Benelux operator Abelag welcomed members of the European Parliament to its facilities in Brussels last month, as part of an initiative by EBAA. Ceo Hervé Laitat says: “It was great to show the MEPs some of the things we do. People are often unsure of what exactly business aviation is and are unaware of the problems we face. So this was a very good and interesting intiative.”

The company gave a presentation of its history, which cited a 2007 paper by the European Commission entitled 'Sustainable future in general and business aviation'.

“Since this paper was written, not much has been done to consider us,” says Laitat. “There are a lot of subjects where we find that we are treated no differently to airlines. There was also the opportunity to mention the number of jobs that the industry is responsible for in Europe – around 165,000.

“I think that the sector is also at the forefront of innovation, and this is another side which people hardly know. We wanted to voice our concern for all the regulations issued today by Parliament and by EASA; be it flight time limitations, security at the airport or airport access.”

Laitat points out that airlines have many lobbyists and pilot unions. “They are much more powerful than us, because it is a more concentrated sector, whereas we are very fragmented in Europe. I believe there are 4,000 jets and 2,000 operators, but only 200 companies have more than three aircraft.”

Abelag also explained to the MEPs the differences between pilots flying for airlines and for a business jet operator: in business aviation the pilot averages 400 hours a year whereas an airline pilot will complete as many as 1,000.

He praises the work of EBAA: “I think EBAA does a lot to promote us, but we need more strength to show that we are listened to in Parliament. Otherwise we will have a lot of people, including owners of aircraft, who will find other, more flexible solutions where the owner can do what they want and the operator has no control.”

He intends to continue to make his point through EBAA and to progress to form a working group within the EU specialising in business aviation. The alternative, he concludes, does not bear thinking about. “If we have to align to the airline rules, our business will be dead by tomorrow. When you have an owner buying a jet at US$45 million, and you have to tell him that there is just one slot per hour, or you cannot fly more than 11 hours unless you have five pilots at your disposal, this would surely kill our business.”