Business jets ease the aviation industry’s worries to an extent

Not all aircraft being delivered these days are getting the pushback from clients. Airbus’ brand new ACJ 220 business jet happens to be one such.

Modern lounge of an ACJ 220. “There was no negative impact on our backlog (or) on our deliveries,” said Stan Sphaberg, Airbus Corporate Jets Head of Commercial on the ACJ 220. “We see quite a potential in the Middle East - and we still want to keep that as a stronghold for the larger aircraft. But we do believe there is a strong potential for [ACJ 220].”

Luxury furnishings sit inside the cabin of a Lineage 1000 jet, manufacture by Embraer SA, at the Diamond Hanger, London Stansted Airport in Stansted, U.K. With jet fares running about 20% lower than average thanks to sharp dips in business travel demand and a host of other factors, switching from first class to private has become a more reasonable investment in health and safety.

An employee straightens cushions in a Gulfstream G500 executive jet.

Majlis setting on a Boeing Business Jet (BBJ).

There is lots more of cabin space, and these days that's quite a significant plus.

A dining room concept setting aboard a 777X BBJ.

The business jets, in contrast, continue to hold up, both in terms of demand for those already operational and those ready to be added to fleets.

An external rendering of the BBJ 777X.

The interior of a Gulfstream G650ER business jet, manufactured by Gulfstream Aerospace Corp., a unit of General Dynamics Corp.

The Airbus ACJ 220 thus comes to market at a time when business jets are getting a lot of traction. Priced at around $70 million, these aircraft have three times more cabin space than competing jets, and which should play well in times of safe distancing even in the skies. Plus, for owners and operators, Airbus promises a 25 per cent lower fuel burn.

Private jet travel growth soared during the earlier lockdown phase, and could yet stage a strong comeback with another one being in force in the UK and elsewhere.