WingX Data Shows Negative Impact of Ukraine Crisis

The fall-out from ongoing military conflict in eastern Ukraine has taken its toll on business aviation traffic out of Russia, according to new data released on September 4 by WingX. The Hamburg, Germany-based flight activity specialist’s latest Business Aviation Special Insight Review for the first half of 2014 includes a PowerPoint presentation titled “Russia Focus” that reveals a downward trend in business aviation traffic throughout Europe, attributed in large part to the political standoff between Ukraine and Russia. According to the report, “Business aviation flights from Russia to Europe have fallen 6 percent [year-to-date, compared with last year’s first eight months], with an increasingly negative trend since March.” In particular, flights to Ukraine have “collapsed,” with a drop of 40.7 percent year-to-date, and an even more profound 56 percent decline for the month of August compared with August 2013. The effect on flights to Turkey is almost as bad, with a drop of 39.5 percent year-to-date. Flights from Russia to Europe have been negatively affected, as well, notably to Geneva, Zurich and London Luton.In contrast, traffic has increased from Vnukovo Airport to destinations Paris Le Bourget, Farnborough (UK), Vienna and Riga.