2018: a record-breaking year in business aviation

Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur has announced an increase in business aircraft movements on its three platforms at Nice Côte d’Azur, Cannes-Mandelieu and Golfe de Saint-Tropez. Its FBO activities set a new record of +9.7%, driven by the performance in Spain and at Paris – Le Bourget.

In 2018, Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur’s business aviation activities totalled 77,373 movements, up 5.5% in one year on a like-for-like basis. This increase was fuelled in particular by the sharp rise of the FBO activities of its subsidiary Sky Valet*, which posted an aggregate increase of 9.7% to 41,360 movements, of which 15,428 in Spain (+8.5%) and 6,179 movements on the highly competitive Paris – Le Bourget platform (+54%).

“The record-breaking performance of our FBO activities confirms our strategy to deliver premium services and to extend our network, with the acquisition of licences for Madrid and Barcelona airports in 2018, or the renovation of our terminal in Ibiza”, analyses Michel Tohane, Executive VP of Sky Valet and Director of the General Aviation BU of the Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur Group.

In 2018, Sky Valet also created the Sky Valet Connect label, which has already attracted airport operators in Cuneo (Italy), Avignon (France), Sofia, Bourgas and Gorna Oryahovitsa (Bulgaria). This development of the European network will continue in 2019, with the goal of adopting strategic positions on long-standing and future leading markets.

A profitable wide-body strategy

The second key performance indicator of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur in business aviation was the average weight per aircraft, which rose by 3.5% in one year to 21.6 tonnes. This performance consolidates the group’s vision and its strategy to develop infrastructures capable of receiving larger aircraft that are more modern and quieter. In 2018, Nice Côte d’Azur airport increased its capacity to 20 gates adapted to Global Jets, in response to changes in traffic.

“Business aviation is clearly a source of growth for the group that also boosts the appeal and the economic development of the region where we operate. This record-breaking performance of our activities confirms our ambitious strategy and consolidates our position as the second-largest player in business aviation in Europe”, stated Dominique Thillaud, Chairman of the Board of Aéroports de la Côte d’Azur.

*Sky Valet is present in France (Cannes, Saint-Tropez and Paris-Le Bourget), Spain (Girona, Barcelona, Palma de Mallorca, Valencia, Ibiza, Malaga, Madrid, La Coruna and Santiago de Compostela) and Portugal (Porto, Cascais, Lisbon, Beja, Faro, Madeira and The Azores).