“Now we are operating from four London bases, we are seeing a notable increase in enquiries, with interest in our services from first time charterers / and aircraft owners,” he noted. “Alas, COVID -19 is going to be with us for some time. We have responded by adding additional flight crew and increased our AOC coverage to operate a wider number of aircraft, including heavier business jets.”
Private charter on the up – London Oxford Airport
James Dillon-Godfray, head of business development at London Oxford Airport commented: “Since the onset of the pandemic, the demand for private travel is unquestionably on the up with the assurances of bare minimal contact possible when utilising such jets. It’s great to have the CJ2 join our charter fleet based at Oxford. Its size and range are ideal for the majority of requests we see for European trips. With direct access to the door of the aircraft by vehicles, it’s possible here to go from aircraft touch-down to leaving the airport entrance by car in just four minutes. Some of the motorsports industry-related operations we handle have also benefited from the COVID-19 swab testing we can offer on a pre-bookable, on arrival basis. Fast turnaround-time results can be arranged from local Oxford laboratories if required, for that extra peace of mind.”
As a value add, London Oxford Airport, as sister company to the London Heliport at Battersea, offers 22-minute Heli shuttles with local based helicopter charter companies to and from both airfields. It also offers 50% landing fee reductions for jets over 15-tonnes flying in to Oxford and transferring by helicopter to the Heliport. According to latest Eurocontrol statistics, jet traffic at the airport was 11% up over September 2019 movements.