Charter Broker

ISSUE 5 FEBRUARY 2010

NETWORKING

ConnectJets woos new clients online

Plus a round-up of cargo, passenger and business air charter news

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Essential reading wherever you are Handbook of Business Aviation in Europe The reference book for fixed wing and rotary business aircraft in Europe and the Middle East, including charter operators and their fleets, and airports and handlers listed in detail. www.handbook.aero

Handbook of Business Aviation in Asia Pacific The reference book for fixed wing and rotary business aircraft in the Asia Pacific region, including charter operators and their fleets, and airports and handlers listed in detail. www.handbook.aero

Global Business Jet Yearbook The reference book for long range business jet owners and operators worldwide, including charter operators and their fleets, and airports and handlers listed in detail. www.gbjyearbook.com

Charter Broker

FEBRUARY 2010

FOR PROFESSIONALS IN CHARTER FLIGHT PROCUREMENT

ISSUE 5 FEBRUARY 2010

ISSUE 5 FEBRUARY 2010

NETWORKING ConnectJets woos new clients online

PLUS A ROUND-UP OF CARGO, PASSENGER AND BUSINESS AIR CHARTER NEWS

Gabriella Somerville, md and owner ConnectJets, says online social networking is a strong marketing tool.

Photo: Dan Stevens. Story page 8.

David Wright

Publisher

Rod Smith

Editor Production

Kate Woods

Advertising manager

Mark Ranger

Advertising sales

Pauline Watkins

U

SUALLY we work for money, and often for the satisfaction of a job well done for our customers. But sometimes, thankfully rarely, our work can literally be a matter of life and death.

The earthquake in Haiti has shocked the world with the sheer scale of destruction and human misery in its aftermath. Many viewing the suffering on television have felt frustrated at their inability to directly help, beyond providing vital funds through donations.

But charter brokers were able to apply their efforts and experience to the common cause from the very beginning, helping to make sure that rescue teams and lifesaving supplies arrived in the disaster area as fast as possible.

Effective and speedy organisation, communications and logistics skills, which have normally been honed in pursuit of commercial aims for clients with freight or people to move,

will have found a higher purpose.

And the work continues. The scale of the disaster means that reconstruction and support will be required for many months and years to come, and Port-au-Prince will surely be a regular destination for very many charter operators.

After a period of financial upheaval, and downturn in air charter business, the call to action for Haiti provides valuable perspective on business and on life itself. As in previous humanitarian emergencies, the expert work of brokers will certainly have contributed to saving lives. So, as our thoughts return to traffic figures and market shares, let’s not forget that the real recovery needed by the earthquake survivors needs also to be as swift as possible.

See our Haiti news coverage on page 5 David Wright david@charterbroker.aero

Chris Carr

Subscriptions

Janet Bell

Administrator

Hilary Tyler

Charter Broker 134 South Street, Bishop’s Stortford, Hertfordshire, CM23 3BQ Tel: +44 1279 714505 Fax: +44 1279 714519 email: info@charterbroker.aero www.charterbroker.aero ISSN 2041-9279 Charter Broker is published six times each year, by Stansted News Limited.

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FEBRUARY 2010

CONTENTS FEATURES

BROKER NEWS

Brokers target growing dangerous goods sector

Brokers’ expertise vital in efforts to aid Haiti

Investing in training and building contacts benefits those seeking to meet increasing demand for the safe transport of dangerous cargo.

ConnectJets cultivates online networks to add social dimension to client relationships

Page 13

Malta’s 24-7 operations appeal to brokers

Russian broker unveils plans for travel agency Student initiative as Bar-Illan broadens client base

Sports calendar crammed with risk and profit potential The next decade of sporting events will provide plenty of opportunities to convert demand into steady income.

Page 5

INDUSTRY NEWS

Page 22

Horse transport business rides high as Marshall targets London Olympics Page 16

Page 20

West Air upgrades aircraft with safety enhancements Strategic develops airline and broker services from the UK

April 2010 articles: Charter brokers are increasingly having to balance the adoption of cost-effective online services with the personal approach that wins loyal clients. Charter Broker April focuses on the issues. It also compares the Austrian and Swiss marketplaces and conducts a detailed analysis of the music sector.

For advertising rates and data visit www.charterbroker.aero CHARTER BROKER 3

NEWS FROM BACA

Small brokers still defying the odds B

The world’s largest network for air charter professionals BACA represents the interests of commercial aviation companies particularly in the air charter industries and markets.

Membership includes air brokers, charter airlines, airports, business aircraft operators, freight forwarders, consultants and others. www.baca.org.uk

4 CHARTER BROKER

ACK in the heady days of September 2007, soon after Tony Bauckham had been appointed md of Air Charter Service, he gave an in-depth interview.

He was quoted as forecasting that the era of small charter brokers was past and that all broking business would end up with the big international groups.

“The brokerage world has changed – you have to be a global professional operator to be considered for a lot of business that is out there,” he told Air Cargo News in an article it carried on 21 September 2007.

At the time I was furious with him. The article appeared to be casting scorn on all but a few of ACS’s 70-odd fellow broker colleagues which I felt was disrespectful. I also felt he was ignoring (perhaps at his peril) the hundreds – probably thousands – of charter enquiries that ACS received constantly from its fellow brokers. But, with the benefit of hindsight, was he right?

Going back further, when Britain’s commercial aviation scene was emerging from war and economic constraints, all the brokers were niche brokers. By the 1950s when airlines like Skyways, Eagle, Airwork and Silver City were trying to make a living in competition with the state carriers, each one was represented by a Baltic sales broker, because most of them didn’t have sales departments.

That lasted about 20 years. In the commercial department of Air Bridge Carriers in the late 1970s I saw what I suspect were the last traces of it. Hunting Gibson was notionally our ‘Baltic broker’ (ABC was a fellow Hunting Group company). Some ‘old school’ brokers would call Hunting Gibson for a price on our aircraft, and we gave them 7½ per cent commission, whereas all other brokers would get 5 per cent. They would offer the original broker 5 per cent and keep the rest. We then had to be sure that, if anyone else called us with the same inquiry, we gave them the gross price, but only allowed them 5 per cent, thereby protecting Hunting Gibson’s position.

One or two other examples of this were still operating, but effectively it was becoming impossible to prevent anyone from getting a price directly from airline commercial departments. These days some brokers act as sales agents for foreign operators, as a matter of convenience for UK clients, but I doubt that there are any British carriers doing it.

Thus, even the elite charter brokers lost their exclusivity and it became a fight to establish the niche that made sense for you. Some turned to passenger work, and some to cargo. Some specialised in livestock or humanitarian aid, and some in oil and gas.

Some saw chartering as an adjunct to their freight forwarding businesses, and this led to the growth of names like Pandair, Atlas, Hill & Delamain, McGregor Swire and LEP (who had set up the very first formal air charter in the 1920s) among others, all of whom had their own charter departments.

Gradually those brokers disappeared, and the specialists began to show their credibility and expertise, with Chapman Freeborn leading the way as a major player since the early 1970s. Creating a dedicated one-stop broking shop was clearly a successful formula, and Chapman Freeborn gave their competitors a real challenge, as they still do today.

In 2010 we have what is often referred to as the ‘big three’ brokers – Chapman Freeborn, ACS and Air Partner – particularly in the cargo world. Between them they control a huge share of the market but, surprisingly when considering the extreme financial pressures that the industry is presently suffering, very few smaller brokers have thrown in the towel.

Chatting to a private jet operator recently, it confirmed that a high proportion of its charter inquiries come from small brokers and, in some cases, new names who are appearing in the marketplace and fixing significant business. When I asked why that might be, I was told that perhaps the client gets a more personal service from the small broker – a valuable commodity that can get lost in the “pile ‘em high, and sell ‘em cheap” machine that big brokers can sometimes lean towards. When you can afford it, being given time and attention and treated with respect and care, is something that certain customers may understandably appreciate.

So all is not lost for the niche broker, especially on the passenger side, although it may be heading that way for cargo. Cargo is traditionally the poor relation, and there is always a cheaper way to shift freight. Even though that side of the industry has had many exciting times, and its participants have a huge fund of intriguing and sometimes alarming stories to tell, there is really not much money there in the long term.

The ‘big three’ do indeed hold the best cards these days, even if only because they’ve spread their bets by serving all sides of the market simultaneously, an option smaller brokers cannot afford and may not have the expertise to achieve. So Tony was partly right, but not completely – yet. From a BACA point of view I hope he got it wrong, or our membership will fall dramatically in the years to come!

Dick Gilbert, chairman, BACA FEBRUARY 2010

broker news

Brokers’ expertise vital in efforts to aid Haiti

Chapman Freeborn used a B767 to transport SAR teams hundreds of tonnes of relief cargo from the US, Europe and the Middle East on behalf of international aid agencies. And ACS was called into action less than an hour after the earthquake hit Haiti.

Air Partner arranged humanitarian aid relief flights carrying vital cargo, medical personnel and support workers.

One flight from Brindisi airport in Italy carried 38.5 tonnes of supplies.

In another initiative its UK-based freight team arranged for a commercial MD-11 to transport kitchen sets, generators, water tanks, blankets, tents, plastic rolls, latrines, trauma kits, energy biscuits and emergency health kits. “Speed of departure as well as

dispatch is necessary to make room for other relief flights using the airport where facilities are not fully functional,� Air Partner points out. “We chose to work with a carrier able to leave Port-au-Prince airport as quickly as possible after delivery of the cargo in order to meet flight crew duty time rules.�

On behalf of a US development

www.diewildenkaiser.com

Charter brokers worldwide including Air Charter Service (ACS), Air Partner, Chapman Freeborn Airchartering (CF) and Aerodynamics International Charter Brokers were among private aviation companies that helped aid victims of the Haiti earthquake.

With difficulties at Port-auPrince airport and port slowing the flow of aid to victims, broker expertise in getting round such bottlenecks proved vital in saving lives. The delays were such that the United Nations had to appeal to Haitians for patience with the international aid effort because distribution was hampered by the scale of the devastation.

But the worldwide offices of CF and Air Partner were extensively involved in getting search and rescue teams and emergency relief supplies to thousands of people overseeing the delivery of

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In brief...

Packed schedule A Challenger 850 with 15 vip seats was used to solve the needs of a high-ranking delegation from Stuttgart that needed to fulfill a tight fourday schedule of appointments.

The trip, organised by ProAir, took in Astana, Kazakhstan, Tashkent, Uzbekistan, and Ashgabat in Turkmenistan.

Puerta works to expand CF business in France Antonio Puerta, Chapman Freeborn Airchartering’s new business development manager for its offices in Paris and Marseille, reports good opportunities to further expand the company’s activities.

Puerta, a former vp with Blue Line, the Paris-based passenger airline, says Chapman Freeborn’s Paris headquarters is well placed to provide charters for the French capital’s business community.

He also points out that its Marseille office is ideally situated to serve the executive jet and helicopter market on the Riviera for destinations including Nice, Cannes, Monaco, St Tropez and Antibes.

“There are good opportunities to further expand the company’s activity in markets including vip corporate and incentive travel,” Puerta says.

Yannis Gerault, country manager of Chapman Freeborn in France, says Puerta’s understanding and knowledge of the French charter industry adds to the company’s diverse expertise.

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bank, Air Partner in Florida organised a series of flights on a BAE Jetstream 31 to carry doctors and medical supplies between Santo Domingo in the Dominican Republic and Port-au-Prince.

Another freight flight, from Miami to Santo Domingo, carried generators and broadcast equipment for a relief organisation.

Richard Smith, director of group freight, says: “Several of our offices actively worked with the humanitarian agencies of many nations to provide urgent transportation of personnel and relief goods to Haiti. The charters included some of the first into the country.”

Air Partner, which during its 49 years of operation has worked with the UN, EU, NATO and leading non-government agencies such as the Red Cross, says it drew on its experience of rapid deployment into difficult areas in countries including Sudan, Chad, Pakistan, Indonesia, Ethiopia and Afghanistan.

Chapman Freeborn said its logistics experts were immediately deployed on the ground in Port-au-Prince and Santo Domingo in the wake of the disaster.

Chartered aircraft included the L-100 Hercules, AN-12, IL-76, DC-8, MD11, B777F and B747 freighters.

“Our passenger charter expertise was also utilised by American and European search and rescue organisations, with charters to Port-au-Prince and other regional airports on B737 and B767 aircraft,” it adds.

Support in the form of securing flight permits and fuel provisions was arranged for CF charters and additional airline clients by 24-hour operations subsidiary Paragon Global Flight Support. CF says its teams

Aid arrives in Haiti coordinated dozens of separate charter operations for aid agencies including the World Food Programme, International Committee of the Red Cross, Oxfam and USAID. ACS initially had to work with Gatwick airport staff to clear a runway of snow and ice so that a chartered Boeing 757 could depart with UK search and rescue teams.

JSSI makes an impact Matthew Purton, passenger sales manager at ACS’s London office, says: “We started receiving calls at about 11 pm from the British Government for an aircraft to carry an assembled team of approximately 80 firefighters, aid workers and journalists to the affected area as soon as possible.

We were working throughout the night contacting the appropriate airlines and handling agents to organise the UK’s response to the disaster.”

ACS had three representatives at Gatwick first thing and James Leach of ACS travelled on board the aircraft: “We flew into Santa Domingo in the neighbouring Dominican Republic as when we left the UK the control tower at Port-au-Prince was not operational. The devastation appears to be on a par with when I was in Banda Aceh following the tsunami in December 2004.”

Leach remained on site to coordinate further relief flights and ACS’s London office continued to chartered further passenger and cargo aircraft with additional aircraft organised and operating from Scandinavia and through the company’s Spanish and US offices.

The Haiti earthquake measured 7.2 on the Richter scale and killed as many as 200,000 people. It also affected more than half a million homes and left large numbers of children without parents.

Holland’s Aerodynamics chartered a Boeing 767 for the evacuation of 123 orphans out of

PrivateFly attracts white label partners PrivateFly reports forming new partnerships within the travel trade with companies including Camper & Nicholsons International Yacht Brokers and Grosvenor Travel Management. Fin Jordan of Grosvenor Travel says the arrangements have “significantly reduced the workload involved in researching and booking private charter for our top clients.” PrivateFly founder director Adam Twidell says a new white label option now supports the company’s online content and tools and offline customer service.

FEBRUARY 2010

broker news Haiti to Holland. “We flew it to Curacao due to a lack of slots at Port-au-Prince,” reports Jan Roosjen, commercial manager.

The company also chartered an MD 83 to fly the orphans out from Haiti to Curacao and took the opportunity to provide supplies and aid goods on the way in.

“We worked together with the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Defence,” says Roosjen. “It was four days before we were able to fly back to Eindhoven with all the orphans who were accompanied by members of the adoption organisation and nurses and doctors.”

In the United States, the Corporate Aircraft Responding in Emergencies (CARE) network worked with the National Business Aviation Association to facilitate the donation of more than $1 million worth of business aircraft flight hours to transport supplies, equipment, medical personnel and volunteers to earthquake stricken areas.

FEBRUARY 2010

Jota Aviation works to make Navajo available to other charter brokers

Chapman Freeborn arranged a chartered IL-76 for the relief effort Jet Support Services, Inc (JSSI), which provides hourly cost maintenance programmes for the business aviation industry, immediately purchased 20,000 lbs of critical supplies and assisted CARE volunteers with loading and preparing the donated aircraft for departure from Ft Lauderdale executive airport.

Lou Seno, president and ceo of JSSI, says: “Our goal is to make a real impact, and these donated flights from NBAA members via the CARE network are saving lives

right now, with every load of supplies that comes into Haiti.”

Astraeus, based at London Gatwick, says one of its aircraft delivered the first British rescue teams to Haiti while other aircraft ferried Icelandic and Spanish rescuers to the Caribbean island.

Among other aircraft that responded quickly was a Lufthansa Cargo MD-11 freighter carrying around 75 tonnes of relief supplies from Frankfurt to Santo Domingo.

The relief effort continues.

Jota Aviation expects increased opportunities to charter out its PA31-310 Navajo in 2010, according to the company’s Leigh Westwood.

The Navajo, used for both passenger and freight charter, is the key transport for the Jota Sport racing team. “We get a number of enquiries from other brokers but the Navajo was used frequently by the Jota Sport racing team in 2009. However, we have been working on introducing more flexibility and anticipate greater third party availability in 2010, with the addition of other PA31-310 Navajo aircraft,” Westwood says.

Jota Aviation, whose current main business is that of aircraft charter broker, was established in 2008 following its provision of dedicated air transport logistics to Jota Sport, one of the UK’s most successful British sports car racing outfits.

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broker news

ConnectJets cultivates online networks to add new social dimension to broker client relationships On-line social networking platforms, such as Twitter, Small World and Facebook are presenting the charter broker and other private aviation professionals with new global marketing platforms.

ConnectJets and PrivateFly.com are among companies that are developing their social media strategies and are already beginning to see real benefits.

Gabriella Somerville, md and owner ConnectJets, who features on this issue’s front cover, says: “Social networking is here to stay and, having embraced it, it presents a huge opportunity in the marketplace.”

UK-based ConnectJets offers broking along with a raft of other services including jet and helicopter charter, jet membership, fractional and lease programmes, aircraft sales, concierge and security. ConnectJets is billed as the first all-woman private aviation company seeing broking as a frontline marketing activity.

“The broker is a highly

Jodie Packham: networking efficient business tool for the private jet customer, offering impartial, objective market intelligence, along with linguistic expertise and local knowledge,” Somerville says. “The customer will ultimately romance with charter before he or she commits to a longer term relationship, such as the purchase of an aircraft.

Some 40 per cent of our on-line enquiries come from people

investigating private aviation as an alternative to commercial travel. This is primarily down to our unique marketing strategy which is aimed at the ‘virgin’ consumer. There is a new generation of business jet users and it is now time to engage. I have no doubt that we will see the escalation of online services, including online bookings, but, that said, the key to maintaining pole position in the current market is to remember that this business is and always will be relationship-based.”

ConnectJets, she says, is working with a specialist company from the security technology sector. “The company provide tracking capabilities, which range from covert personal systems built into iPhones and Blackberrys, which are suitable for individual staff members or vip principals, through to global satellite technology optimised for vehicles, aircraft or high value consignments.”

Somerville says ‘track and trace’ technology has proved to be a popular confidence building piece of technology for the female traveller.

Apart from Somerville, key members of the team include charter executive Jodie Packham, events manager Vanessa Dale and sales and administration executive Hannah Clapp.

Somerville says ConnectJets will continue to develop innovative services. “We believe in the importance of rewarding our clients and their personal assistants for continued business.

With this in mind we created the Jet Loyalty Lounge, a private online members’ club giving access to benefits and promotions from our luxury partners. In conjunction with these benefits we will also provide a prestigious events calendar along with our inhouse concierge service.”

There is also a PA Lounge, a private club for the personal assistant, secretary or executive.

Russian broker unveils plans for travel agency

ASA teams up with TLN to boost top-end business Hong Kong’s ASA Group has teamed up with London’s The Luxury Network (TLN). Simon Wagstaff, ASA’s ceo, says: “What we are now able to offer will boost the luxury sector across the region.” Affinity-marketing group TLN has networks in Beverly Hills, London, Milan and Moscow and the Middle East with brands including Royal Jet, Sunseeker Yachts, Moet Hennessy and Harrods.

Wagstaff says: “Each TLN network is exclusive to its territory and ASA will own and manage the franchise in Asia. Membership of TLN is by invitation only and facilitates business development between premium companies through strategic alignment, affinity marketing, co-branding, events and partnerships.”

He adds: “We are inviting a few ‘founding members’ to join the network in Brunei, Cambodia, Hong Kong, Indonesia, Laos, Macau, Malaysia, Myanmar, Singapore, Thailand, The Philippines and Vietnam. We are also in discussions with a private jet partner in Asia.”

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Russian broker Business Aviation Ltd plans to launch a travel agency in 2010. The company, established since 2003, provides charter aircraft for Russian and European clients. Co-founder Yuri Tiptsov says it also arranges associated services and facilities including vip lounges, limousines, apartments and yachts.

Tiptsov and his co-founders Lev Gorbunov and Oksana Shepel all have aviation backgrounds.

Gorbunov worked for S-11, one of the first Russian brokers, Shepel was commercial director at Orel city airport and Tiptsov gained experience with Aeroflot and Transaero and in immigration at Sheremetyevo airport.

The three met while working at VIP-Service-2000, a small broker FEBRUARY 2010

broker news “The on-line club will present a number of benefits for the PA, including but not limited to, unique invitations to a number of prestigious events and a membership to our loyalty points programme. The programme will award points on every flight booked and once a tier has been reached they can then choose from a portfolio of products, such as a day at Penny Hill Park Spa to breakfast at Tiffany’s and for the male executive we have a number of sporting day events on offer.”

Carol Cork, PrivateFly’s sales and marketing director, confirms: “The private jet industry now has a great opportunity to use social media, engaging with potential customers in new ways, and communicating the benefits of private charter to a wider audience. The private jet user is sophisticated and media-savvy and we need to reach them unobtrusively, at an early research stage of their travel planning. We can do this in a variety of ways including blogging, industry forums and postings on relevant social networks. With quality content, brands can add value and open a two-way dialogue.”

Yuri Tiptsov of Business Aviation Ltd and Martin Lener of Tyrolean Jet Services in Moscow that operated two Yak-40s and a Tupolev-134 in jet configuration.

The launch of Business Aviation Ltd followed.

Tiptsov says: “We have had six wonderful and successful years.

We specialise in aviation brokerage mostly for Russian clients but we have a growing number of enquiries from Europe.

FEBRUARY 2010

Carol Cork: opportunity Cork points out that, by engaging in popular social media topics such as airport hassles and security delays, travel tips and destination advice, charter brokers can better understand their customers. “It gives us opportunities to hear their views and see what will continue to interest them. As more customers look online to plan and book private charter, social media is a great opportunity to attract them.”

A wide range of companies in private aviation are tweeting.

JetBrokers Europe has joined the expanding numbers of aviation

From time to time we manage and operate different aircraft ranging from the Falcon 900B and Hawker 800XP to the Tu-134, Yak40 and BAC 1-11.”

Business Aviation Ltd decided against becoming a charter operator in 2008 through the purchase of a Legacy 600. “We decided to stay as a pure charter broker and maximise our potential as one of the largest companies of its kind in Russia,” Tiptsov says. “However, we do want to diversify in 2010 and we plan to open our own travel agency and start selling tickets on commercial airliners as a complementary activity to our private charter broker services.”

The company’s established European partners include Tyrolean Jet Services and prestige previous assignments include work carried out for the European Space Agency.

tweeters on Twitter. The European arm of the US JetBrokers Inc. was launched in September last year to offer aircraft sales and purchasing services just like its US counterpart. “Twitter, an increasingly popular social media, will help raise JetBrokers’ European business profile and get information out quickly,” says Tim Barber, European md. “There is a growing core of aviation professionals using this fast-paced website to stay connected.”

Barber says JetBrokers Europe will post comments on marketplace activity, review trends on valuations and share details of aircraft in their portfolio. “We aren’t really expecting Twitter to be the platform for generating sales or purchases of aircraft, but if we are able to use it in order to keep our customers and prospective customers informed, then it could be extremely helpful,” he says.

Brokers, therefore, will be developing contacts with fellow

professionals as well as potential clients. But social networking is only one part of such brokers’ marketing strategies. A strong corporate image and efficient client service are vital to underpin the social networking.

ConnectJets’ Somerville says women throughout the years have contributed hugely to the success of aviation, from those who piloted the earliest aircraft, such as Amy Johnson, to the first women in space almost a century later. “These trailblazers have been very much the inspiration for ConnectJets and with this in mind we ventured to start an allfemale set up, which so far has done us well, not for any reason of discrimination, but purely because it has turned out that way due to the synergy the current team has built. The girls are great at managing the detail and are excellent sales women.”

However, she adds: “That said, I have no doubt that in the future as we expand we will, of course, recruit both men and women.”

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broker news Aerodynamics to offer ‘on-thespot’ services at Schiphol Holland’s Schiphol-based Aerodynamics is looking forward to offering an “on-thespot” service to clients when it moves into the airport’s new GA terminal next year. “We can serve our clients and passengers even better with regard to aspects such as reception, parking and flight briefing,” says the commercial manager Jan Roosjen.

Aerodynamics International Charter Brokers was founded in 1986 by Huyb van Monsjou and its current offices are situated adjacent to Schiphol-East’s GAT. Roosjen, who joined in 1991 from the travel agent Holland International, says the wide variety of Aerodynamics’ activities has stood the company in good stead over the past 18 months. Specialisations include ad hoc charter in the business, corporate, incentive, government, conferences and exhibitions, ambulance, military, offshore crew and humanitarian sectors.

Independent management and staff happy to help preserve native forests are Shaun Quigley, Lisa Sullivan, Sophie Brighton, Kellie Moss, Sarah James and Ian Button.

Independent trailblazes forest preserving carbon offsetting Independent Aviation believes it is the first charter broker to adopt an embedded carbon offset policy that will help regenerate Australia’s native forests. Ian Button, gm, says that the company has registered an industry first, working with the registered environmental charity Greenfleet. “Independent Aviation is offsetting the carbon emissions from every charter through Greenfleet’s planting of biodiverse Australian native forests.

These forest sinks do more than just take carbon from the atmosphere. By planting a wide variety of local native trees in permanent forests, they help to reduce salinity and soil erosion and provide essential habitat for native wildlife.” Button says Greenfleet is supported by a wide cross section of Australian businesses and major corporations, as well as by Federal and local government departments. “Independent’s offset payments to Greenfleet are based on monthly fuel burn figures for each charter performed.”

Independent Aviation, established in Cairns in 1989, arranges hundreds of charters annually for a diverse range of clients. Button says: “We believe that every organisation is obliged to do everything possible to minimise their impact on the environment. At Independent Aviation it is our firm policy to become a carbon neutral company and since the 1st October 2009 we have applied international best practice.”

He adds: “We believe that this is an ‘industry first’ and that currently we are the only aviation organisation in Australia to adopt embedded carbon offset.”

Sale and Shabbas take up strategic and marketing roles Mark Sale and Celine Shabbas have taken on new strategic and marketing roles for Air Partner.

Shabbas has been appointed director of group marketing with overall responsibility for all offices worldwide. Formerly European marketing manager, she will further refine the group’s global marketing strategy. Her brief is to ensure the structured delivery of all campaigns implemented by the UK and overseas marketing teams for the three core divisions of private jets, commercial jets and freight and their support departments.

“Following the group’s rebranding in 2007 we have been delivering a more coherent and consistent marketing strategy 10 Charter Broker

Mark Sale: strategic role worldwide and this has had a dramatic and positive impact on sales,” Shabbas says. “All Air Partner offices are united in presenting a strong corporate image to clients and suppliers.”

Based at Air Partner’s London

Celine Shabbas: global marketing Gatwick headquarters, Shabbas joined Air Partner in 2002 as a member of the 24-hour in-house operations team. In 2004 she was chosen to undertake an intensive two-year internal cross-division management trainee course, five

months of which was spent in the company’s Paris office. Shabbas graduated from Glasgow University and prior to joining Air Partner worked in air traffic control.

Separately Eventia, the UK’s official trade body for the events and live marketing industry, has appointed Air Partner’s Mark Sale to its board. Air Partner says: “This means he will sit alongside some of the most influential names in the events industry, providing leadership and representation on important issues to the government, regulators and the corporate community.”

Sale was recently promoted to business development manager for the commercial jets division at Air Partner’s London Gatwick HQ. FEBRUARY 2010

broker news

Student initiative as Bar-Illan broadens client base New York headquartered Bar-Illan Jets has launched new initiatives to broaden its appeal and client base. “We believe the desire for cutting edge entertainment packages can be marketed effectively to fraternities and students at high end universities,” says the president and ceo Jeremy Bar-Illan. “We have found opportunity in the leisure niche by offering travel packages to ‘party’ groups travelling to Las Vegas and other festive destinations. By developing relationships with hotels and creating package deals, we have managed to market an affordable per person price for affluent individuals.”

Most clients at present, though, are still corporate.

He adds: “The sparkle of private jet charter helps immensely in the sale process of these packages and while only a fraction of the trip is spent on

board, we have found that this is indeed the strongest selling point of the deal.”

Bar-Illan Jets, he says, was launched in September of 2007 to complement the company’s corporate liability insurance business, Bar-Illan Corporate Insurance Brokerage, which specialises in director and officer liability insurance and errors and omissions coverage.

“Our insurance client base consists mainly of public corporations and we saw an opportunity to offer a service to the same decision makers to whom we sold insurance.

“My personal experience of 20 years on Wall Street helped us formulate a marketing plan that would emphasise the need to enhance shareholder value by creating a more efficient process for executive travel.”

Bar-Illan also offers corporate

Jeremy Bar-Illan: new initiatives investment services.

The company, which focuses on the domestic United States and Middle East markets, has a major marketing focus on added value. “We currently offer complementary limousine service and on board catering,” says Bar-

Illan. “In our continuing effort to discover new incentives for new clients to use our service we are likely to offer spa gift certificates as well. We will introduce this once we finish our effort to develop cost efficient relationships with spas in the cities that we service most often.”

He adds: “Another, even more crucial, initiative is our effort to counter the concern for the added pollution for which private jet charter is responsible and the resulting reluctance of ‘green’ individuals and corporations to become clients.”

By the second quarter of 2010 Bar-Illan Jets plans to be planting a tree for every 2,000 to 3,000 miles flown. It also plans to donate private jet charter service in conjunction with The Purple Hat Foundation, a non-profit organisation that benefits paediatric cancer care and research.

Air Ambulance Division

10 Aircraft...

Single & doublestretcher configurations Bed-To-Bed Service Worldwide · Own experienced Medical Team

NEWS

Lifeport-system

Incubator Baby pod available!

FEBRUARY 2010

H24: +45 96 32 29 00 · northflying.com Aalborg Airport · Denmark Charter Broker 11

broker news In brief...

Topjet celebrates 10th anniversary

Air Partner board focuses on further efficiency benefits Air Partner’s board continues to monitor the group for opportunities to increase efficiencies and optimise the company’s return to growth once the economic climate improves, according to Aubrey Adams, non-executive chairman.

He says in a management statement that the company remains in a strong financial position with no debt and £16m of cash at 31st October 2009. But recent quarters have been characterised by slower demand and weaker rivals discounting on price.

Afghanistan success ProAir reports the successful charter of recovery vehicles on an Ilyushin IL-76 to aid relief efforts in Afghanistan. The broker, which obtained the necessary government authorisations, praised the cooperation of “reliable and dependable partners.”

Stammers: directing operations in Singapore

Stammers heads new ASA Singapore office The ASA Group has opened a new branch in Singapore and relocated senior executive Scott Stammers to head up the office. The company says it anticipates a 15 to 25 per cent increase in business in the short term. “With continued regional expansion we expect to double our current market share by end of 2012. This is largely because of the development of the private aviation sector and aerospace industry in this region,” Stammers says.

He adds: “Singapore is rapidly developing its aviation sector and now boasts an award winning FBO at Seletar East and is home to several private aviation companies. We are looking forward to being part of this exciting new phase of its development.”

Italy’s Topjet Executive, a charter broker and charter operator, is celebrating its tenth anniversary this year and looking forward to the end of the recession.

President Dino Rasero says both legs of the operation have run well in the past 18 months.

“Prices of private charter have been depressed because of competition for a more limited amount of business. This has meant that the charter arm has been able to factor in a greater availability of aircraft,” he adds.

Topjet, he says, would like to expand its broker activities in the larger aircraft market sector.

“The broker side, as well as our charter activities, will be boosted by the opening of a new 1,100 sq m hangar and office facility at Milano Linate in June.

We are expanding aircraft choice and availability through a partnership with Bizjet, part of the Eurofly group, from 1 April which will headquarter a new Hawker 750 and possibly a Learjet 40 at our new facilities.”

New lease of activity Dubai-based Air Charter International reports a good response to its marketing of inhouse aircraft leasing expertise.

“ACI aviation consultants are constantly thinking about the next opportunity and scouring the press and industry sources for any clue or insight into the complex and highly invigorating wet lease market,” ceo Stuart Wheeler says.

Busy ASA recruits staff Hong Kong’s ASA Group says it has recruited new staff after enjoying its busiest winter season for several years.

Simon Wagstaff ceo says jets are arriving from the Middle East, Europe and Asia.

“There is a roughly 50:50 split between business and pleasure flights and we are pleased to see that this upturn has lasted for several weeks now with no sign of abating.”

12 Charter Broker

Neil Harvey

Simon Edwards

Mark Jenkinson

Hunt&Palmer appoints directors to capitalise on international growth in established and emerging markets Hunt&Palmer has appointed three additional board directors as the company positions itself to expand in established and emerging markets. The move follows a trading performance in 2009 that it says was “notably ahead of expectations.”

The new directors are Neil Harvey, who heads up the executive aviation division, Simon Edwards, who leads the commercial aviation section, and Mark Jenkinson, company secretary and group resources manager.

Board chairman Jeremy Palmer says: “Like many businesses, Hunt&Palmer started 2009 facing some unpalatable but necessary decisions. Following a thorough restructure of our operations to meet the demanding financial environment in which we found ourselves, we were able to finish the year well ahead of expectations. For the future, we see several opportunities in both the established and emerging markets so we are positioning the company to maximise the natural advantage we enjoy with our highly experienced team.”

The company says it sees the appointments as a significant move to strengthen and enhance senior management in order to implement the strategic plan for international growth of the business.

FEBRUARY 2010

Dangerous goods

Evolution Time Critical helped solve the problem of this sinking ship

Brokers target growing dangerous goods sector Brokers and charter operators who invest in training and building specialised contacts and clients may be able to benefit from the global increase in demand for the safe transport of diverse dangerous and time-critical goods. Charter Broker magazine reports on the regulations and requirements.

FEBRUARY 2010

Miami-based Centurion Cargo estimates that 90 per cent of its charter business is with air charter brokers and freight forwarding agents. And it confirms that, although regular freight levels have declined, the global demand for dangerous goods transport has risen.

The combined effects of the recession and the expanding diversity of dangerous goods being moved is rewarding firms who have invested time and money in the specialised training of staff and in building a good reputation in the dangerous goods arena.

Centurion Cargo has a certificate from the US Department of Transportation (USDOT) to transport dangerous goods and reports that demand for its expertise has been “surprisingly steady and increasing� in difficult trading conditions.

While around 50 per cent of its enquiries come from South America and the Caribbean the demand is global with, the company estimates, about 20 per cent originating in North America, 10 per cent in Europe and the same in Asia, and eight per cent from Africa although Australian interest accounts for just two per cent.

The success of growth sectors such as dangerous goods means that Centurion Cargo has been able to invest in a renovation programme which, by the end of 2010, will see it offer an all-purpose MD-11F fleet and a new cargo centre with a total capacity of 500,000 tons a year.

Centurion Cargo says the centre will provide 400,000 sq ft of cargo space, 90 truck doors, 99,250 sq ft of office space and over 500,000 sq ft of exclusive ramp space for nine widebody full freighters. The facility will be developed in the northeast sector of Miami international airport on 56 acres of largely abandoned and unoccupied land. It will be subdivided in to space for perishable cargo (140,000 sq ft) and space for general cargo (260,000 sq ft). “Dedicated coolers for flowers, fruit and fish shipments will be available, each temperature controlled with Charter Broker 13

energy efficient equipment. All incoming perishables will be x-rayed in order to expedite the processing required by US Customs,” Centurion Cargo told Charter Broker.

Air Partner points out that the charter of dangerous goods is often required by the mining and oil and gas industries. “Certain cargoes require special permission through diplomatic channels to overfly states or land and we assist the airline to obtain this. Destinations are often quite remote areas of the world where oil exploration is taking place.”

Charter brokers and safety officials confirm that, in a world of increasingly complex products, the range of industrial, commercial and domestic goods that can represent a risk to health or safety is constantly expanding and becoming more difficult to identify.

Seemingly innocuous items, such as household goods, electrical items and medical equipment may contain many potentially hazardous substances.

For instance, IFALPA’s dangerous goods committee has issued a safety warning concerning counterfeit batteries. Since 1991, batteries or battery-powered devices have been involved in over 100 recorded incidents of smoke, fire or explosion in air transport. In order to be safely transported, batteries are required to undergo testing prescribed by the United Nations sub committee of experts on the transport of dangerous goods. Additionally, batteries must be designed to prevent short circuit and overcharging, and must be free from damage.

IFALPA is keen to ensure the safe transport of batteries by passengers and crew members. It says trademarked logos that appear different than usual may signal a counterfeit. It also advises: “If a battery has been recalled due to a safety concern, ensure that the battery is returned to the manufacturer via an approved method that does not involve air transport.”

Every day though, flammable, corrosive, toxic, spontaneously combustible and infectious materials, explosives, oxidants, poisons, cryogenic liquids, magnetised and radioactive materials are swiftly, safely and economically carried by air. Its transportation is regulated by the IATA dangerous goods regulations (DGR), and approved by the ICAO. Cargolux estimates that the volume of dangerous goods it transports represents around eight per cent of its shipments. The company confirms: “Dangerous goods are an important part of our traffic portfolio. All Cargolux staff have to undergo DGR training to ensure that such cargo is correctly and safely handled and its documentation issued as per required regulations, while the shipper also has to comply with the regulations at the country of origin, transit and destination,” the company says.

It adds: “At our hub in Luxembourg, the staff of our handling agent

Cargolux staff undergo DGR training 14 Charter Broker

Luxair are equally well qualified and also licensed for the acceptance, loading and handling of dangerous goods, ensuring that every aspect of each consignment complies with established international regulations.”

Cargolux says restricted articles have their own specially constructed storage areas, separate from general cargo and fitted with alarms and emergency equipment, minimising the risk of damage during handling, as well as injury to workers and the environment in the event of spillage and leakage.

It adds: “Our B747-400 freighters are ideally suited for the transport of dangerous goods. Their spacious cargo holds allow strict segregation of incompatible dangerous goods as well as separation from other sensitive cargo, such as perishables or live animals. Furthermore, the sidewalks on the main deck ensure the accessibility of dangerous goods even during the flight.”

The airline also says it offers fast t ransit t hrough t he Luxembourg Cargo Centre with less than 100 metres separating the storage facilities from the aircraft.

EASA published proposed OPS implementing rules for public consultation at the beginning of 2009. These contain requirements for the transport of dangerous goods based on ICAO and EU-OPS and JAR-OPS 3. “They include general requirements requesting compliance with the ICAO technical instructions and listing mainly the exceptions from holding an approval as well as specific requirements for the transport of DG approval itself,” EASA says (http://www.easa.europa.eu/ws_prod/r/doc/NPA/ NPA%202009-02B.pdf).

It says a comment response document with resulting text will be published by summer 2010. “The rules will most likely be adopted by 2012 including appropriate transition periods,” EASA confirms.

Until these implementing rules enter into force, national law applies for private aviation carriers. This means, for instance that, in addition to a valid AOC, a UK operator can apply for an approval in order to be able to carry dangerous goods. Only those who have been granted the approval by the CAA are permitted to carry dangerous goods. Air Navigation (Dangerous Goods) regulations place responsibility for the safe carriage of dangerous goods on all parties involved. This includes shippers, freight forwarders, handling agents and operators. In order to meet the established requirements, adequate training must be provided to every company involved. For some categories of staff, training must be undertaken by a certified dangerous goods training organisation.

The Dangerous Goods Office (DGO) carries out inspections and has a scheme for the recording and investigation of incidents. Audit style inspections are carried out on operators and their handling agents with a view to assessing whether adequate procedures and training are in place to ensure compliance with the operators’ responsibilities of the technical instructions.

“...batteries have been involved in 100 recorded incidents...”

FEBRUARY 2010

Inspections are also carried out in freight sheds and warehouses, on the ramp and in airport terminals. These check on packages and documents, procedures for handling dangerous goods, the state of training for those involved and the provision of adequate notices at cargo acceptance points and passenger check-in areas.

The inspectors are empowered to seize packages of dangerous goods if there are reasonable grounds to suspect a consignment does not comply with all applicable requirements.

Brad Brennan, md of emergency logistics provider Evolution Time Critical, says the company has six staff trained in IATA dangerous goods by air requirements. “We send them on refresher courses every two years, as required by law,” he adds.

Forward planning is essential. “Some material is forbidden on any passenger aircraft and even operators of cargo aircraft need to get permission and that can take one to three days. There can also be delays because there are conflicting hazards already booked on particular flights. This makes air charter an attractive proposition, as the shipment is likely to be flying on its own, and therefore there are no such conflicts. Also on charter there is the ability to fly higher individual quantities of hazardous material.”

He explains: “The nature of the hazard depends on the actual component. Typically the hazard can be in a range that includes class 1.4, which is explosive, and class 9 which is miscellaneous.”

Shippers must ensure qualified people pack, label, mark and document shipments in accordance with the very stringent aviation regulations so that the shipment can be flown.

Evolution recently facilitated urgent deliveries of vital parts and equipment to Taiwan and Dubai in order to help Titan Salvage rescue a sinking ship and prevent an explosion aboard a disabled ship carrying highly volatile liquids. The deliveries required expert knowledge of handling and packing dangerous goods together with a close understanding of international customs practices and rapid coordination of flights.

Brennan explains: “When a ship sinks, the effect on the environment can be devastating, as there is a real risk of the oil contained on board floating to the surface. Aside from untold damage to the local ecosystem, the financial impact of oil spillages can also be very severe. One recent clean-up operation cost insurers over €4 billion.”

Evolution arranged for an urgent shipment of a displacement kit and engines containing hazardous materials so that Titan could place a displacement bag inside the sinking ship and inflate it, keeping the ship afloat. Before the equipment could be flown to Taiwan, it was packed

by Evolution’s dangerous goods specialists.

“Holding IATA dangerous goods by air qualifications allowed the team to complete the packing rapidly and prepare the goods for their international flight, resulting in delivery within Titan’s schedule,” says Brennan.

Titan also recently called upon Evolution’s services to arrange emergency transport for a nitrogen generator to Dubai. The generator was required to ‘inert’ highly volatile liquids being removed from a FEBRUARY 2010

disabled ship before they came into contact with oxygen, which could have caused an explosion powerful enough to cause significant damage to the ship and cost millions in repairs.

The shipment was to fly on a scheduled aircraft, but was too large to pass through conventional cargo x-ray machines. Evolution submitted the shipment for a comprehensive inspection using sniffer dogs to allow it to pass strict aviation security checks.

The techniques employed by Evolution were developed for the automotive industry, when vehicle manufacturers moved from high inventory levels to lean manufacturing while simultaneously extending their supply base to low cost manufacturing centres around the world. Emergency delivery companies operate completely differently from conventional logistics companies and courier companies by handling each consignment individually, rather than consolidating shipments together.

“The global automotive industry realised huge savings from embracing the concept of reduced inventories and just-in-time deliveries, supported by their confidence in emergency logistics providers.

The marine industry can now benefit from these techniques and realise equally significant improvements in efficiency,” concludes Brennan.

Brokers and charter operators who invest in the requisite expertise and training may similarly be able to benefit from the global increase in the transport of diverse dangerous goods. CB

• Dangerous Goods • Radioactive • Munitions • Pharmaceuticals • Explosives These are just some of the Dangerous Goods transported by Skydrift Air Charter onboard our Bandeirante aircraft within Europe and North Africa.

Cargolux says dangerous goods represent eight per cent of business while Centurion says the demand for such expertise is rising

Dangerous Goods with Skydrift Air Charter Please call Skydrift to discuss your next Dangerous Goods shipment and leave the rest to us.

+ 44 (0) 1603 407424 – 24 hours www.skydrift.co.uk e: ops@skydrift.co.uk

Skydrift are permitted to carry onboard aircraft engineers with Dangerous Goods AOGs. We work closely with Government Departments, Regulatory Authorities and Handling Agents to secure Dangerous Goods licenses and permits. Forbidden Dangerous Goods on scheduled flights within Europe can often be transported subject to relevant approvals.

Charter Broker 15

sports focus

Calendar crammed with risk and profit potential The next decade will provide constant opportunities to convert demand for sporting itineraries into steady business income. Charter Broker highlights a sector that provides welcome business in the bad times as well as the good.

ASA handled Liverpool FC’s visit to Thailand 16 Charter Broker

Charter brokers worldwide are ready to cash in as one of the richest sports decades in history kicks off in earnest in 2010. Brokers know ahead of competition draws and detailed timetables that multitudes of fans will be prepared to pay a premium for reliable transport, comfortable accommodation and seats at events including the world football and rugby cups. And, while the fans must generally wait to see if their teams and countries qualify, brokers can make advance arrangements and negotiate options to sell on at a profit.

For the football World Cup a total of 64 games will be played between 11 June and 11 July 2010 in ten different venues with visitors travelling through many of the major airports. Prices may rise as availability becomes scarcer and the tournament progresses but there is always the risk that brokers will be left with unsold options. Last year’s European Champions League Final in Rome proved to be a tougher challenge than expected for the aircraft charter industry. For many in the UK broking industry, everything was going to plan, with not just one but two English teams looking to progress to the final, both attracting loyal fans prepared to travel.

When Manchester United went through after beating Arsenal in the semis there was a flurry of activity, and a multitude of aircraft were booked for supporter charters operating out of airports throughout the UK and Ireland. Memories of the booking frenzy leading up to the 2008 Champions League Final in Moscow meant the market was confident, and deposits were placed on aircraft as soon as their availability was released by private operators and airlines. Additional aircraft were then booked for London departures in order to cater for Chelsea fans, as the hope, and expectation, was that the London club would defeat Barcelona. Large numbers of aircraft were reserved by the major sports travel agencies and tour operators so prices remained at a good level.

However Chelsea lost to their Spanish rivals and literally overnight aircraft that had been reserved, with or without deposits, were handed back to the airlines and charter brokers. Air Partner recalls: “This flooding of the market with unwanted aircraft meant an instant devaluing of the ones that remained booked, and a subsequent large drop in seat rates, meaning that many companies faced large losses and cancellation fees, or at best, the seeing through to completion of their charter with a massively reduced margin. And those that attempted to sell their capacity to the Spanish market quickly realised that their aircraft were not required and were over-priced for the market conditions at the time.”

But Air Partner says it protected its clients from the vagaries of the volatile situation. “By securing aircraft availability early on, we were able to obtain excellent seat rates for our clients, which remained in line with the market rate even after the subsequent dip. This approach meant we were able to select the most suitable size of aircraft for each individual client’s requirements, rather than relying on the one-sizefits-all approach of other companies who were forced to accept whatever availability was left after the front-runners had taken the best options.

FEBRUARY 2010

Jenson Button on stage at the Silverstone Grand Prix party Therefore, exposure to excess seats was kept to a minimum, and subsequently our clients’ aircraft all flew at full capacity as planned.”

Many international brokers have already undertaken similar due diligence for the football and rugby world cups. There have been real concerns that the expense, security fears and travelling distances might inhibit football fans, lessening the take up of South African itineraries.

But leading air charter brokers are used to such pressure.

Spencer Arnold, senior commercial analyst with Air Partner based at its London Gatwick headquarters, points out: “Sport is a competitive sector with major world events coming up each year. Air Partner did good business for the last football World Cup in 2006 and clients have come back to us with their 2010 requests.”

Air Partner, which has sports specialists in all its 22 offices worldwide, has particular expertise in working with football and rugby clubs, along with specialist sports agencies involved in supporter travel.

Matthew Savage, manager of Air Partner Commercial Jets, says: “Despite the current economic uncertainty the market for sports charter remains very buoyant. Utilisation of charter by sports teams remains on the increase due to the flexibility it offers for schedules and

ExecuJet is ready for World Cup supporters and teams FEBRUARY 2010

destinations. Here at Air Partner, we have seen an ever-increasing number of teams, travel agencies and private individuals extolling the benefits of aircraft charter, and making it key to the success of their travel planning. We currently serve the needs of teams and supporters from the world of football, rugby, athletics and motor sports, not just from within the UK but across the globe.”

Arnold says that the secret of repeat business is attention to detail and knowing client needs of the sportsmen and women as well as the supporters. “Where necessary we coordinate the advance shipment of sports equipment to events. It makes sense for clients to send bulky team kit in advance, so that they can not only enjoy a more straightforward check-in but they can also save money on the aircraft, as they have the option to take the optimum aircraft type for their team requirements rather than having to jump up an aircraft size to achieve the necessary cargo space for their kit. In addition, split configurations can be the best option for when competitors are travelling in the same aircraft as fans in order to offset team travel costs, but this depends on what the athletes or team management want to achieve.”

Yannis Gerault, country manager for Chapman Freeborn in France, says there is great demand for passenger charters to Cape Town and other South African destinations. Thousands of French football fans are expected to descend on the country to support Les Bleus.

CF, which opened a South African operation recently, reports that Johannesburg is among other cities in demand for the tournament.

Lizane Albers-Mostert, CF’s bdm for South Africa, says: “We’re receiving charter requests from supporters’ groups, corporate sponsors and media partners. South Africa has never staged an international event of this size, so it’s going to be a major test for the country’s aviation infrastructure.”

South Africa’s Civil Aviation Authority has implemented a number of additional aviation coordination and security measures to ensure the safe and orderly flow of traffic within the vicinity of host cities like Cape Town, Port Elizabeth, Durban and Johannesburg. Arrival and departure slot coordination will be implemented at additional airports within Charter Broker 17

South Africa, and temporary restricted airspace will be created above and around match venues to ensure security.

Air Charter Service (ACS) reported a huge influx of requests for passenger charters following the draw for South Africa. ACS opened an office in Johannesburg in 2009 as part of its expansion during what it reports has been a good 2009. It has secured an exclusive 110-seat DC-9 for the duration of the competition.

ACS commercial sales director Jon Thompson reports: “We have been receiving enquiries about next year for quite a while now, but since the draw the ’phones have been ringing off the hook.”

As well as the large commercial airliner charter demand, ACS has also received an influx of private jet charter enquiries. Their contacts have already informed them that there are some airports that are planning on shutting down one runway to accommodate the extra aircraft, particularly for the executive jets which are expected.

Leading up to the draw for the group stages, ACS had representatives at Soccerex football business exhibition in Johannesburg. Joining their ACS South Africa counterparts were representatives from ACS London, including Thompson. ACS’s experience in football chartering includes transporting more than 3,500 Manchester United fans to the UEFA Champions’ League final in Rome, and flying the losing team back home. More recently ACS transferred the Brazil national team.

ExecuJet South Africa is providing bespoke aviation packages in South Africa during June and July including a full concierge service and its SimplyFly Membership programme offers 25-hour membership cards. Ettore Poggi, md ExecuJet South Africa, says: “We have two ideally located facilities at Cape Town and Johannesburg’s Lanseria international airports. Our fleet of more than 40 turboprops and jets will operate to all the World Cup host cities and breakaway excursions will be available between games. Events during the World Cup will include golf days, safari trips and tours of wine estates.”

ExecuJet South Africa reports a strong uptake in third party widebodied business jet maintenance activity as owners plan ahead to have their aircraft available for World Cup 2010 charter.

ExecuJet South Africa’s maintenance director Steve Bothma says: “Our clients are making their maintenance plans early to ensure they don’t get caught out with aircraft that can’t fly in what will be the biggest and busiest event on the global sporting calendar.”

The World Cup Draw on 4 December 2009, he adds, gave ExecuJet a small taste of what is to be expected with regards to the influx of business jets for the World Cup next year.

South Africa is preparing its airports to receive an estimated half a million visitors with improved check-in and self-service facilities through a $35m programme to be implemented by aviation IT and communications specialist SITA. The programme will immediately benefit the three international airports in Johannesburg, Durban and Cape Town, and the local airport in Port Elizabeth.

Full advert 60 xregional 190:Layout 1 says: 3/6/09 09:56in South Page 1 Khodr Akil, SITA vp Africa, “The airports

Pembrey is a growing sports hub

Golfing demand drives new Pembrey business Pembrey, a privately-owned commercial airport in west Wales, looks set to become an important hub for serving prestigious sporting events and professionals. Techniques d’Avant Garde, who own and operate Farnborough airport and Air Charter Co Ltd, have selected Pembrey to provide landing, refuelling, hard standing and other facilities to more than 14 jets carrying golf’s elite to the Ryder Cup 2010 from 1 to 3 October. The airport is also benefiting from the recent launch of operations by FfosLas, the UK’s first new National Hunt racecourse in 80 years. This involves a complex offering residential, hospitality and commercial developments, plus an equestrian centre, racing school and training establishments.

Africa will have to handle up to 78,000 passengers and 260 international flights per day and will also require the capability to respond flexibly to airline schedule demands at peak times.”

Air charter brokers based in South Africa are expecting increased business. Lanseria Flight Center (LFC) says its African flying safaris are especially popular. “There is a wide variety of certified runways situated not only in South Africa but right through a select number of countries within the neighbouring region. Many of the charters involve flights to dirt strips in the middle of thousands of square kilometres of jungle.”

Apart from carrying people all over the African continent, it also transports sensitive cargoes. “Depending on the client this could be bullion, gems or payrolls,” LFC says. “Given the nature of life in some of these countries, after safety security is of paramount importance. With very tight security at the airport or airstrip at each end of a charter flight, carrying these cargoes by aircraft is often the best way to avoid trouble en route, as unmade roads in many of these countries mean slow surface transport and thus a higher risk of attack.”

LFC was formed in 1989 and operates from Lanseria international airport’s twin-runway facility with full navigation services some 25 kilometres northwest of Johannesburg. It operates 22 aircraft six of which are dedicated to charter.

While a significant part of the global charter industry’s immediate focus is on South Africa, brokers are also looking further ahead to the

PROMOTING PROFESSIONAL STANDARDS IN AIR CHARTER BROKERAGE

WWW.BACA.ORG.UK

THE BALTIC AIR CHARTER ASSOCIATION 18 Charter Broker

FEBRUARY 2010

Airports convenient for the rugby World Cup

WHANGERAI

This quick guide shows the airport name, the airport identifiers, longest runway, states the distance from the nearest rugby World Cup venue and gives relevant FBO details. It was compiled from data included in the Global Business Jet Yearbook (www.gbjyearbook.com) which is the premier source of information on New Zealand airports and other airports around the world.

Eden Park, Auckland Airport: Auckland International NZAA/AKL Runway: 3635m Distance to stadium: 30km FBOs: Air Center One/Sky Care Int’l Airport: Ardmore NZAR/AMZ Runway: 1411m Distance to stadium: 30km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

AUCKLAND EDEN PARK

Stadium Taranaki, New Plymouth

Whangerai

Auckland International

ROTORUA

HAMILTON

NAPIER MCLEAN PARK

NEW PLYMOUTH STADIUM TARANAKI

Napier

New Plymouth

PALMERSTON NORTH NELSON

ARENA MANAWATU

Paraparaumu

Palmerston North

TRAFALGAR PARK

WELLINGTON

Nelson

WELLINGTON REGIONAL STADIUM Wellington International

CHRISTCHURCH STADIUM CHRISTCHURCH

Airport: New Plymouth NZNP/NPL Runway: 1310m Distance to stadium: 15km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

Christchurch International

DUNEDIN

Wellington Regional Stadium, Wellington

CARISBROOK Dunedin International

Rotorua International Stadium, Rotorua Airport: Rotorua NZRO/ROT Runway: 1767m Distance to stadium: 5km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

Airport: Paraparaumu NZPP/PPQ Runway: 1363m Distance to stadium: 45km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

North Harbour Stadium, North Shore

Northland Events Centre, Whangarei

Airport: North Shore NZNE Runway: 738m Distance to stadium: 12km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

Airport: Whangarei NZWR/WRE Runway: 1097m Distance to stadium: 10km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

Airport: Auckland International NZAA/AKL Runway: 3635m Distance to stadium: 50km FBOs: Air Center One/Sky Care International

Carisbrook, Dunedin

Airport: Napier NZNR/NPE Runway: 1310m Distance to stadium: 6km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

Airport: Dunedin International NZDN/DUD Runway: 1900m Distance to stadium: 30km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

Airport: Hastings NZHS Runway: 1075m Distance to stadium: 30km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

FEBRUARY 2010

Rotorua

WAIKATO STADIUM

Airport: Wellington International NZWN/WLG Runway: 1936m Distance to stadium: 10km FBOs: Capital Jet Services

ExcuJet group ceo Niall Olver and Etti Poggi, md South Africa, plan ahead

ROTORUA INT’L STADIUM

Ardmore

Hamilton

Stadium Christchurch, Christchurch

Airport: Mechanics Bay NZMB Runway: Heliport Distance to stadium: 6km No FBO. Use airport based handlers Airport: Invercargill NZNV/IVC Runway: 2210m Distance to stadium: 3km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

Mechanics Bay

Airport: Mechanics Bay NZMB Runway: Heliport Distance to stadium: 20km No FBO. Use airport based handlers Airport: Christchurch International NZCH/CHC Runway: 3288m Distance to stadium: 12km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

Rugby Park Stadium, Invercargill

NORTH HARBOUR STADIUM

Airport: Ardmore NZAR/AMZ Runway: 1411m Distance to stadium: 55km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

Airport: North Shore NZNE Runway: 738m Distance to stadium: 30km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

NORTHLANDS HARBOUR STADIUM

NORTH SHORE

North Shore

INVERCARGILL RUGBY PARK STADIUM Invercargill

Waikato Stadium, Hamilton

Trafalgar Park, Nelson

Airport: Hamilton NZHN/HLZ Runway: 2195m Distance to stadium: 15km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

Airport: Nelson NZNS/NSN Runway: 1347m Distance to stadium: 8km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

McLean Park, Napier

Arena Manawatu, Palmerston North

rugby World Cup in New Zealand in 2011 (see Charter Broker October 2009), the 2012 London Olympics, the 2014 world football cup in Brazil and even the Rio Olympics in 2016.

Faith Quigley, author of a report highlighting business opportunities in Brazil, says: “With an estimated 600,000 foreign visitors expected for the World Cup alone, 12 World Cup host cities to prepare and a Summer Olympiad to deliver, Brazil is facing a huge challenge.”

Many international brokers have built strong relationships with top football teams. The ASA Group, for instance, provided ground handling and security services for England’s Liverpool football club when its players landed in Thailand. The club had been invited by strategic global investors the Profitable Group to play the Thai national team in Bangkok. The Liverpool players and support crew flew into Don Mueang international airport on board a privately chartered A320.

Airport: Palmerston North NZPM/PMR Runway: 1902m Distance to stadium: 5km No FBO. Use airport based handlers

ASA Group also provided ground handling services for the world tour of the FIFA cup during its presentation in Thailand. It is receiving enquiries for schedules for the 2011 rugby World Cup in New Zealand with assistant general manager Phanraphee Bunphalamlert confirming that the Challenger 605 and the Gulfstream V are among aircraft favoured.

But the forward planning of international brokers also has to anticipate and react to commercial decisions. Within 24 hours of announcing that the future of the FIA Formula 1 British Grand Prix had been secured at Silverstone, the Northamptonshire circuit enjoyed what it called an unprecedented level of demand, nearly 6,500 tickets were sold within 24 hours of going on sale.

Turkey’s Gözen Air Services which lays claim to being the first FBO in Europe to offer three hotel rooms inside its hangars, confirms that sporting events are central to its business plans.

Istanbul will gain from being the European capital of culture benefiting from artistic and sporting events including the FIBA 2010 World Basketball Championship and Formula 1.

The continuing strong demand for events, ranging from the Grand Prix to the Olympics and high profile international football friendlies to the rugby World Cup, will ensure charter brokers are kept on their toes for the forseeable future. CB Charter Broker 19

malta focus

Brokers take to island’s round-the-clock operations Brokers, private charter operators and aviation companies are confident that Malta’s accelerated drive to develop as a European private aviation hub will bring a substantial growth in business.

DC Aviation, Comlux, Mediterranean Aviation Co Ltd (Medavia), Carre Aviation, BizAv Services Ltd and Orion (Malta) are among companies to confirm the positive impact of the country’s new aircraft registration act. “We welcome the new legislation gladly and hope to see more executive jets being registered and based on the island,” says Claire Abela, section manager ground handling and charter sales for Medavia.

Medavia, set up in Malta in August 1978 to provide a service to the oil sector in North Africa with its own turboprop aircraft fleet, has since significantly developed its brokerage and support activities.

“Medavia has over the years become very well established in the provision of aircraft charter, mainly for North African clients,” says Abela. “Various African heads of states are among major clients. The company provides small and large executive jets, airliners and dedicated freighter aircraft as well as dedicated air ambulance aircraft. It also provides flight operational support, worldwide procurement of aviation fuel and flight representation in both Malta and Libya.”

Malta, she adds, offers several geographic and logistic advantages. “Malta international airport is 24-7 so Malta-based aircraft are available for dispatch round-the-clock. We face no major weather issues, unlike much of the rest of Europe, and we can almost

Happy with prospects in Malta, from left, are Marc Lile, ceo, Carre Aviation Ltd, Claire Abela of Mediterranean Aviation Co Ltd (Medavia), and Stanley Bugeja, md, DC Aviation Ltd (Malta) and president MBAA 20 Charter Broker

guarantee 100 per cent reliability for the timely dispatch of aircraft.”

Abela, who has worked for Medavia for 12 years with 10 years in the charter sales and brokerage department, says business has diversified out from charter requests for heads of state, the rich and famous, businessmen and corporations. “There are developing requirements to coordinate medical evacuations as well as cargo operations,” she says. “The increase of aircraft registered and based in Malta in the last year has been seen as a positive change and is welcomed, especially since it has given us a great advantage both in prompt dispatching and favourable price factor.”

Marc Lile, ceo of Carre Aviation which is headquartered in Malta, points out that the island benefits from tax incentives and positive legislation. He adds: “As an international company with decades of experience in the aviation industry we need to be based in a location that helps us focus on client service rather than pushing aside red tape.”

Malta was chosen for its cosmopolitan business life and the strong economic activity, he adds. “We also have an office in Tbilisi, Georgia and a 24-7 worldwide flight operation centre staffed by Anglo-Russian speaking dispatchers enabling a quick turnaround. We have established a powerful network in all CIS countries and Africa enabling us to respond quickly and efficiently for all flights in this region. Our teams are trained specifically to fit the needs of each customer.”

Services include aircraft management, 24-7 charter, sales and acquisition, flight operations, handling and design. Carre Aviation, he says, will attend to every detail from limousine or helicopter pick-up to airport formalities and visas.

Stanley Bugeja, md of DC Aviation Limited, says the new legislation being enacted has enthused the Malta Business Aviation Association (MBAA). “The MBAA was always confident of Malta’s potential and is taking this opportunity to further promote business aviation. It will benefit not just aircraft registration but also management and operation, financing, maintenance, flight operations support and aircraft charter.”

He points out that Comlux, Orion (Malta) and Carre Aviation are among new operators of business jets on a Maltese AOC. Carre Aviation bases its CRJ 200 with 14 seats in Malta while DC Aviation is already in its second year of operation as an FBO and regional sales office. BizAv Services Ltd, an aviation consulting firm set up to assist foreign companies register and operate business aircraft from the Maltese jurisdiction, reports a very successful 2009, obtaining two AOCs in the first half of the year and providing quality management support and crew training to clients.

Bugeja says: “The Malta review in December’s European Business Air News generated a lot of feedback and as such the MBAA is planning to hold a seminar during EBACE explaining the advantages of the Maltese jurisdiction to aircraft owners and operators.”

DC Aviation, he says, ended 2009 on a very positive note. “We registered significant growth in November and December exceeding all expectations and registering an overall growth during the year of more than 10%. We believe that the fiscal incentives, the weather and FEBRUARY 2010

Austin Gatt, Malta’s minister for infrastructure, transport and communications

the new registration should continue to make for a very positive business aviation outlook. DC Aviation is heavily investing in equipment and people and striving continually to improve service. We now have a whole fleet of cars at the disposal of our customers. We have provided extensive training to our employees and we continually talk to the local authorities on how we can improve the procedures for embarking and disembarking of business aviation passengers. As the whole of Europe continues its recovery we expect 2010 to be another strong year.”

The company, he says, will be recruiting more personnel at its FBO and further investing in equipment and facilities. “DC Aviation also had a good year with regard to charter sales. Marketing our extensive fleet on our German AOC, which varies from an Airbus 319 CJ with 46 seats all first class to Lear 45, we made some inroads in the North African, Middle East and US markets. We feel that our strong and young fleet, as well as some clever pricing structures, will be instrumental for us to register even further growth in 2010.” The Maltese sales team, a new addition to DC Aviation, developed quickly in 2009 and expects to benefit from the world’s economic recovery.

Comlux, which has chosen to base most of its aircraft in Malta for financial and operational reasons, will further develop its presence in 2010. Its md in Malta Giovanni Corrieri says: “We are refining plans and conducting negotiations for new business in 2010 and there are already projects on the drawing board and these will be announced as we move on into 2010.”

The country may be small but it is a member of the United Nations,

FEBRUARY 2010

the Council of Europe and the International Monetary Fund and, perhaps most importantly for the private aviation businesses it is attracting, can offer the benefits of full European Union membership.

Austin Gatt, Malta’s minister for infrastructure, transport and communications says the act goes beyond consolidating the laws on registration of aircraft and security interests over aircraft into a single piece of legislation. It is designed to attract more aviation cluster business to Malta by providing incentives for growth and broadening the eligibility requirements for non-commercial aircraft.

A key feature is the implementation of the provisions of the Cape Town Convention and its aircraft protocol which provide further effective remedies to financiers, lessors, or conditional sellers of aircraft having an interest in the aircraft, in addition to those already existing under domestic law.

Malta’s ambitions to attract registration and charter business will inevitably put it more prominently on the radar of charter brokers.

“Charter business with Russia and Africa, as well as Europe, will become more interesting,” Bugeja predicts. CB

Charter Broker 21

industry news West Air upgrades aircraft and adds racehorse transport capability West Air Sweden, cargo and mail specialist airline headquartered in Gothenburg, reports significant improvements in operational efficiency and safety through a comprehensive glass cockpit upgrade programme for its BAe ATP fleet. West Air Europe technical director Robert Drews says: “This latest generation EFIS system from Scandinavian Avionics improves pilot situation awareness and reduces cockpit workload, which we see as significant safety enhancements.”

The company, which added a B737-300 and three ATP aircraft to its fleet in 2009, expects to acquire further aircraft in 2010.

These will join 43 ATPs, five L188 Lockheed Electra, two CRJ200PF and an ATR 72F already in service.

Marshall airport plans to develop European business into a global operation.

Horse transport business rides high as Marshall targets London Olympics

West Air Europe technical director Robert Drews with Scandinavian Avionics’ president and sales director Hardy Truelsen Drews says: “The additional aircraft support our existing mail and express customer base. The B737-300 is a departure from our previous strategy and is equipped to carry racehorses as well as being capable of standard cargo operations. This aircraft choice is being evaluated as a potential successor to the L188 Electra along with other similar capacity types.”

Russell Ladkin, sales and operations director and part-owner of the group, says operational efficiency and technical reliability are key to the successful growth of the business but safety has highest priority and the cockpit upgrade reflected this.

22 Charter Broker

The UK’s Marshall airport aims to build on growing European horse transport business by becoming a key hub for the 2012 Olympics.

The Cambridge airport reports rising business from using a B737 configured for the Newmarket and broader UK equine businesses to move horses and cargo. It expects movements to increase to more than 100 a month in 2010 as it wins increasing business from the bloodstock and racing communities.

Operated by Atlantic Airways, the B737 transports horses around Europe and into the Middle East under the supervision of Janah Management Company.

Some 80 foals were moved between Cambridge and Dublin from the end of October to the beginning of November 2009 and numbers have been increasing steadily in 2010.

John Watkins, director airport operations and development, says: “Our horse transport operations

are currently focused on the EU but Marshall has its eye on the 2012 Olympics and equine transport is one area that we will develop. We intend to ensure that we can fulfill the criteria for the global movement of horses in good time for the run up to 2012.”

He says both Marshall Business Aviation and Marshall airport have enjoyed great success during 2009. “September 2009 was the best month for financials and aircraft movements at the airport in six years. Compared to September 2008 there were five times as many horse transport flights; four times the number of major operator training flights; twice as many visiting GA aircraft and double charter flights led by an increase on football team charters; with an overall monthly total of movements of 4,591.” This, Watkins says, was up 12 per cent on September last year. “We are in the process of finalising the business plan and launching a European division. Equine transport is an important part of that plan.”

Charter operators expand in the Middle East Charter operators are expanding fleets and bases in the Middle East. Comlux and MAZ Aviation (MAZAV) have launched Comlux Middle East Company in Bahrain. They will initially base an A318 Elite and an ACJ in the region which will be reinforced at the end of 2010 by an A320 Prestige.

Abu Dhabi-based Al Jaber Aviation (AJA) is bringing the first Lineage 1000 into charter operation on schedule. “We will be the largest Lineage 1000 operator with a fleet of five of the aircraft,” says Dr Mark Pierotti, the company’s coo.

AJA operates two Legacy 600 jets and, as well as firm orders for four additional Lineage 1000s, plans to add four Legacy 450s and four Legacy 500s.

FEBRUARY 2010

In brief...

Strategic develops airline and broker services from the UK Australia’s Strategic has spread its wings in the UK with the formation of a commercial office at Gatwick.

It offers a range of services including ACMI, wet lease and full charter services.

Strategic’s ceo David Blake says: “In recent times we have seen the emergence of several currently untapped markets that we feel our European operations can satisfy. In addition, our fleet positions us well as a European operator capable of servicing AOG requirements for other airlines.”

The company’s fleet includes two A320-200s, one to be based in Europe for European operations, while the second A320 and an Airbus A330-200 will be utilised for Strategic’s Australian operations.

The European-based A320 operating under a French AOC is being marketed in Europe by Neill Huston, who joins Strategic Airlines as UK commercial director. Huston, who previously worked with Air Europe, Dan-Air, Caledonian Airways, Hunter and Palmer and My Travel, says he believes there is a gap in the market for an independent and reliable airline.

Working alongside Huston as European commercial director for Strategic is Simon Moore who has worked with Monarch Airlines, Air London and Air Partner Private Jets. Following 12 months at Strategic’s Brisbane head office, Moore set up Strategic’s charter broking division for the European office at Gatwick.

AeroLogic builds bigger B777F fleet AeroLogic, the joint venture cargo airline of DHL Express and Lufthansa Cargo, is introducing new daily flights from Leipzig to Hong Kong, four of them non-stop, and weekend flights from Frankfurt to Atlanta and Chicago.

AeroLogic took delivery of two additional B777F aircraft in December and currently operates a fleet of four. It expects delivery of four additional B777F aircraft in 2010 in June, July, September and December.

767 boosts Titan charter Neill Huston and Simon Moore (seated): spearheading a new division Moore says: “The new UK division will provide the European central hub for the airline, whether the aircraft is utilised for ACMI, wet lease or charter services. Additionally, we are ideally positioned with solid products to provide brokerage services to companies both in the UK and beyond.”

Titan Airways based at London Stansted is offering its first wide bodied aircraft, a Boeing 767, for ad hoc charter, airline sub charter and wet lease.

The aircraft, with a range of around 6,000 nm, has a 265 seat configuration.

NORDAVIA, 1976 als erster Air Charter Broker in Deutschland gegründet, vermittelt weltweit – vom Business-Jet bis hin zum Großraumflugzeug – optimale Charterlösungen.

Wir suchen für sofort oder später eine/n engagierte/n

Sales Representative im Außendienst

Wir erwarten von Ihnen Initiative und hohe Motivation, Flexibilität und Geschick in der Akquisition, beste Kundenkontakte sowie nachhaltige, erfolgreiche Kundenbeziehungen. EDV-Kenntnisse und gutes Englisch setzen wir voraus. Eine weitere Fremdsprache wäre vorteilhaft.

Wir bieten Ihnen eine Position mit attraktiven Perspektiven und ein überdurchschnittliches Fixum zuzüglich Verkaufsprovision.

Bitte senden Sie Ihre aussagefähigen Bewerbungsunterlagen an jobs@nordavia.com. Wir freuen uns auf Ihre Bewerbung. Alle Angaben behandeln wir mit höchster Diskretion.

Experienced Charter Broker – Gatwick Smart Aviation is an established Charter Broker based in Gatwick with a prestigious client list and a reputation for providing excellent solutions to client requests. Due to another successful year an experienced Commercial Aircraft Charter Broker is required to join our successful sales team.

The position requires a Commercial Aircraft Charter Broker who has a strong background in broking.

You will be expected to establish long lasting and successful relationships with all your clients. This is a target orientated position and so an ability to use initiative and be highly motivated is essential. You will supply cost effective options for your clients and achieve first class customer satisfaction.

This is an excellent opportunity for the right individual to establish themselves within the aviation industry with an already successful company. The salary is competitive with a generous commission structure.

To apply please email your cv to

WE FLY GROUPS

Innocentiastr. 32, D-20144 Hamburg, Tel. +49 (0)40 440040 jobs@nordavia.com, www.nordavia.com

FEBRUARY 2010

charlotte@smart-aviation.co.uk

or call for an informal discussion on 01293 551244

All applications will be dealt with in the strictest confidence.

Charter Broker 23

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