Geneva business aviation hits turbulence

Geneva is Europe’s second busiest airport for business aviation but its traffic in the sector is declining. While economic factors have contributed to this, Geneva’s business aviation community partly blames the airport authorities. It takes only six minutes to step out of Gregory Prenleloup’s Porsche Cayenne, go through passport control and security and climb into the Citation CJ2 jet on the tarmac.  Preneloup, president of private jet operator and luxury travel organiser Jet Event, stoops in the low-ceilinged cabin. With its six plump-cushioned beige leather seats, mini-wardrobe, flat-screen TV and lacquered mahogany fixtures, it looks a little like a luxury caravan. Flights chartered through operators like Jet Event account for two-thirds of European business aviation movements. The others are privately owned, mainly corporate aircraft. Besides saving time the sector offers flights between numerous airports that airlines don’t serve. Prenleloup remembers that ...