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5 hours in Geneva: EBACE
26 May 2022 | Travel Blogs
Here’s to a crazy five hour business trip in Geneva!
On Tuesday, echo.bravo took on Europe’s most prestigious aviation event: The European Business Aviation Convention & Exhibition (EBACE).
After two years this incredible show returned! It ran from 23rd – 25th May 2022 at the Palexpo convention center, in Geneva, and we were lucky enough to attend the second day.
It was an excellent day of networking and unmissable content. EBACE bought together companies involved in nearly every aspect of business aviation from around the world.
If you didn’t manage to make it this year, take a look at our round up below, and watch our mini vlog here.
Here’s how to manage a one day business trip like a boss!
Time is of the essence and you’re definitely not heading to Spoons for a breakfast beer.
When travelling for a one day business trip, airport attire needs to be totally reconsidered. With only a small bag on our back, we had to choose an outfit fit for the plane but also appropriate for business meetings. Whatever you do decide to wear, comfy shoes should never be compromised.
Charged electricals are key and powerbanks are vital. We also learned the importance of being in a quiet environment so we could prep for meetings and reply to emails.
To round it up, preparation is crucial.
One day trip: Outbound
Travelling with no luggage was a new experience for us, and wow does it make a difference! As we had no hold luggage, we checked in online and headed straight for security.
We experienced firsthand how chaotic the airports are at the moment. Below is a picture of the security queue in Gatwick.
We had pre-booked premium security for £5 (£6pp on the day) and luckily avoided queuing in this bad boy. Due to staffing issues, the below image will be standard across all airports this summer.
A stress-free gateway for such a low cost was something we’d 100% recommend, especially when travelling for business. Time is precious and the last thing you need, is to be stood in a que worrying that you’re not going to make your flight and miss your meeting.
Once through security, the airport experience was pretty straight forward. When we arrived at the gate it became apparent that this flight was predominantly full with other EBASE attendees. This was a great opportunity to network and we chatted with some lovely guys from Biggin Hill Airport.
We flew from LGW North Terminal to GVA with easyJet at 08:10, with about a 30 minute delay.
Passport control in Genever was quick and easy, and getting from GVA to EBACE was breeze. More on that in the event round-up below.
On a COVID note: Geneva has no restrictions, no masks, no PCR tests and no showing proof of vaccination.
One day trip: Inbound
According to easyJet, the return flight was delayed by about two hours due to thunderstorms in London. We took the 19:10 flight back to Gatwick which was the second to last flight of the day.
The flight after us was completely cancelled which very much highlighted the importance of avoiding the last flight of the day.
Passport control was ok, if you’re not one of the ones that has to ‘seek assistance’. You can pre-book premium passport control for £9.99 and this is limited to just 50 passengers per hour.
These fast track services are available to passengers of all airlines and classes of travel.
Lastly, I’d advise pre-booking your taxi. Gatwick was an absolute nightmare. There were no drivers available on Uber and Gatwick Cars Ltd was chaos.
You can prebook taxi’s to and from Gatwick here, although I’m not sure I’d recommend them. More of a last resort option. If you are being collected by a loved one, remember there is now a £5 charge for cars to enter the pickup/drop of zone.
EBACE22 round up
Getting from Genever airport to EBACE was a breeze. EBACE took place in the Palexpo convention center which is pretty much in the airport grounds.
Palexpo in signposted within the airport, and there were plenty of free shuttle busses ready and waiting to take you on the very short 3 min journey to hall 7. Do not try to walk it as you have to cross a motorway.
After a recce of the expo, we said hello to our clients then started to make our way through our made a calendar of meetings.
There was a huge focus on sustainable aviation fuel and new technology.
The all-electric Lilium Jet had a presence at the expo, where they announced a brand new partnership to develop the jets electric motor, with Honeywell Aerospace and DENSO.
But it’s also important to remember that we can take action now. Operators can start measuring emissions and planning routes more carefully, so planes aren’t flying without passengers. And from an MRO point of view, there should be a greater focus on recycled/natural materials for aircraft interiors.
Now I’m feelin’ so fly like a G6
It was pretty incredible to indulge in the world of private jets and get some snaps for the gram #myviberightnowisjustlivinglife. Outside of the expo centre is an area of Geneva International Airport which was dedicated to an insane aircraft display. Check em out.
Nearly 50 aircrafts were displayed, ranging from large intercontinental business jets, to smaller turbine-powered aircraft, as well as several piston engine aircraft.
We thoroughly enjoyed eyeing up the Gulfstream G65, G7, G5, G28 G6 and we took a tour of the famous G6. Oh my! I could do with one of those in my life.
See the full EBACE2022 aircraft display here.
Business travel… expectation vs reality
To conclude, this summer you should be prepared for delays and cancellations. We cannot recommend enough how important it is to pre-book fast-track!
You may also want to look in to airport longes as lounges are often tailored to accommodate business travellers.
While we’re on the subject of luxury travel. We’ve also written about some of the best first class suites in the world. Have a look here.
If we missed you at EBACE and you’d like to chat, drop us a message 😊
India | Marketing Executive | echo.bravo