For Victor and similar companies, 2021 marked a peak for business aviation. “It has cooled off since then due to various factors. And there’s also been the loss of Russian business. But the uncertainty theme started with Brexit and has been a constant since then. Planning has been more difficult.” However, he continues, “At the start of 2020, we set up a three-year plan before COVID even began. Thankfully we effectively hit our targets, but in a very different way to how we planned. The team has gained a lot of really good experience, and we ran our graduate scheme in 2022, hiring seven graduates to start their careers in business aviation. The fact the company was able to evolve during difficult circumstances, plus our flexibility and resilience has meant that Victor has done very well in 2022.”
In recent years, business has peaked around large events like Davos, Formula One, the Champions League and the World Cup in Qatar. And Victor also continues to work with diplomatic and governmental clients. “We look after US ambassadors in the Middle East. Over the years, we’ve done flights for governments for G20 summits. These occasions require the next level of service, including a shadow aircraft for backup in case there’s a technical problem, plus people on the ground at the airport overseeing the process, making sure passengers are happy, and coordinating with security.”