Why some Middle East travellers are hooked to flying on private jets

Why some Middle East travellers are hooked to flying on private jets

Have travellers in the region become hooked to flying private? After a disastrous 2020-21, fueled by pandemic-triggered restrictions, the commercial aviation sector is finally posting signs of healthy recovery, according to the International Air Transport Association’s (IATA) recent monthly update. Most Middle East carriers have even resumed their operations to pre-pandemic levels. However, despite supply chain and workforce challenges, the private jet aviation business, which picked up mainstream popularity mid-pandemic, continues to thrive. And this may be because travellers who developed a taste for flying private don’t want to return to flying commercial, according to manufacturers and operators participating in the Middle East and North Africa Business Aviation Association show, the region’s leading private business aviation event. Apart from health and safety reasons, mega events such as the Dubai Expo 2020 and the FIFA World Cup in Doha bolstered the demand for private aviation in recent times. But, when it comes to the carbon footprint of travel, private jets are five to 14 times more polluting than commercial planes per passenger and 50 times more than high-speed rail, emitting two tonnes of CO2 in a single hour. However, manufacturers have said they are increasingly committed to using and investing in