Dubai-based Western Aviation, which has just announced a record increase in air charter sales, reports increasing optimism for the rest of 2010.

"It has been a slow and steady recovery after the aviation industry took a strong beating in 2009 following the economic crisis," says the company's Imran Ahmed. "However the aviation industry and economy as a whole is showing positive signs and everyone is optimistic about growth in 2010."

Western Aviation recorded a 14 per cent increase in the number of charter flights and a 21 per cent rise in turnover for the first quarter of 2010 compared to the same period in 2009.

Ahmed adds: "There have been a lot of mergers, consolidations and takeovers in the global market as a result of the recession. This is forcing major organisations to revamp their business strategies and look for partnerships and associations elsewhere. The result is that top executives have to fly a lot beyond their traditional boundaries to forge these new alliances and ventures, thereby driving the strong requirement for private charter flights."