Traffic growth may be stalling at London Oxford as it is for most of the capital’s business aviation gateways, but the airport continues to attract tenants and develop its infrastructure.
Oxford, which made its name as one of the UK’s prime locations for flying schools, began diversifying a decade ago under owners the Reuben Brothers. It opened a VIP terminal, promoting its ease of access to both London and the affluent Cotswolds to operators and high-net-worth individuals.
It also started to develop a business aviation cluster by offering office and hangar space to MRO and other services providers.
The latest MRO to open a hangar at Oxford – in early May – is start-up JMI, which will focus on Dassault Falcon and Textron Aviation Citation jets.
Other companies that have relocated in the past year include Austria’s Globe Air, the largest Citation Mustang operator in Europe, which has established a Part 145 maintenance base.
“The number of independent MRO companies offering base and line maintenance with us has never been broader,” says James Dillon-Godfray, London Oxford Airport’s head of business development.
Although movements are down 7.5% year-on-year for the first quarter, Dillon-Godfray says this is part of a wider trend across London’s business aviation airports influenced by “Brexit uncertainty”.
Other infrastructure developments next to the airport include a new Premier Inn hotel and a technology park, which Dillon-Godfray says will provide a service to flightcrew and potentially bring in new business from tenants, who include electric vehicle developers.
Oxford is also discussing with the local council a proposal to give it a number of night slots between midnight and 06:00. “This would give us a huge advantage, as there is nothing like this available at any other London airport,” says Dillon-Godfray.
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Source: Flight Daily News