Busy airports for private jets during back-to-school season

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Busy airports for private jets during back-to-school season

North America and Europe account for over 80% of global private aviation flight hours. In the U.S. and Europe, the late August to early September (aka back-to-school season) marks a transition period. The end of summer vacation, the start of the school year, and the beginning of business travel season have people moving around, trying to catch a flight to their destinations.

For charter flight operators, this time of year brings a predictable surge that includes congestion at airports and scheduling of crews. Those who can prepare in advance for this increase in business will position themselves to improve customer satisfaction and pull in new flyers looking for comfort and flexibility, Jettly reports. 

Jettly

What Really Fuels the Late-August Surge

Data from tracking intelligence show that late August consistently ranks as the second-busiest period of the year for North American business jet movements (behind late July). This may seem counterintuitive given that the heat of summer has died down and the holiday season hasn’t started yet.

1. The End of Summer

The end of August is the mandatory hard stop for summer leisure travel. This means that families spending their summer in second-home destinations (Aspen, Nantucket, Martha’s Vineyard, the Hamptons, or in Europe) are returning to their main residence in big cities en masse.

2. The Start of Business Travel Season

June, July, and parts of August tend to be slower for private business flying. But this doesn’t mean that private flight operators are left in the dust, planes grounded, and crew unemployed. It just means that the demand is headed elsewhere.

Digital marketplaces see a surge in charter requests from families and holidaymakers heading to summer destinations, making mid-summer one of the busiest times of the year for private jet activity.

Come late August/early September, the demand shifts back to business travel as C-suite executives and business owners hurry back into meetings and talks about mergers and acquisitions.

3. The Start of the School Year

The back-to-school season means that many students will head to school. When flyers have a lot of luggage to carry around (typical for the beginning of a new school year), they may not want to navigate airport crowds in addition to trying to find their way to their dorm or accommodation from a major air hub.

As a result, many students coming from wealthy families will take the private aviation route. Some may even be accompanied by family members who want to usher them into the new year.

One major advantage operators can market to potential flyers (besides the added comfort and increased luggage allowance) is that a private aircraft can land directly at small regional fields. For instance, for a flyer going to Ohio University, operators can take flyers to the Gordon K. Bush Ohio University Airport (KUNI), located about 10–12 miles southwest of the main campus.

Busiest Airports During Back-to-School Season

As a general rule, the private jet airports that tend to get busy when there’s a spike in air traffic (like during holidays or at the start of summer) will also be crowded when the new school year starts. However, the ones located (and serving) one or more major universities will be the most troublesome.

Teterboro, KTEB, NJ

Consistently ranked as one of the busiest private jet airports in the U.S. and the world, KTEB is the primary private aviation hub for the New York tri-state area. As such, it serves as the primary hub for families returning from summer estates or moving students into Ivy League and Northeast universities.

Westchester County, KHPN, White Plains, NY

KHPN functions as a primary northern gateway for families moving students into elite independent prep/boarding schools and colleges across the Northeast. Additionally, many students from out of state or abroad use it to reach nearby institutions such as Yale University, Columbia University, and local liberal arts colleges.

Air Hubs in Europe

The situation is a bit different in Europe, since there aren’t as many private air hubs as in the U.S., which can make things dicey during high-traffic seasons.

For the end of summer, expect the usual culprits to work at capacity:

• Paris Le Bourget (LFPB)
• London Farnborough (EGLF)
• Nice Côte d’Azur (LFMN)
• Olbia Costa Smeralda (LIEO)

These are classic summer vacation hubs frequented by wealthy Americans, but they also serve as the main entry point for students coming in for study.

Operators Must Plan Logistics Around Flyer Needs

Besides the annoyance of finding a convenient slot and strict landing and parking mandates, the busy season also brings higher prices. When planning for vacation, it’s always good practice to plan for the return as well. The back-to-school season is chaotic, and this extends to private air travel.

This story was produced by Jettly and reviewed and distributed by Stacker.