Environmentally-friendly aircraft, ride-sharing and the ability to fly whenever and wherever: these are the expectations of millennials when it comes to flying, according to a new survey by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA).

The survey, ‘Expanding Horizons: How Millennials see the Future of Business Aviation’, was published in cooperation with ThinkYoung and released at the 2018 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2018) in Geneva. It asked young people between 18 and 25 in four key European countries – Germany, France, the UK and Switzerland – about mobility, Business Aviation and the future of sustainable personal air transport.

The findings reveal that millennials are hopeful that flying will become easier and cleaner in years to come. They also expect Business Aviation to become much more accessible for the next generation of users and for individuals seeking lucrative career opportunities.

Three key findings from the survey are that:

Millennial views on transport are closely linked to concerns about the environment: 40 per cent said that climate change is the megatrend that will have the biggest impact on the development of sustainable personal air transport. Artificial intelligence and digitisation come next. They also expect most research on innovation in aviation to focus on making air transport more sustainable.

Millennials say the best thing about Business Aviation is the freedom and flexibility that it offers: 62 per cent believe that the main benefit of Business Aviation is its ability to take people where they need, when they need.

They believe that while technology will find solutions to mobility questions, there will still be concerns about cost, trust and safety. For example, 60 per cent of millennials are ready to use ride-sharing air services, but only 46 per cent are ready to use automated ride-sharing air services.

The findings show that millennials have an inherent commitment to our planet, technological advancement and equal opportunities. They see future mobility as an efficient, environmentally friendly whole. They recognise the potential for Business Aviation to drive technological change in the wider aviation sector. And they can see its increasing accessibility and democratisation.

EBAA chairman Jürgen Wiese said the survey gave the Business Aviation sector a valuable platform to connect to young people in an ever-changing environment. “Integrating the next generation into our industry is paramount for the sector to master the transition into the next age of aviation. This report shows how this can be done and is just a starting point for many more encounters to follow. We are
committed to listening and engaging with Millennials to expand our horizons together,” he said.

ThinkYoung’s founder and chief thinker Andrea Gerosa said the survey would be a valuable resource for the Business Aviation sector as it moved to expand its reach. “Millennials are rarely asked what they think, but they will determine our future. EBAA has looked two steps ahead: they have asked the next generation for their opinions on the future of transport, and they have pledged to take onboard the messages from Millennials.” - TradeArabia News Service