Business aviation in 2014 delivered its first positive growth figures since 2011, and the industry is optimistic that this is just the beginning of its upswing. Three of the four key European markets – France, the UK, and Italy – contributed
robust figures (up to 2.2%). However, since business aviation is intimately tied
to the health of the economy, the overall growth rate was a muted 0.7% on the
previous year.

Competitiveness was at the heart of the discussion. Often construed as meaning solely a level playing field for European versus foreign competitors, the more immediate challenge to business aviation is of a different nature, pertaining to distortions within the European market. A competitive air transport ecosystem must allow all its components to flourish alongside one another; access to air and ground infrastructure cannot be based on a zero-sum game. For business
aviation, a distinct, but sometimes overlooked segment of the air transport sector, this is crucial.