Private Jet to Bastia: Poretta, Cap Corse and Saint-Florent

Bastia-Poretta, the longest commercial runway in Corsica

Going by each airport's AIP entry, runway 16/34 at Bastia is longer than those at Figari (2,480 m), Calvi (2,310 m) and Ajaccio (2,300 m). CCI de Corse, the Corsican chamber of commerce, runs the island's second airport, which handled 1,532,265 passengers in 2025 according to the French airports union (UAF), and which the UAF lists as a border crossing point.

Customs on two timetables, border police around the clock

For a flight arriving from outside the Schengen area, the customs calendar sets the landing time. From 1 April to 30 September, the service runs continuously. From 1 October to 31 March it covers daylight hours only, and a night arrival has to be requested before 17:00 UTC, which is 6pm local time in winter.

Border police stay on duty day and night throughout the year. On the formalities side, then, a jet leaving London on a July evening can land at Bastia after midnight. The same flight in January needs customs alerted during the afternoon.

We file that request together with the handling booking, within the 48-hour notice period.

SATAB, a compulsory shuttle and 48 hours' notice

The AIP makes ground handling compulsory for every aircraft in general and business aviation. SATAB provides it, and SATAB also drives passengers and crews between the parking stands and the terminal in a mandatory shuttle, so nobody walks from the aircraft to the building.

The prior permission request (PPR) goes to SATAB by email at least 48 hours before the flight, and the airport's website sends every general aviation enquiry to the same company. The airport sets aside ten parking stands for general and business aviation.

Jet A1 is available from 7am to 7pm local time. After hours it must be ordered before 4pm. De-icing is arranged in advance with a ground handling provider, and the AIP lists no hangar space for visiting aircraft.

ILS on runway 34, an offset PAPI on runway 16

Only runway 34 has a Category I ILS, bringing aircraft in from the south on a 3° glide path. On runway 16, the AIP states that the PAPI, offset 5° east of the centreline, only guarantees obstacle clearance inside the prescribed visual track. Neither runway has approach lighting, and take-offs are banned when runway visual range falls below 550 m.

Departing north on runway 34, a 390 m clearway at the end of the runway brings the take-off distance available to 2,910 m. For a long-range jet heavy with fuel, that margin can make the performance calculation easier, all the more so as the airfield's reference temperature is 28.4°C.

Which aircraft for Bastia

With 2,520 m in both directions, Bastia's runway rarely rules out any class of business jet, so the choice comes down to distance, passenger numbers and luggage.

• Phenom 300: seven seats, for Nice (about 35 minutes), Geneva (in the order of 55 minutes) or Paris-Le Bourget (about 1h30).
• Citation XLS: eight passengers, for a family or a business team, from Luxembourg (about 1h25).
• Heavy jets: ten to fourteen seats, from the Falcon 2000 to the Falcon 7X, for a group flying in from London (around two hours) or from further afield; see our full fleet.

Bastia has no set fare. Our hourly rates by category apply, from €4,000 per hour for a light jet to €6,500 for a heavy jet. To weigh one format against another, read private jet range by aircraft category.

Bastia, Cap Corse and the Gulf of Saint-Florent

Bastia's Old Port lies between the citadel and the Place du Marché. Along the ramparts, the Aldilonda, a walkway built out over the sea, leads on foot from the citadel to the harbour. The church of Saint-Jean-Baptiste, the largest in Corsica according to the tourist office, rises above the port with two 70 m bell towers.

North of the town begins Cap Corse, "the island within the island" in the tourist office's words. Its wine route runs 53 km from Luri to Macinaggio, through the vineyards of the Corse Coteaux du Cap Corse appellation and those of Muscat du Cap Corse, the island's only fortified sweet wine appellation.

Between Bastia and Saint-Florent, Patrimonio is one of the two Corsican appellations ranked "Cru" among nine, alongside Ajaccio. The appellation has 37 wineries according to the tourist office, and the village hosts the Nuits de la Guitare festival every July.

From the harbour at Saint-Florent, a boat reaches the Lotu and Saleccia beaches in the Agriate in about twenty minutes, and a jetty goes up at Lotu every summer. IBC Aviation arranges that crossing by private boat, booked at the same time as the flight.

The east coast and the south use another airport: for Porto-Vecchio by private jet, you land at Figari.

Chartering to or from Bastia with IBC Aviation

Our work starts before the quote. For Bastia, we file the PPR with SATAB, check that customs cover the arrival time, especially between October and March, and pick the aircraft with the runway in use in mind, since only runway 34 has an ILS. When an aircraft has to fly back empty after a drop-off, we tell you: that is how an empty leg flight comes about.

Our Riviera team follows these flights (see private jets from Nice), as does our Geneva head office for departures from Switzerland, London or the Gulf.

Private jet charter with IBC Aviation:

Our teams advise you on the private jet best suited to your itinerary and requirements, and organise your trip to or from your destination. Available 24/7:

• France: +33 1 41 69 88 88
• Switzerland: +41 22 880 28 88
• Dubai: +971 55 303 5161
• Bangkok: +66 92 372 4680
• Email: contact@ibc-aviation.com

Frequently asked questions

Is customs at Bastia open at night?

From April to September, yes, 24 hours a day. From 1 October to 31 March customs work in daylight, and a night arrival must be requested before 17:00 UTC, 6pm local time in winter. Border police are present around the clock all year, and 48 hours' notice applies to every business flight.

Do you need a ground handler to land at Bastia by private jet?

Yes. The AIP makes handling compulsory for every general and business aviation aircraft, and SATAB provides it. The same company carries passengers and crews between the aircraft and the terminal in a mandatory shuttle, and receives the prior permission request by email at least 48 hours before the flight.

How long is the runway at Bastia-Poretta?

2,520 m by 45 m, the longest at Corsica's four commercial airports. Taking off northwards on runway 34, the distance available reaches 2,910 m thanks to a clearway. Runway 34 is also the only one with a Category I ILS for landing, which matters when planning an arrival.

How far is Bastia airport from the town?

16.5 km south-south-east of Bastia, according to the AIP, and the UAF gives about thirty minutes by bus to the town centre. By private jet, the flight from Nice takes about 35 minutes, depending on the aircraft and the winds, and in the order of 1h30 from Paris-Le Bourget.

How do you reach the Agriate beaches from Bastia?

By road to Saint-Florent, then by boat: the Lotu and Saleccia beaches are about twenty minutes from the harbour, and a jetty is installed at Lotu every summer. IBC Aviation books a private boat for that crossing at the same time as your flight to Bastia.