Demand for FBO and flight planning services continues to expand in Europe and the Middle East. Fliteport is gearing up its Dubai base to capture a significant market share of the trip support industry. "We are witnessing an increasing demand for trip planning services in the Middle East and the surrounding regions," says Mazher Hussain, gm, Fliteport.

He points out that Dubai will soon have an executive private jet terminal at Al-Maktoum airport in Jebel Ali, Dubai, which has been allotted investment designed to make it the world's largest airport. Fliteport is officially launching its expanded Middle East regional services at EBACE. Hussain says the company is present at all key locations in the region including Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, Libya, Syria and Iran.

In the U.K., Multiflight's newly-appointed finance director Miles Beecham says there will be further development of facilities at Leeds Bradford. The site has undergone a multi-million pound refurbishment, including the FBO, the flight training centre and the Cafe Bar. "There are other projects in the pipeline," says Beecham.

FAL Aviation, the London Ashford (Lydd) FBO, which has been nominated for a 'best in Europe' business travel award, reports rising movements and fuel sales. February saw the company handling 24 movements compared to 13 during the same month last year, while jet fuel sales almost doubled. FAL has been nominated in the 'best FBO Europe 2008' category of the business destinations 2008 travel awards.