Business Aviation, unlike scheduled business models, is not predicated on a system of mass transportation which is dependent on a high seat-load factor to guarantee a sustainable margin; it is an on-demand transportation means, offering gains in time, privacy protection, travel flexibility, and better connectivity to regions.
Today, business aviation passengers are mostly funneled through the same, one-size-fits-all, security checks; it devalues regulation on derogations from common security standards for non-scheduled operators and of the principle of risk-based measures.
EBAA calls on the European Commission and the Member States to adapt security measures to better fit with operations and specificities.
Passenger security screenings in business aviation is different. With some rare exceptions, business aviation mostly operates small aircraft for private groups or under charter, ownership or fractional ownership business models. Aircraft must be below 45.5 tonnes maximum take-off weight, and, with a maximum of 19 seats.
Business aviation offers and/or sells entire flights, not seats, as opposed to the business model of commercial airlines who sell individual tickets. Further, the majority of business aviation passengers are frequent flyers, who personally know the operators as they regularly fly between city-pairs.
The business aviation operation model is different than others within the transport sector value chain. Passengers of business aviation are naturally secure by nature.
Passengers choose business aviation for reasons of convenience, personal service and privacy. Forcing security methods originally carved out for different circumstances, different business models, and different types of passengers is not only costly; it is also counterproductive.
The current one-size-fits-all type of passenger security screening is inappropriate for business aviation. It is a disruptive and time-consuming procedure, especially when security staff are not well trained for the specific type of operations related to business aviation.
It is often the case that a lack of communication skills and outright misunderstanding of the business aviation model, due to lack of proper training, results in poor customer service which opposes the values of the business aviation industry.
The EBAA advocates that passenger security screening requirements from the European institutions and EU member states:
