Avinode, provider of an online charter network, has signed air charter broker Chapman Freeborn to add to its growing list of clients. The company has decided to implement Avinode’s technology at multiple sites around Europe and the US, including London, Paris, Stockholm, Ostend and Atlanta.

“Avinode has a very interesting concept,” said passenger charter broker Claudette Gharbi, “and we have decided to use Avinode at all of our passenger offices in Europe. The Avinode network of operators is very comprehensive and it is great to check available empty legs, see actual aircraft pictures and to get instant quotes for any given route.”

During the last five months, Avinode has gathered data on supply and demand for business aviation in Europe. The data came from users of the company’s booking system and consists of 80 operators and 60 brokers in total.

Avinode’s research found that Moscow Vnukovo is the most popular departure airport on the system, with almost six per cent of all searches departing from the Russian capital. Luton is the second most popular airport and among the arrival airports, Nice is the most popular airport closely followed by Malaga, Munich, Paris Le Bourget and Brussels.

Managing director of Avinode, Niklas Berg, said: “As the economic climate is still slow in many parts of Europe, competition is hardening. Many operators have started to lower their fee for repositioning to be able to compete outside the original homebase of the aircraft and also to become more competitive on one-way flights.”

Competition is also making it more difficult for the broker when they need to choose the best supplier. On the Avinode system, a one-way flight from Luton to Nice with a light jet can be flown by more than 20 operators with a net price range from 8,500 to 9,400 euros. The operators competing for this flight are not only based in London or Nice but also in Germany, Switzerland and Denmark.

According to Avinode, the average repositioning fee for a Citation Excel was 3,250 euros per hour in April. The same rate for August was 3,000 euros per hour.

Empty legs are also said to be of increasing interest for both operators and brokers. Said Berg: “Today over 50 per cent of brokers using Avinode have chosen to market empty legs and the feedback from the end client is positive in general.”

Operators already on the Avinode system include Germany’s Augusta Air and Denmark’s North Flying. Said Augusta md Peter Bayer: “It has been on the market a while now and I think it’s getting very strong in Europe. We have about 40 brokers who we are in contact with through the system, and we get calls from them on a daily basis.”

North Flying’s Jef Sorensen added: “We have 12 aircraft on Avinode, including the Citation 650 we’ve just received, and we’re flying for all the major brokers.”