The fourth annual Central Europe Private Aviation Expo in Prague was attended by a record number of delegates. Operators were quizzed on the burdens placed upon them by taxation and regulation, with vp of sales at DC Aviation Germany Christina Reiss saying that operators were subjected to double and triple layers of bureaucracy. She said that maintaining a good relationship with the authorities was critical.

Operators were also asked about passenger preference trends and the ways in which they differentiate themselves. Radomir Sanak, accountable manager for recently launched Czech Republic operator Éclair Aviation, said that despite the difficulty in persuading passengers to fly on its P.180, it was the difference in its product that separated the company from the rest of the market. Primus Aircraft Management Solutions md Stephan Krainer added that the market was flat for them this year and that, despite the importance of the high net worth individual, it is the large corporates that offer more of a market for them.

Operators were critical of the pricing and service levels of European FBOs. Ceo of VR Jet Jaroslav Malinksy recalled an incident where the handling cost at an airport on a recent leg had been more than the fuel cost to VR Jet on the sector. It was agreed that airports should cooperate more to help grow business aviation. There was consensus over the fact that commercial aviation brings greater revenues to airports and cited this as a reason for airports penalising business aviation through pricing.