Cambridge Airport announces key initiative for business aviation operators

East of England-based Cambridge Airport has announced a new initiative to attract business aviation operators to the airport during major sporting events, including visitors travelling from the MENA region to the UK for the London 2012 Olympic Games.
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Launched under the brand of ‘Major Events Service’, the airport is offering charter operators, government fleets and private owners the opportunity to pre-purchase guaranteed parking slots with a one-time fee that also includes all landing and take-off costs.

The package (which applies to an individual aircraft’s tail-number) incorporates a deposit paid upfront of £5k, and is designed to support operators already planning their activity during the  peak periods that are expected in July and August of next year, just before and after the opening and closing ceremonies of the Olympics.
 
Positioned in the East of England, 10 miles from Newmarket Racecourse (which many Middle East VIPs will know for their racehorse connections), the airport is also located 10 miles north of the restricted fly zone, which reduces the restrictions that the planned slot co-ordination process may cause and avoids the busy London airspace.
 
Garden believes that for clients originating from the Middle East and elsewhere, “this is a major advantage as they can avoid the crowded skies of London, land at Cambridge and reach London in just over an hour.”  
 
“Cambridge Airport is perfectly positioned for the games as it takes just under an hour by convenient road networks to reach the east London area where the main Olympic stadium is based,” said Archie Garden, airport director.
 
“We anticipate the airport’s location and innovative pricing strategy will be of particular interest to the larger jets, which will easily see the value of the proposition. For example a Gulfstream or Global Express that flies in and out once will easily recoup their spend, and for mid-size aircraft only two or three movements are required within the specified time frame to make it cost effective.”
 
Cambridge airport will have capacity for up to 90 average size business jets and is offering the deal on a first come first served basis. With aircraft parking anticipated to be a challenge during the Olympic period, the new initiative allows operators to pre-book their space, without having to commit to specific slots. The offer is tailored specifically for the dates of 26th July-13th August 2012 and is available until 1 November 2011.
 

 

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