Bucharest, Romania-based operator InterAviation is reflecting on a mixed year, and already has more flights booked for January 2015 than for the end of year festive season. Says director of operations and sales Alexandru Dascalu: “From the start of 2014 until the end of July, I had hopes that business aviation was resurrected. Operations and sales rose above the peaks of 2008. Following the Ukrainian crisis and Middle Eastern conflicts, commercial business jet operations fell significantly.”

Nonetheless, since September he has seen smaller and cheaper aircraft gain popularity once more, and his company is taking steps to ensure progress. “We are reducing ferry legs as much as possible, in order to keep reasonable prices. We want to maintain satisfactory margins and not dump the price. We are developing the skills of our engineers for on site or mobile repair, and troubleshooting assistance away from base. We are also carefully managing financing and providing quotes as quickly as possible. Maintaining customer comfort and safety levels is a priority, to promote repeat business.”

InterAviation is looking to shift its focus to south east Europe and the Mediterranean in the new year.