Air Partner annual results to beat expectations

Air Partner predicted full-year performance would beat expectations after the aviation services group traded strongly in the first five months of its financial year.

The company said it was trading well ahead of pre-pandemic levels, driven partly by demand for private jets in the US. Group charter trading is also strong, driven by government, sports and cruise sector work.

UK private jet business is back at pre-crisis levels and growth is set to continue as business and leisure travel revives, Air Partner said. Freight was busy at the start of the year delivering Covid-19 tests and vaccine raw materials but this activity has reduced, the company said.

The safety and security division's performance improved as airports expanded operations to prepare for more passengers. After shifting many courses online, the Baines Simmons safety training arm's military work is recovering strongly, the company said.

Air Partner said it "has enjoyed strong trading over the first five months of its financial year and now expects to surpass management expectations for the year ending 31 January 2022".

The company's shares rose 8.6% to 87.98p at 10:04 BST.