Air Charter Service reports 47% surge in European charter flights

Air Charter Service's European offices achieved a 47% year-over-year increase in charter flights, according to Private Jet Card Comparisons.

The U.K.-based broker posted 38% revenue growth overall in the first half year over year, with jet card sales rising 85% in the same period. The European growth follows the opening of new offices in Brussels, Stuttgart, Monaco and Barcelona.

Andrew Summers, ACS's Europe Regional Director, said in a press release that "every region within our European network has achieved better results than last year," with strong performances from the German and Spanish offices and "a better-than-expected return from our Italian office, in its first full year of trading."

The French-speaking business grew 49% year over year, drawing from offices in Paris, Geneva, Brussels and Monaco. Summers noted that some of this growth came from temporary factors including the World Cup, supply chain disruptions caused by the conflict in Iran, and "a few Middle East evacuations in March," but that "underlying growth is still very strong."

By context, European charter activity in week 40 showed 2% more flights year over year across the market, according to research cited by Private Jet Card Comparisons. ACS's 47% increase thus significantly outpaces the broader European market.

Private Jet Card Comparisons did not report whether the temporary factors Summers cited—the World Cup, supply chain disruptions, and Middle East evacuations—are expected to continue affecting growth rates in subsequent periods. It is also unclear from available reporting what portion of ACS's growth was driven by these temporary factors versus underlying demand.

Neither the broker nor Private Jet Card Comparisons has disclosed what the reported growth means for pricing. No figure has been reported for how many aircraft transferred to the new European offices or what their capacity additions are expected to cost existing cardholders or charter clients.