brussels Airport in Zaventem, private jet use has seen an uptake of almost 40 percent.
Business executives, CEOs and Celebrities are most likely to board private jets, which happens more frequently, per the European Business Aviation Association. The maximum number of private jets in Europe increased to 180,000 monthly, a 30 percent uptake compared to pre-pandemic times.
Also, London is the most popular destination for private jets, with no less than 12,000 private flights in July. The figures doubled for Naples, while Amsterdam and Berlin saw the most significant increases. Brussels Zaventem airport is an increasingly popular destination for the wealthy, with the maximum number of private jets rising by 40 percent, a figure well above the European average.
After COVID-19 restrictions were lifted, demand for airlift tickets increased quickly. At the same time, staff shortages at the airports have led to chaos at most of the European airports this summer.
With the greatest demand for private jets and a sharp rise in the cost of Kerosene, fares have increased. A flight from Paris-France to Mykonos-Greece now costs about €25,000, which is almost double the price a year ago. Yet steep costs are not an obstacle for most travellers.
Along with this, the availability has resulted in a backlash in France after recently revealing that the transport and media company Bolloré Group had operated three private flights on the same day. It was discovered that the private jet emitted 22 tonnes of CO2, the equivalent of what a passenger in a car would talk over ten years.
Furthermore, the transport minister of France, Clément Beaune, had discussed measures to combat the use of private jets, such as companies owning private jets being required to disclose their flights or banning flights if train alternatives exist.
