UK charter broker Chapman Freeborn Air Chartering has seen bookings from Germany increase by nearly one-third following a strategic decision to expand its business aviation division in the country.
Ruissi Batliwali, managing director of Chapman Freeborn Germany, says the company has seen a 30% rise in business aircraft bookings so far this year, in a territory traditionally more reluctant than other European countries to use private aircraft.
He attributes the rise to a decision taken in 2003 to build a network of private jet brokers in Germany.
“Cargo dominates the business in Germany, but we have five staff in Berlin dedicated to passenger and have expanded our operations with sales staff in Cologne, Frankfurt and Hamburg.”
Batliwali says German customers still prefer smaller jets and tend to cover shorter distances than customers in other European countries, but acceptance of business aviation is growing.
Source: Flight International
