Despite another tough year battling the Coronavirus pandemic and its variants, the British Business and General Aviation Association demonstrated continued resilience in 2021. The association spent most of the year working from home, with all major conferences and events cancelled or postponed.

“As we enter 2022, however, with the subsiding of Omicron and with vaccination boosters, we are readying for industry gatherings once again,” says CEO Marc Bailey. "And we are looking forward to Luton Hoo and our 2022 annual conference."

This year's theme is 'Hybrid - redefining our sector" and covers topics from hybrid working to hybrid aircraft.

Much of the important work BBGA undertakes is protecting and supporting members' interests at local level with the UK Treasury, Department for Transport (DfT) and the UK CAA. Internationally, it participates in many forums and associations to help promote the interests of UK business and general aviation worldwide. BBGA has been instrumental in work before, during and after Brexit to secure a level playing field across Europe for UK aviation businesses.

During the year, BBGA transferred the annual conference online, reorganised the board and campaigned for government Covid financial support. It held weekly meetings with the CAA and DfT on Teams, leading the bilateral agreements for permits across Europe post-Brexit working with members feeding in their experiences and preferred outcomes, and in August formed a working group including those affected by the loss of access to pan-European satellite navigation system EGNOS; it presented a paper to the CAA and continues to lobby for a resolution.

London Oxford airport was the venue for a successful BBGA Connects and media briefing event in September as the association welcomed members face to face for the first time since Covid. The association engaged with the CAA on illegal charter, and put forward consultations on night flights and SAF.

It responded to the UK Jet Zero consultation, continued its work alongside the Talent Retention Scheme agency and advised on the UK's approach to fractional ownership in the UK.

A Sustainability Working Group was added to the FBO, Operations, Membership and Professional Flight Training and Airworthiness groups.

Following the successful transition from operations manager to director general in July 2021, the BBGA board and Bailey were delighted to confirm Lindsey Oliver's new position as managing director at year end. The association also welcomed Shoosmiths; Atlas; Sky Harbour; The Little Jet Company; FlightCare Global; Jetfly; ELMS Aviation; JD2E; VIP Assist; Equinox; Instajet and Noble Aeronautica as members.