Steve Jones, Oxford Airport md says: "Business aviation traffic at Oxford is constantly on the increase given the slot constraints being experienced at other business airports. We have doubled the throughput compared with last year. Jet fuel sales are keeping pace too, up over 90 per cent on 2007: oxfordjet is now handling between 10 and 20 rotations most days and we see regular visits from business aircraft including the larger Challengers, Globals, Gulfstream 550s, along with Embraer Legacies."

Michael Hampton, md and chief pilot of Oxford Air Services says OAS will run shuttle services from Oxford Airport to the primary business airports around London, including The London Heliport, Farnborough, Heathrow, Gatwick, Luton, Stansted and also to Paris and other European destinations.

James Dillon-Godfray, oxfordjet's head of marketing and development, says: "A seamless transfer facility for private jet passengers utilising oxfordjet was always our intention."

PremiAir's fixed wing maintenance operation has completed its move to a newly refurbished 20,000 sq ft hangar at the airport. The facilities have been approved for EASA Part 145 for base maintenance and house PremiAir's fixed wing business and Beechcraft MRO centre. The £1 million investment in the facility includes new workshops, customer reception areas, office space and dedicated car parking.

"While our Beechcraft business will be the core activity at the new centre, we are also looking to extend our executive helicopter charter and management services to aircraft owners and charter customers in the region," said David McRobert, PremiAir Group md. The company's existing facilities at Blackbushe in Surrey are now a dedicated rotary engineering base.

SaxonAir is to build a £1 million hangar and business aviation centre at Norwich airport. "The new business aviation centre will provide first-class facilities for passengers and flight crew, catering to the rising demand for private jet travel in the region," says operations director and pilot Chris Mace. "In just 18 months, private jet specialist SaxonAir has grown from a two aircraft fleet operator into a wide-ranging charter operation, requiring new facilities to cope with business demand."

SaxonAir can pre-clear passengers with customs, arrange for a chauffeur to take them direct to the aircraft door, and sort accommodation and transfers by car or helicopter.

Mace, who learnt to fly at 17 before he could drive, adds: "The extra delays and inconvenience of regular airline flying nowadays means private charters are on the increase. More people have moved to Norfolk or have holiday homes here, and people value their time much more, for business and leisure."

SaxonAir will also take delivery of an unspecified new Embraer jet in 2009 or 2010, he says. "Pop stars such as Meat Loaf and Blondie flying in for gigs, business chiefs and wealthy families have all used SaxonAir's services recently."

Graeme Kalbraier founded SaxonAir in April 2007 to provide transport for his company, Call Connection, an Ipswich-based call centre serving the insurance industry.