Austrian Mustang fleet operator GlobeAir has operated 16 per cent more flights since January than the same period last year, and 23 per cent more during the summer months.

"This season we have registered a remarkable increase in last-minute bookings, with customers inquiring about flights 14 hours before take-off," says Jonathan Berdoz, vp sales and marketing. The most requested summer destinations have been the Côte d'Azur and the Balearic Islands, with Ibiza, Palma and London as the most challenging airports to find slots. "This fairly unprecedented approach to bookings sheds new light on the behaviour of last-minute travellers," he adds.

The company says that full ownership of a fleet of 16 Citation Mustang jets gives it the advantage of flexibility when it comes to planning last-minute flights as well as making it possible to react to changes in the flight schedule. Bernhard Fragner, CEO, says he is now thinking about expanding the fleet to meet the demand of a growing market.

"There is a growing amount of frequent fliers who request our premium services because of the added value that they provide to their life and time management. Customers cease to become price sensitive when they recognise how we can help them be efficient," says Berdoz.

GlobeAir registered 6,021 flights from January to August, averaging one hour and 16 minutes. According to the company, the UK, France and Switzerland are the top departure countries with respective rises of 31%, 26% and 22% in departures compared to 2017. These are also the countries with the most significant amount of cross-border revenue flights. Nice, Paris and Geneva, on the other hand, were the most popular destinations in the first eight months of this year, and Friday and Sunday are the busiest days for travel, with an average of more than 40 flights per day.