An industry expert says the number of Middle East business jet flights fell 20% during the first quarter of this year compared to the same period last year. Chairman and founder of private jet operator VistaJet says this shows that even in the Middle East, companies are affected by economic crunch. Thomas Flohr explained “In the first quarter the world was still in shock and wondering where the financial markets were going.”
Over the past several years the business jet market has quickly expanded as the super rich booked more luxury and executive flights. This kind of rapid growth has fallen in the first quarter of 2009. However, Flohr says interest in business jet travel is increasing again and “the phone is ringing again, and that’s something we haven’t seen from March to April onwards.”
