With inter-country investments on the rise, the demand for private jets also has risen. Understanding the importance of time and money, companies have started investing either in their own business jets or take help of charter operators who also abound in numbers in the Middle East.

Geographically, the Middle East has about a dozen countries, while politically they may be non-elected governments, but economically they are all very strong. Though some countries are heavily dependent on export of oil and oil-related products (such as Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates, Qatar, Iraq and Kuwait), others have a diverse economic base. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has said that the Middle East economies will expand this year by 5.5 per cent, reflected from strong oil output, along with high spending on areas such as infrastructure, real estate, etc.

In this macroeconomic background lies the growth of the aviation sector, more specifically the business aviation segment. The geographic nature of the region also gives scope for development of smaller airports, while one or two airports in each country act as international hubs. Therein lays the potential for growth of business aviation. The Middle East Business Aviation Association (MEBAA) itself has grown quite rapidly and has about 190 members as of date and is growing stronger.

The founding Chairman of MEBAA, Ali Al Naqbi, has said that the business aviation market in the Middle East is now at a crucial stage in its development and is poised to reach an annual value of $1 billion ( Rs. 5,000 crore) by 2018.

Key Drivers

Undoubtedly, oil production in the region has been major driver for various activities, including business aviation. Helicopters and private jets are in demand to keep the economy on an upward movement. While helicopters and private jets have become a business tool for the executives, the oil and infrastructure industry has spawned a number of high-net-worth individuals (HNWI) who own luxurious private jets.

Another factor which has helped the aviation sector grow is the physical nature of the countries with vast tracts of land being desert areas, calling for quick air transport. The jet-setting Arabs move in their fourwheel drives; ATVs or private aircraft.

With inter-country investments on the rise, the demand for private jets also has risen. An executive can fly in a private jet out of Qatar to Abu Dhabi in the morning and in the afternoon he or she can fly to Dubai, before heading home in the night. Understanding the importance of time and money, companies have started investing either in their own business jets or take help of charter operators who also abound in numbers in the Middle East. In all, there are nearly 40 private jet operators who are members of MEBAA. There are several operators and charter providers based out of the region, providing business jet connectivity from and to the Middle East.

UAE leads in business aviation

United Arab Emirates (UAE) is home to a majority of operators, thanks to its location in the region and its proactive policies in encouraging the aviation sector, including business aviation. The creation of free zones has helped boost not just the general economy of the region but also of the aviation sector. Dubai Airport Free Zone (DAFZ) is one popular location for offices of business aviation.

Giving further boost to business aviation in the Middle East is the location of the Al Bateen Executive Airport in Abu Dhabi. There are currently six local aviation companies listed at the airport. In 2011, 115 new operators used the airport and the General Manager of Al Bateen, Steve Jones expects the aircraft movement to increase by at least 10 per cent by the end of the year. “The GCC-based business aviation operators are still growing. Internationally, it’s all been slower because this area is still growing…and that’s what you call organic growth,” Jones said.

UAE has some of the best known jet operators not just in the region but elsewhere too. They include the likes of Abu Dhabi-based Royal Jet, Prestige Jet, Empire Aviation, Falcon Aviation Services, Gama Aviation, Al Jaber Aviation among others.

Royal Jet spreads its wings wide

Royal Jet is an award-winning international luxury flight services provider headquartered in Abu Dhabi, the capital of UAE. It is jointly owned by Abu Dhabi Aviation and the Presidential Flight Authority (PFA), the royal flight service.

Royal Jet is chaired by Sheikh Hamdan Bin Mubarak Al Nahyan, who also serves as a Minister in the UAE Federal Cabinet. Royal Jet has been voted the ‘World’s Leading Private Jet Service’ by the World Travel Awards for five consecutive years, four years as the ‘Middle East’s Leading Private Jet Charter’ operator at the Middle East Travel Awards, and ‘Business Aviation Operator of the Year’ at the Fourth Annual Aviation Business Awards.

Royal Jet’s current fleet of aircraft includes six Boeing Business Jets (BBJ), which makes it the world’s single largest independent BBJ operator; two mid-range Gulfstream 300s; and a Lear Jet 60. The company’s core offerings are: luxury VIP aircraft charter, medical evacuation services, charter brokerage, fixed base operations (FBO), VIP Terminal at Abu Dhabi International Airport and aircraft management and acquisition consulting.

Qatar catching up

Qatar, a region of the south-west Asia, has become one of the oil-rich Gulf states. It is witnessing renewed development in oil and other infrastructure and is becoming an important hub for business aviation. Qatar Executive (the business jet arm of Qatar Airways); Rizon Jet; Paramount Business Jets among others have been quite active in the region.

Qatar Airways’ corporate jet division Qatar Executive was recently honoured with the Best Business Aviation Operator of the Year 2012 award by industry publication Aviation Business. Qatar Executive was recognised for its strong commitment towards offering a superior in-flight experience and achieving major accomplishments such as the recent new partnership with the North American fractional jet programme provider Flexjet and the appointment by Bombardier as an authorised service facility in the Middle East.

The company today operates six wholly-owned all-Bombardier private jets—the youngest fleet of its kind in the Gulf. These include three Challenger 605s, two Global 5000s and a Global Express XRS.

Qatar and UK-based business aviation services firm Rizon Jet, a subsidiary of Ghanim bin Saad Al-Saad & Sons Group Holdings (GSSG), has in Doha its own VIP terminal which comprises a private lounge, hangar and state-of-theart service facilities. Rizon Jet was founded in 2006 with its head office in Doha, Qatar and operational bases in Doha and London. It offers aircraft charter, management, maintenance services, aircraft handling and FBO facilities.