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China’s rich businesses and individuals have drastically increased their use of private jets this year, with a total of almost double flights compared to pre-pandemic levels, as the country’s economic recovery causes a shift in business trips.
According to data from WingX Advance GmbH, a data company, the domestic use of aircraft contracted privately or flown exclusively by their owners has increased by 87% compared to the same period two years earlier.
The climb comes alongside China economic recovery of the coronavirus pandemic. Although the global pandemic began in China in late 2019, the ruling Communist Party managed to control it relatively quickly, sealing the country’s borders and imposing harsh closures and massive trials.
China’s growth has outpaced other major economies, surpassed pre-pandemic rates late last year, and eased restrictions on domestic travel.
Richard Koe, managing director of WingX, said the frequency of commercial flights worldwide is still down 29% this year compared to last year, while private jets are 18% busier but continue to fall compared to 2019.
Private aircraft operators say rising demand in China also reflects the remaining limitations of commercial airlines, as well as executives’ concerns about sharing planes with a large number of fellow passengers.
“Private jets can fly to places where commercial airlines only close completely,” said Jenny Lau, president of Sino Jet, a commercial jet operator.
Li Bokai, president of Business Aviation Asia, estimated that a passenger on a commercial flight could have contact with more than 1,000 people compared to just 10 on a typical business plane.
Operators said the most popular destinations were Beijing, Shanghai and Shenzhen. A flight from Shanghai to Shenzhen costs approximately $ 45,000 for up to 15 people in a Gulfstream G550 according to L’VOYAGE, a Hong Kong-based private charter agent.
The company said it has seen demand for charter flights from companies that have benefited from the pandemic, such as mask makers and pharmaceutical companies.
In contrast to increased domestic appetite, travel by international private jets from China has almost dried up, according to WingX data. The Chinese government has imposed stricter restrictions on arrivals abroad following a previous wave of repatriation flights.
“For private planes carrying passengers arriving from international routes, it is very difficult to get the permits granted for these flights,” Lau said.
According to WingX data, international private jet flights to and from China have dropped 91% this year compared to the same period two years earlier.
Thomas Flohr, president of VistaJet, the private jet company, said repatriation flights between the U.S. and China accounted for half of all flights between countries in 2020.
Lau said his fleet returned to China to many students and seniors from abroad with medical needs, as well as a 60-person business delegation from Wenzhou stranded in Florence last April.
Operators see opportunities for post-pandemic expansion as commercial aviation still has low penetration in China.
“Now that they [companies] they have realized the convenience of commercial aircraft, even after the epidemic, they will continue to use them, ”Li added.
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