2020 and 2021 have been the most challenging years that this industry has seen in a long time, according to Swiss operator Nomad Aviation. “While 2020 was very slow, 2021 brought a significant increase in both number of flights and the volume of flying hours, all well above what we have expected,” says VP of aircraft management and sales Christoph Thurnherr. “Pure leisure trips were still scarce at the beginning of the year but are now gradually coming back, while business flight hours continued to climb.”

Nomad operates a diverse fleet from small cabin aircraft such as the Citation CJ2+ to large cabin jets including the Legacy 600 and ultra long range aircraft (Bombardier Global 6000) up to a VVIP airliner Airbus ACJ319. “Each one of our commercially operated aircraft suits a specific mission profile and clientele,” adds Thurnherr. “Since the summer holiday season we have experienced an extraordinarily high demand for our smaller aircraft, such as the Citation CJ1 and CJ2, with which we fly our clients to popular Mediterranean destinations such as Ibiza, Palma de Mallorca, Alicante, Nice, Olbia and so on. Our VVIP Airbus ACJ319 has always seen a quite evenly distributed demand around the year, serving mainly Middle Eastern clients, celebrities and head of state delegations.

“During the peak of the ongoing Coronavirus crisis, we carried out a good number of air cargo flights. Also repatriation and medevac flights have become quite common. Thanks to our medevac capable Embraer Legacy 600 we were ideally positioned to assist. The biggest challenge and also the most important formula for success was to adapt quickly and efficiently to the sudden pandemic imposed restrictions and health policies. Travel restrictions have been changing on an almost weekly basis, which required us to constantly adjust and refine procedures. Flexibility was certainly a key factor to get through the pandemic and it still is.”

Like others in the industry, Nomad is hoping the this pandemic will ease as much as possible and that mutants of the virus can be kept under control. “We clearly feel that people want and need to travel again and to make up for those trips and experiences they were unable to do and make until now. Borders are gradually opening up again thus creating new travel possibilities and options for both business and leisure purposes,” Thurnherr concludes.