2022 is coming to an end and we’re reflecting on the year with a renewed sense of optimism for the aviation industry. Following a challenging few years of Covid-19 restrictions, 2022 has been a profitable year for Smart Aviation, as we return to pre-pandemic levels and report strong growth across the business once more. 

Here’s a ‘Smart Look Back’ at 2022 and at the successes from our skilled and experienced team:

We reported a record number of sports charter bookings

We’re the leaders in sports charters, but this year even surprised us. The culmination of the 2021-2022 came to a climax in May with a record number of sports group charter bookings with flights to the UEFA Europa League Final, the UEFA Champions League Final and the Rugby League’s Heineken Champions Cup Final to name just a few. We have also been busy with charters for FIFA World Cup Qatar™. For the eighth year in a row, Smart chartered a series of 10 flights taking Liverpool FC fans in Norway from Oslo Airport to Liverpool John Lennon Airport. After a year’s break without fans being able to attend, Smart celebrated being able to transport thousands of eager rugby fans to the Six Nations tournament once more. 

We saw MICE bounce back:

Historically, September is always an extremely busy month for MICE (meetings, incentives, conferences, and exhibitions) bookings, with corporate events recommencing around the world following the summer holidays. In the last quarter of this year, our MICE charter enquiries were back at the same high pre-Covid levels, leaving us confident that the market is buoyant once more. We did notice some new trends with our MICE bookings though. There are shorter lead-in times for bookings and companies are now opting to book shorter trips. Group sizes are reduced with companies clearly making more calculated decisions about the expense of company trips. Read our MICE trends update here. 

We witnessed private jet operations soar once more

For the last 17 years, Smart Aviation has been transporting VIPS and some of the biggest names in sports and entertainment to destinations all across the world. As the leaders in global private jet chartering, no itinerary is too complex for Smart’s team, which collectively has over 200 years aviation experience. Smart’s loyal clientele continued to return in droves this year and the private jet side of the business is soaring once more.

We had an amazing ACMI year:

ACMI leasing (Aircraft, Crew, Maintenance and Insurance) is one of the key foundations and a cornerstone of any aircraft chartering business. Smart Aviation announced back in September that 2022 has been one of the most profitable years to date for ACMI leasing operations in the company’s 17-year history. Read more about it here. 

We came to the rescue for a lot of clients:

We’ve put out a lot of fires for our clients this year. Both our private jet and commercial charter divisions were called upon by anxious clients who needed our unparalleled expertise to recover some essential flights. Find out how we went above and beyond to rescue some of our clients this year here.

We went on a Top Secret Mission:

Back in July of this year, we chartered an aircraft for 60 passengers to fly to Zagreb (Croatia) on a top secret company trip. The brief from our client was very clear; the senior personnel on board were to have no inkling whatsoever of where their final destination would be. With strict measures in place to keep the final destination a secret – including private transportation, comprehensive crew training and boarding passes with no destination printed – the operation was such a success that the client booked Smart to manage another mission for them that departed in November 2022. Read the full story here.

We loved being back doing business at WTM:

WTM was definitely back in business this year and the team reported a considerable aviation contingent at the show. The team enjoyed hearing about exciting developments for the aviation industry coming in 2023, such as the new Icelandair VIP unit, a 757 aircraft with an 80 seat business style configuration, and the next generation of aircraft types joining our client of supplier fleets, which will include the Boeing 738 MAX and Airbus A320/A321 neos.

As always, we are available 24/7 to assist with any charter enquiries you may have.

The Smart Team wishes you all a Merry Christmas and a healthy and prosperous New Year.

Why choose Smart?

Our business revolves around you

– Exactly what you need

– You’re dealing with the experts. Our goal is excellence in service and execution – our extensive knowledge and expertise ensure we deliver.

Cost effective with no compromise

– Our unrivalled operator relationships and leverage in the European market ensures you get the most cost-effective solution, without compromising on quality.

We are always available

– Our operational support team is on-hand 24/7, 365 days a year, to deal with the unexpected and keep you flying – for total peace of mind.

Call or email us today – sales@smart-aviation.co.uk / + 44 1293 551244