“Integrating Starlink technology into our fleet represents a transformative step for OPUL Jets and places us among the leading private jet companies globally,” said Harry Ackerman, group CEO. “Our commitment to providing a superior travel experience aligns perfectly with the capabilities of Starlink, ensuring that our passengers can stay connected to what matters most, wherever they are in the world.”

The Starlink system promises download speeds ranging from 40-220 Mbps and upload speeds of 8-25 Mbps, with latency under 99 milliseconds. This allows passengers to stay connected whether they’re conducting business, watching live events, or just browsing the web. “With this installation, OPUL Jets passengers can enjoy high-speed internet with low-latency and seamless access to streaming, live sports, movies and more during flights,” claims the charter company.

The charter provider’s fleet includes Bombardier mid-size, super mid-size, and ultra-long-range jets operating from bases in London, Dubai, Mumbai, and the Isle of Man. First to receive the Starlink system will be company’s Bombardier Global Express XRS, which has an intercontinental range of 6,500nm. The new Starlink internet service will begin this month aboard an aircraft operated by AV8Jet Charter, Malta.

Installation of the Starlink hardware will be completed during routine maintenance checks to avoid disruption in service. Each aircraft will be fitted with an Aero Terminal (the antenna), a power supply unit, and two wireless access points, all interconnected with minimal, basic wire harnessing. The installation was carried out by ACC Columbia, Germany and supported by Starlink Aviation’s technical team.

Starlink uses a constellation of low Earth orbit (LEO) satellites to deliver stable and high-throughput internet connections.

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This will be the first time EBACE delegates will have the chance to explore the joint system, which has been designed to improve sales, management and operational workflows for customers, including charter brokers and operators, aircraft management companies and flight departments. 

Greg Jarrett, STACK.aero CEO said: “We are looking forward to showing delegates how the integration enables more powerful commercial tools, including interactive digital presentations, consistent customer communications, reliable reporting and analytics. The integrated system saves time, reduce errors, optimise budgets, and remove silos to present easy-to-access, reliable customer information in real-time across both platforms.”

The single platform creates a portfolio of CRM, commercial, marketing, reporting, financial and administrative tools. Additional value is added by integrating with the FL3XX system. For example, trip requests, quotes, and bookings are generated in STACK.aero and automatically align with CRM data held within the FL3XX system to present the user with detailed information about passenger preferences, likes and dislikes. This information is then shared with FL3XX to support the flight operation.

Paolo Sommariva, CEO and founder of FL3XX added: “This integration allows us to directly address the daily challenges our operators encounter. It’s about providing our clients with an experience that feels effortless and deeply intuitive, effectively bridging the space between achieving operational goals and exceeding customer expectations.”

EBACE delegates are invited to visit booth E54 for a full demonstration.  

Catherine Buchanan, business development director at STACK.aero, will join the UAS forward discussion panel to discuss how technology supports personalisation. The panel will take place on Wednesday 29 May, at 3pm on the UAS booth B51.

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The orders include two BBJ 787-8s, one BBJ 737-7 jet and the first option to purchase a BBJ 777-9. Joe Benson, president, BBJ said: “We are off to a strong start with four orders. What I love about our orders and commitments is the diversity – we have each part of our family [range] represented in these orders and commitments.”

The BBJ range offered VIP customers “the right combination of comfort, performance and best-in-class operating economics …”, he told a press meeting at EBACE.

Incorporating the latest technologies from the manufacturer’s commercial aircraft, the BBJ range consumes significantly less fuel compared with previous generations of each aircraft, said the OEM.

Alexis Fecteau, director of Marketing, Boeing hailed the recovery of the market for large business jets in Europe and elsewhere. While European business jet traffic is 8% down this year compared with last year, it remains about 6% up on the level before the pandemic, said Fecteau quoting WINGX data. “With a recovery in commercial traffic – both domestic and international – it makes us think that the business jet improvement in numbers is going to be persistent and good for the industry,” he added. Once new clients had tried private jet aviation, it was difficult for them to return to commercial airline travel.

The European market, accounting for 12% of the business jet fleet, is the second largest after North America and “is very strong”, said Fecteau. “Growth of about 4% in the large jet market shows strong demand for intercontinental and trans-oceanic travel.” About 14% of BBJ fleet is based in Europe and 40% of all BBJ flights either take off or land from European airports, according to Boeing.

Meanwhile Benson, who was appointed to his current role earlier this month, described it as his “dream job”. He pledged to bring both stability and continuity to the company. The manufacturer has sold more than 260 jets since its launch in 1996. Pictured is the new BBJ 737-7, expected to enter service in 2025.

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Company CEO Eymeric Segard said that after two years of “post-pandemic unsustainable growth”, the European business aviation market is experiencing a major decline in activity.

“Our industry is highly cyclical and exposed to macro swings, we are not surprised by this slowdown in Europe. We had largely anticipated this situation, but nonetheless remain very concerned by this new market,” said Segard.

According to Guillaume Launay, head of Sales, LunaJets, the private jet charter operator reported a 40% revenue growth of $150m and a record 1,250 new clients last year, despite a slowdown since August.

“However, from January our revenue and bookings have decreased by 3% which is disappointing but well above market average,” said Launay, adding that the firm’s summer pre-booking level has been later than usual too.

This has meant that pricing and availability are better than last year, however. “We now predict a return to normal after the chaotic Summer 2022 due to airport and supply issues have abated significantly,” said Launay.

For Segard, the slow start for LunaJets comes as a warning of things to come for the whole of business aviation.

“Low-interest rates, merger and acquisitions and corporate activities at all-time highs are clearly behind us, as we foresee a hard landing for our industry with potential supply dislocation risks if conditions remain,” said Segard.

There are similar predictions coming from elsewhere in the industry. Last week, Global Jet Capital, the business jet financier forecast a fall in pre-owned aircraft transactions in 2023.

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Kurt Edwards, director general, IBAC said: “We are excited to have these two distinguished business aviation leaders join IBAC as partners and thank them for their support. IBAC’s work serves the diverse needs of the global business aviation community and we welcome industry participation to further build our resources, capabilities, and ultimately strengthening the voice of business aviation.”

With about 4,000 employees and 50 locations worldwide, Jet Aviation’s offerings include: aircraft management, charter, completions, defence, FBO, maintenance and staffing. “We are delighted to partner with IBAC to continue to work together to strengthen the industry in service of our customers and our employees,” said David Best, senior vice president regional operations & GM Americas, Jet Aviation.

“We are committed to enabling global flight, with passion and we look forward to the opportunity to contribute the knowledge we have gained over 55 years as a global business aviation service provider to further the important work that IBAC does to keep business aviation flying around the world.”

Corporate Jet Investor strengthens business aviation by informing and connecting the aircraft transactional sector, since 2010, with its global events, and conferences and timely industry editorial commentary and guidance, said Edwards.

Alasdair and Louisa Whyte are co-founders of Corporate Jet Investor. “It is an honour to join IBAC as an Industry Partner and we look forward to working with them to further advance business aviation, especially as the industry evolves with advanced air mobility and a heightened focus on sustainability,” said Louisa.

The IBAC Industry Partner programme is open to business aviation manufacturers and service providers including MRO, aircraft management, transactional and other sectors. As an Industry Partner, members have the unique opportunity to assist IBAC in shaping standards before they are adopted and applied as regulations by CAAs in their sovereign countries.

 In addition, there are opportunities for Industry Partners to work closely with the 15 IBAC member associations, participate in an IBAC advisory committee, and be recognised for leadership and commitment to the global business aviation community.

Pictured above, Alasdair Whyte (L) and Louisa Whyte, co-founders of Corporate Jet Investor, receive their certificate marking their admission to IBAC’s Industry Partners programme from the council’s Kurt Edwards and Leo Knappen. They received the certificate at CJI’s Dealmakers Dinner at EBACE 2023.

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Some of the activists travelled over from the UK to take part. Several attached themselves to aircraft before being removed by the police. At least 102  protestors were arrested, according to Greenpeace.

They caused major disruptions with Geneva airport closing the runway. Aircraft were forced to divert to Zurich and Lyon before being refuelled. Burning many extra litres of fuel. The static display was closed for a short period.

“This is a completely unacceptable form of protest,” said NBAA president and CEO Ed Bolen and EBAA chairman Juergen Wiese in a statement. “We condemn the action, and the threat it has posed to the safety and security of exhibiting companies and EBACE attendees, and others at Geneva Airport.”

The industry is open to “constructive dialogue about the industry’s sustainability leadership”, they said. “And we regret the protestors’ unfortunate decision to disregard an opportunity for that dialogue to take place.”

In the afternoon there was a planned demonstration with between 150 and 200 protestors outside Palexpo. The demonstration included representatives from environmental pressure groups Transport & Environment, Extinction Rebellion and actif-trafiC.

Youri Bernet, an activist representing actif-trafiC told CJI protestors were there to demonstrate against the symbolism of private aviation. “How can you ask someone to reduce their emissions and fly less when there are private aircraft flying above them? Private jets are not something that should exist in this type of climate crisis.” he told CJI. “This is the second biggest event for private aviation in the world and Geneva is one of the most important airports in Europe for private aviation. This is not acceptable in the climate crisis we face.”

Robert Baltus, chief operations officer, EBAA  explained that his organisation is constantly talking to environmental groups – such as the Brussels-based Transport & Environment pressure group. “We agree on the need to decarbonise aviation but we have a different timetable and approach [to the protestors],” he told CJI.

“While we agree to disagree on the timetable, we tell everyone what we are doing,” said Balthus. “It would be really good to look behind the one liner [slogans] and see what we are truly doing and to decarbonise aviation.”

Both EBAA and NBAA point out that today’s protests ignore business aviation’s success in cutting its carbon emissions by 40% over the past 40 years, while working towards achieving net-zero emissions by 2050.

“We think sustainability is a licence to survive,” Giovanni Russo, chief operating officer of Geneva Airport told the keynote session of EBACE 2023 in the morning. “And, it’s even more applicable in aviation.” That licence was illegally revoked briefly today.

This is from Corporate Jet Investor’s One Minute Week email – you can sign up for free here

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However, unlike the harmless stories to which the author was no doubt referring, for businesses, the truth has started to bite back. From the Netflix-worthy stories of WeWork and Theranos to FTX and Wirecard, it turns out that eventually a phrase of unknown origin, but one used by my father regularly, has proved a far better philosophy when it comes to business which is: “Numbers talk, bulls**t walks”.

The aviation industry has proved far from immune to the culture of the story, rather than numbers-led business plans securing funding. We had the run of ‘tech’ charter brokerages, with their smoke and mirrors. This was followed by the dawn of the special purpose acquisition companies one of which has been getting lots of coverage lately. There is always a risk of the hype being tripped up by the inevitability of the mathematics known by most in the industry, but ignored by those building a story rather than a long term profitable business.

Air Charter Service on the other hand, has a simple model, but it has built a company which arranges over 28,000 charter flights per year, worth over $1bn, and doing so having made a profit in each of our 30 years in business. Firstly, we build relationships with customers and airlines locally from our 30 offices around the world. For every trip we find the right aircraft and operator for our clients, and we find the right clients for operators. We have set up local companies, with local charter experts speaking local languages, using local bank accounts, local lawyers from São Paulo to Shanghai. We have an operational infrastructure to offer a service that others simply cannot. We like to think we do things properly. We have grown our operation through offering our customers a service in which they see the value and we have done so sustainably. Our numbers talk.

We have a stand at EBACE this year near the entrance to the static display. We are looking forward to meeting those industry partners we know already, and those we don’t. We are sure there will be some interesting stories to share this year.

About the author

James Leach is chief marketing officer,  Air Charter Service Group.. His email address is: james.leach@aircharterservice.com

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Joining Avfuel in its booth at EBACE are branded FBO partners Avflight, representing a network of 24 FBOs and 20 ground-handling locations; Castle & Cooke Aviation (KVNY, PHNL), offering nonstop excellence and nonstop elegance in California and Hawaii; Duncan Aviation (KLNK, KBTL, KAZO, KPVU), known for its outstanding MRO and FBO services; Fargo Jet Center (KFAR), offering an ideal U.S. entry point along the great circle route; and Overland Aviation (KXWA), featuring a beautiful, new facility for U.S. entry.

Team members from Avfuel and the FBOs will be on hand to answer questions throughout the show, and to connect with attendees at the in-booth Champagne Mingle event Wednesday, May 24, from 2 – 4 p.m. in booth N72.

“We look forward to sharing our sustainability progress with an international audience, and how the breadth of the Avfuel Network can work for operators,” Joel Hirst, senior vice president of sales, said. “With more than 3,000 fueling locations globally, Avfuel can assist operators wherever their journey takes them. In addition to Avfuel’s core programs—like Avfuel Contract Fuel, FBO branding and insurance—the team will highlight newer programs like price risk management, which provides customers with fuel-price certainty so they can budget with confidence.” 

Flight operators can also stop by booth N72 to sign up for an Avfuel Contract Fuel account, the convenient payment platform for fuel and ground handling at 3,000+ global locations, and flight departments’ gateway to significant savings on fuel and ancillary purchases.

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Extinction Rebellion activists blocked entrances to Geneva’s private jet terminal during a protest on Saturday, November 16, 2019, targeting what they claimed was “an absurd means of transport”.

About 30 activists blocked the three main entrances to the terminal for about two and half hours, supported by about 70 other protestors who clapped, sang and displayed placards, according to the Swiss news website 20min.ch.

Extinction Rebellion spokesperson Micaël Metry said in a statement: “We want to denounce this completely absurd means of transport since a private jet emits 20 times more CO2 per passenger than a conventional airplane.”

A Facebook post on the pressure group’s website added: “We have blocked the private jet terminal to defend the principle of climate and social justice. This means of transport is completely absurd.”

Protestors from the pressure group – committed to forcing government action on climate change and biodiversity loss – later dispersed peacefully at the request of the police.

No impact on travellers

A spokesperson for Geneva Airport said that the protests had no impact on travellers.

“This demonstration had no impact on passengers and our airport operations on Saturday. Geneva Airport strives, in close collaboration with its partners, to provide its service to passengers, so that they can use our infrastructure without any inconvenience,” said the spokesperson.

Geneva is one of Europe’s busiest private jet airports. In May it hosts the annual European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition.

Requests for activists to join the protestors appeared on the Extinction Rebellion Facebook page on November 11. Amongst the roles available were: activist, spokesperson, social media management, legal observer, blocker, guardian of peace and musician. A total of 165 people said they were interested in attending the event.

The protest was live-streamed on the Extinction Rebellion’s Geneva Facebook page. The 65-minute video shows the activists peacefully protesting outside the terminal. At one point the video pans around to show the business jet ramp, with several aircraft parked. As of writing, the video has been viewed 4,555 times.

The Extinction Rebellion site claims a private jet is responsible for 20 times more CO2 per passenger than a commercial aircraft. Commercial flights account for 2% of global carbon emissions. Only 2% of the 2% of emissions are from private jets.

According to an airport spokesperson: business aviation at Geneva Airport is an important source of job creation and greatly benefited the local economy. It is also important for the international organisations, located nearby.

‘Sustainable development’

“Geneva Airport has been implementing for years a sustainable development strategy, which is reflected in numerous actions aimed at reducing the impact of our airport platform on the climate and the environment in the broadest sense,” says the spokesperson.

Recent years have seen a push towards using sustainable aviation fuels (SAF), which cut total emissions by up to 80%, a far greater percentage than the 50% emissions that business aviation has pledged to cut by 2050.

The protest comes shortly after a UK Labour politician called for a ban on fossil-fuelled private jets from UK airports by 2025. Shadow Transport Secretary Andy McDonald was replying to a report published by Common Wealth, a left-wing think tank with a strong relationship with Labour leader Jeremy Corbyn, and the campaign group A Free Ride, which argues for a tax on frequent flyers.

McDonald’s comments were criticised both by the National Business Aviation Administration (NBAA) and by the International Business Aviation Council (IBAC).

Even though business aviation accounts for only a minuscule portion of transportation emissions, “the industry is pressing ahead on SAF”, said Kurt Edwards, director-general, IBAC. “Instead of singling out business aviation for prohibitive restrictions on airport access, UK leaders should focus on efforts to make SAF more widely available in the UK through positive incentive policies to encourage production and use of SAF in greater quantities.”

It is not the first time that the Extinction Rebellion has targeted aviation. In October 2019 an activist managed to ‘glue’ himself to the top of a British Airways plane at London City Airport. Pictures on the BBC.com website showed the man lying on the top of the fuselage of an Embraer 190.

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In addition to recognising the Palexpo’s own environmental initiatives – including its use of 15,000 roof-mounted photovoltaic cells to generate 4.2 gigawatt-hours of electricity per year, enough to power 1,350 residential households – ISO 20121:2012 certification also encompasses the venue’s environmental sustainability requirements for vendors and exhibitors.

For example, among many such measures in place at EBACE include optimised show equipment and transportation alternatives to reduce the number of vehicles required on-site, and extensive use of recycled and reusable materials for show carpet, exhibit displays and event signage.

Nearby Geneva Airport (GVA), the location for the EBACE2019 static display of aircraft, last year earned the highest level (3+) in the Airport Carbon Accreditation campaign led by Airports Council International Europe. Geneva Airport, the third-busiest business aviation airport in Europe, was the 37th airport in the world to achieve carbon neutrality.

EBACE2019 is the premier event showcasing the importance of business aviation throughout the European continent, bringing together business leaders, government officials, manufacturers, flight department personnel and others involved in nearly every aspect of the industry.

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