London Oxford Airport has exceeded pre-pandemic traffic levels and is currently experiencing 30% more movements than in 2019, both overall and in business aviation. It surpassed Year 2020’s total movements by mid-September 2021 and is set to pass 7,500 movements in September, this week. It was already back to pre-COVID levels immediately after the lockdown ended, the comeback led principally by the big players and private owners. A new Piper M500, one of the first single-engined turboprops on an UK AOC, available for four-passenger charter, moved in as a new based aircraft this month.
August proved to be its busiest month in 15 years, accounting for 7,180 monthly movements. July was also its highest ever for fuel uplifts.
“Remarkably, our recovery, in percentage terms, climbed ahead of our London centric peer airports and we’ve been able to retain our position as the fifth busiest UK business aviation airport,” said Head of Business Development James Dillon-Godfray.
Emphasizing the widely held belief business aviation would bounce back quicker, London Oxford Airport was even propelled into the No. 59 place among Europe-wide airports this summer, handling more movements than many city airports, including Copenhagen, Lisbon and Stockholm. “In March, with UK airlines still crippled by restrictions, we found ourselves with the most unusual status – as the second busiest airport in the UK,” he added.
Airliner charter buoys growth
Movements were further bolstered by a number of large group charters, operated in safe “bubbles,” all supported by pre-arranged on-site COVID testing. Hundred-plus seat Embraer 190s (Moto GP Italy) and F1 Grand Prix (Europe-wide) continued to be regular visitors through the OxfordJet FBO.
Up until September, Nice led the list of a total 270 overseas destinations YTD, followed by Palma Mallorca, Geneva and Paris. Limitations on U.S. traffic will lift from November and the airport is already fielding enquiries.
Professional pilot training is also up 37% on pre-pandemic, 2019 levels. While Airways Aviation moved out of the UK to focus its flight training out of France and Australia, Leading Edge Aviation, new to Oxford in early 2019, has grown its student intake to a 170-plus headcount. It was one of the first schools to re-open during the pandemic with students working in bubbles with their instructors.
