Summary:
- New 'Expanding Horizons: How Millennials see the Future of Business Aviation' survey released by the European Business Aviation Association (EBAA) and ThinkYoung;
- Survey finds that environmentally-friendly aircraft, ride-sharing and the ability to travel when and where you want are the main expectations of Millennials when it comes to flying;
- The findings reveal that Millennials are hopeful flying will become easier and cleaner in years to come and expect business aviation to become more accessible for the Next Generation of users;
- Integrating the Next Generation into the aviation industry is seen as paramount for the sector to master the transition into the next age of aviation.
The survey, 'Expanding Horizons: How Millennials see the Future of Business Aviation', was published in cooperation with ThinkYoung, a think tank to focus on young people, was released at the 2018 European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE2018) in Geneva. It asked 2,000 young people between 18 and 25 in four key European countries - Germany, France, the United Kingdom and Switzerland - about mobility, business aviation and the future of sustainable personal air transport as the business aviation sector seeks to expand its reach.
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% 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% believe that the main benefit of Business Aviation its ability to take people where they need, when they need.
- Millennials believe that while technology will find solutions to mobility questions, there will still be concerns about cost, trust and safety. For example, 60% of Millennials are ready to use ride-sharing air services, but only 46% are ready to use automated ride-sharing air services.
The findings suggest 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 gives 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," he says. "We are committed to listening and engaging with Millennials to expand our horizons together."
This survey effectively shows how this can be done and represents a starting point for development. Integrating the Next Generation into the aviation industry is paramount for the sector to master the transition into the next age of aviation and these findings will go a long way to help with this quest.
ThinkYoung's founder and chief thinker Andrea Gerosa says the survey is 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 on board the messages from Millennials."
READ THE REPORT: Expanding Horizons: How Millennials see the Future of Business Aviation