Europe remains the second-largest market for business aviation, yet many within the sector describe it as difficult. Why?
Reasons include: Overbearing regulation, costs are high, negative public opinion about business aviation is reinforced by politics and media that say that the sector is unsustainable and anti-green. 

The sustainability of business aviation places a target on the sector in Europe. Even though business aviation the sector made up just 0.8% of aviation emissions in the EU last year, it still draws strong and emotional reaction: business jets are highly visible, used by the wealthy, and are perceived seen as unnecessary. Their role in providing flexible business travel, supporting businesses and investment, or supporting emergency services rarely changes the public conversation.

However, Europe’s position as a world leader in sustainability is pointless if the rest of the world are not interested and particularly in comparison with growing markets in the Middle East, India and Asia.

A survey of aircraft owners by TAG Aviation in 2024 revealed that most owners felt their environmental impact was important but not their priority. Moreover, those owners felt a focus on the sustainability of business aircraft was a distraction; business aviation is a tool – their focus was making their own business sustainable as the impact was much greater.

Not just the environmental problem…

European rules around aircraft certification, operation, and maintenance are known for being stricter than those in North America. The European Union Aviation Safety Agency (EASA) often applies tighter limits on noise and emissions. Manufacturers can face long delays and higher expenses before bringing new aircraft into service.

Coordination across the region remains uneven as Europe imposes more charges across almost every point of operation. Fuel is more expensive. Airports apply higher landing fees. Passenger taxes on private flights are already in place in some countries and could expand further.

Different rules between national airspace systems also remain a problem. Pilots deal with varying classifications, procedures, and communication standards. All of which can slow flights, increase fuel use, and add workload for crews. Comparison of Business Aviation Regulations: Europe (EASA) V North American (FAA):

• Recent fuel tankering rules from the EU have added further pressure.
• Operators flying over 500 departures from EU airports each year must show that 90% of their fuel uplift happens within the Union.
• Tracking and reporting this creates extra work and leaves less room to make cost-saving decisions around fuel sourcing.
• Non-compliance brings fines.

But is it really that bad?!

The sceptical (or perhaps naive and hopeful) argument is there are both short-term and long-term views on the profitability of business aviation in Europe. Figures provided by ARGUS in 2024 showed Europe as the second largest aviation market by movement and its activity was expected to be ahead of North America in 2025.

The UK leads the European area in terms of aircraft movements. France, Germany, and Switzerland all support busy networks. Research by Oxford Economics shows that the sector supports around €100 billion in annual economic activity and hundreds of thousands of jobs.

What about the environmental challenges?

There are also many environmental and sustainable opportunities. Europe is home to many firms working on lower-emission flight and alternative fuel options. The same pressure that makes business aviation harder to operate here may also drive progress faster than elsewhere. The sector’s future in this region may depend on its ability to move early and visibly on emissions.

Europe’s reputation as a difficult market isn’t without cause. But calling it the “problem child” overlooks its strategic importance, economic weight, and long-term potential.

The European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and others are actively pushing for progress—advocating for balanced regulation, broader SAF adoption, improved infrastructure, and better public engagement. These efforts matter and we at Martyn Fiddler believe the industry should get behind all of these initiatives.

In our next installment we focus on whether the dramatic reversal in geo-political views on the role and value of sustainability will impact the drive to get business aviation net zero by 2050.