Dubai: UAE-based aircraft management and charter company Empire Aviation Group (EAG) will look at opening another base in Europe, despite slowing business jet usage in the region, according to a top company executive.
“We will look at some opportunities in continental Europe in the next 12 to 24 months,” said Paras Dhamecha, executive director at EAG, in an interview at the Dubai Airshow.
He said that Europe is the second biggest market for business jets globally, after the United States. However, business jet flights in Europe dropped five per cent year-on-year in October, according to a report released this week by WINGX Advance, which tracks air traffic.
“There is a gap in the niche offering that we have because a lot of the operators in that region are consolidating to become large, while we have concentrated on becoming a boutique management company,” he added.
The group already has operations in San Marino through its subsidiary Empire Aviation San Marino.
EAG has been expanding in the last 12 months, setting up bases in Hong Kong and West Africa. It has 10 aircraft operating in Lagos, Nigeria and one in Hong Kong.
Recent boom
Nigeria has become Africa’s biggest private jet market, ahead of South Africa and Angola, in line with the country’s recent economic boom.
EAG also has an aircraft sales office in the US, which opened last year.
Launched in 2007 in Dubai, EAG has a mixed fleet of 28 aircraft, which includes Dassaults, Embraers, Gulfstreams and Bombardiers. These are based in Dubai, Oman, India, San Marino, Hong Kong and Nigeria.
The group is increasing the number of larger aircraft in its fleet due to strong demand, according to Dhamecha, adding that it plans to add three large aircraft over the next year. He, however, did not name the aircraft.
“The trend has gone towards larger aircraft … There are more people travelling further for business, so the larger cabins give them flexibility,” he said.
