ISSUE 232
DECEMBER 2012
Perfect Aviation launches AOC support service
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Business aviation at the crossroads – how the Middle East and Europe interact Pages 10-13
Iceland regional review
Page 14
Starlite focus is on Europe with latest Super Puma
This has been an exceptional year for Slade Thomas, whose Ireland and South Africabased Starlite Aviation has become the launch customer for the latest variant of the Super Puma helicopter. See full story on page 6.
The ongoing financial crisis affecting most of Europe, coupled with the mass of new regulations that continue to emanate from Brussels, is placing more and more financial pressure on the small and medium size AOC operators. So says UK charter operator Perfect Aviation as it urges its peers to consider the benefits of collaboration. Perfect Aviation believes that, if operators are to survive, the time has come for some innovative thinking. It has therefore announced a new flight planning and AOC support service. Business development manager Paul Forster explains: “We are pleased to offer this service to third-party operators who are seeking to reduce or contain their costs. “We have a highly trained team of professional and fully licensed INAC/EASA aircraft dispatchers who are available on a 24/7 basis to oversee all aspects of flight planning, flight following and operational support. Our concept is to provide an AOC competent dispatch department to third party operators pursuant to a service level agreement.” Forster adds: “Flight planning and flight following and reporting functions will be provided to operators as if it were being made through their own flight dispatch department. With full competency in respect of EASA flight crew regulations and other relevant regulations, Perfect can provide a real cost saving to operators requiring a 24/7 flight operations function but perhaps struggling to justify the costs of employing staffing to cover it. “Since I joined Perfect one of the most impressive areas that I have noted is our dispatch team, they have never failed to obtain permits or over-flight clearances, some of which have been in very remote or difficult areas. The team has always been totally up-to-date on everything that is happening around the globe and this type of service is vital for every flight crew member and to the operator wanting to ensure the very best levels of service to the client.” Continued on page 3
Alliances may be key to unlock charter success A panel of leading charter operators at the CEPA Expo in Prague recently agreed that the air charter market in the central European region is set to grow in coming years, but pondered whether cooperation between operators would help to increase efficiency. London Executive Aviation’s Patrick Margetson-Rushmore reported having already seen a 70 per cent increase in its business in CEE countries in recent years, and a 25 per cent increase in 2012 alone. LEA operates a Challenger 300 and
a Legacy into the region. The most common destinations are Poland, Croatia, Montenegro and the Czech Republic, he says, and the direction of travel is east to west, rather than west to east. Bernhard Fragner of GlobeAir pointed out that around two thirds of bookings come via brokers, and identified the routes attracting increasing traffic as Bucharest, Budapest and Croatia, rather than the most established destinations. Indeed Jaroslav Malinsky of
CEPA Chairman Brendan Lodge and founder Dagmar Grossmann.
VR Jet, which is based in Bratislava, reported that his company is taking business
from Vienna due to the lack of restrictions at Bratislava airport. Vienna is a very competitive location and operators not already based there would not attempt to enter the market, he believes. VR Jet has found that passengers are currently downgrading the size of the aircraft required for aircraft charter, and that price seems to be the driving factor – with operators differentiating by providing good service and a good relationship between the passengers and crew. Seventy
per cent of the company’s services are corporate flights with the rest short-term bookings and ad-hoc. The panel looked to the future to see how air charter operators might develop services to increase business. It was suggested that operator alliances could be formed in the region to help reduce costs, and that the standard of onboard catering should be one of the main focuses when considering passengers’ quality requirements. Continued on page 3
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DECEMBER 2012 3
Multi-billion dollar orders boost business aviation confidence The big news this month is undoubtedly the record-breaking order for aircraft placed by VistaJet (see story page 8), which is undertaking this major fleet renewal and expansion programme on the basis of increasing world demand for long-range business charter to farflung destinations – especially originating from emerging markets where the company has been establishing local connections. VistaJet is of the opinion that major corporations will increasingly look for the flexibility and low capital outlay of charter, rather than
committing to aircraft ownership or buying fractions. NetJets understandably sees things differently. Its order for new aircraft earlier this year was only a whisker lower in value than that of VistaJet, and belies a firm conviction that fractional ownership is here to stay. With a much larger fleet, now approaching 400 aircraft, and an order backlog even larger than that, they may be on to something. Despite these major expressions of confidence, those of us tracking new aircraft deliveries more generally will have noticed that the
EDITORIAL COMMENT
numbers have been flat over the past year or two at best. But what does all this mean for business aviation in a wider context as we head into another new year? VistaJet and NetJets may have
little in common when it comes to their business models, but they are alike in one important respect, and that is size. It certainly seems that the largest operators are able to broker good deals on new aircraft purchases and benefit from economies of scale, while smaller ones are finding the current economic situation more taxing. It is also evident that those operators with larger and longerrange aircraft are generally doing rather better than those with light jets. The fact that the economies which are still growing fastest are
Demand for business aviation is growing fast Research from Hawker Beechcraft Corporation has revealed that demand for business aircraft in central Europe has increased dramatically over the last decade. When compared with the period 2002-2006, deliveries of business aircraft during 2007-2011 increased by 291 per cent across the region, compared to 31 per cent for the global market. The research, conducted to coincide with the CEPA Expo, also reveals that nearly half of all business aircraft based in central Europe have been delivered in the last five years. Slovenia, the Slovak Republic and Bulgaria have been at the forefront of this surge in demand, with deliveries increasing by 700 per cent, 700 per cent and 350 per cent respectively between the periods. “The business aviation market here has grown rapidly over the last five years, albeit from a low base, and we maintain our positive outlook on what we view as an important region in Europe, where upcoming economies will continue to present attractive opportunities for business aviation,” says Scott Plumb, vp jet sales EMEA.
Margetson-Rushmore believes that in the next three years LEA will see further changes in attitude and approach from the CEE region’s FBOs and handling businesses, and that the area will be fertile ground for manufacturers looking to sell new aircraft. The view from all was that the market will increase with both passenger demand and aircraft
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not a great strategy, as it presents false expectations of prices to the clients and ultimately damages the recovery of pricing. “Many are worried about handing client information to their proposed partners; I would counter that by saying that we have all been working with brokers for a very long time and the professional operators have never had an issue. We all know where our business comes from, so to poach a client would be commercial suicide and the same would obviously apply to working with a partner company. “We are talking to both AOC operators and private individuals. It is ideal for the private operator who would like the level of support you get from commercial operations but without the massive monthly bill associated with some of the large organisations,” Forster concludes.
three-day conference included a charter market forecast for 2013 by Magnus Henrikson of Avinode Business Intelligence. He observed that the CEE market is highly reliant on non-domestic travel; that it is and will continue to be affected by the wider European economy; and that the domestic CEE market is struggling and not contributing to growth. Avinode has also identified central Europe as a price-sensitive market with a high utilisation of small aircraft, with short trips for more
EB th oo
Clients will have immediate real-time secure access to their planning and regulatory data via a bespoke datacentric web based flight management software system. Perfect believes that by working together operators will benefit from reduced overheads while gaining access to a larger fleet of aircraft and additional joint resources. Forster continues: “It is going to take several years for our market to recover fully and quite frankly, unless they take appropriate action, some operators will not survive. At the moment we have too many operators chasing too few clients and aircraft management fees are much weaker. Operators are slashing prices to win jobs in order to tread water. That is
Continued from front page
numbers growing. Communications during the CEPA Expo were aided by ‘Cepenger’, a realtime messaging facility, and this is said to have been widely used. The technology, which has not been used before in the industry, allowed the delegates to make comments and ask questions without interrupting the speakers, the messages appearing on the screen above the stage. The chair of the panel then used the comments to add to the speeches and panels. Other presentations during the
M
Continued from front page
Alliances may be key to unlock charter success
passengers indicating cautious buyers. It is a fragmented market, says Henrikson, and business jet charter in the south east of the CEE region is under-developed. “There is room for growth!” he says. The future market potential was explored in more detail at a further panel session involving Ross Mitchell, sales director at Bombardier, Ammr Shaladi, md of Vibro-Air Flugservice, Nick Fitzpatrick, ceo of Atron. It was noted that customers for aircraft in the CEE are coming from the ranks of high net-worth individuals (HNWI) as in the west and, although the numbers are smaller, they are growing year on year. HNWI are a growing class in the CEE with the younger client having the will to buy aircraft while the older are more reluctant and prefer charter and fractional ownership. Large industry is missing in the CEE as a customer base and that which does exist is largely government owned. The panelists noted that smaller aircraft are more in demand than in the west, with Learjet models and Challenger 300 popular, as most travel takes place to other European countries and Russia. The VLJ market is reducing and customers are travelling commercial instead. The number of aircraft based in the CEE is more than some reports would have it, as some of the many based aircraft are not registered in the region. All agreed that keeping costs down is key to operators, and that central and eastern European operators should work together to achieve more cost reductions.
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Perfect Aviation launches AOC support service
Presenting their thoughts about ‘selling aircraft charter’ at the CEPA conference were GlobeAir ceo Bernhard Fragner, London Executive Aviation ceo Patrick Margetson-Rushmore, VR Jet ceo Jaroslav Malinsky, Brendan Lodge, CEPA chairman and business development director Jet Brokers Europe, and past chairman of CEPA Jiri Matousek.
those which are keen to invest overseas, and that the highest net worth individuals, biggest corporations and national governments are those which still have the budget for business aviation, makes this trend inevitable for the time being. But these things are cyclical. We will all be hoping for an increase in flight hours across the board during 2013, and those operators picking up new business will be leaner and fitter than ever. So, on behalf of everyone here at EBAN I wish all our readers a very happy and successful new year. David Wright, Editor
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CLOSE TO THE HEART OF LONDON
4 DECEMBER 2012
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
Best Fly places G450 in Angola Angola-based operator Best Fly Worldwide has placed a Gulfstream G450 on the Aruba register, with a home base of Luanda. The company already operates a Bermudan-registered Challenger 605, the maintenance for which is carried out under a CAMO contract by Primus Aircraft Management Solutions. “We look forward to a long and fruitful relationship with our new customer Best Fly,” the company says. “By winning this contract we have been able to set our foot on the African continent with its rapidly growing business aviation.” Best Fly ceo Nuno Pereira is looking to the future, saying: “We really look forward to a prolific relationship with Primus.” Best Fly is a member of the Emerald Group, the presence of which in the aviation sector was initially driven by internal needs to support oil and gas operations. It started simply with an aircraft operation that included maintenance services. However, it reports that the size, competence level and service diversity in this business sector has
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Qatar Executive’s evp Tilmann Gabriel receives the award on behalf of Qatar Airways ceo Akbar Al Baker.
Qatar Executive’s performance nets coveted industry award Qatar Executive beat stiff competition to pick up a coveted accolade at an awards evening in Dubai attended by leading figures from across the regional travel and aviation industry. Qatar Airways’ corporate jet division was named best business aviation operator of 2012 by Middle East industry publication Aviation Business, an award traditionally given to the company that consistently delivers world class service and excels through key achievements and solid business strategies. Delivering a superior inflight experience and accomplishments such as a recent partnership with
fractional jet programme provider Flexjet, plus the company’s appointment by Bombardier as an authorised service facility, were all cited as reasons for the award. Qatar Airways ceo Akbar Al Baker says: “We operate in a competitive business aviation market with impressive players across the region, so winning this award is testament to the hard work we’ve put into our corporate jet division in a short space of time.” Headquartered at Doha International Airport, Qatar Executive offers jet charter to Europe, Asia, North America, Africa, Australia and the Middle East.
reached such great heights that it became a stand-alone operation within the group. It has a huge growth potential, both by the number of identified opportunities in the market and by the value they represent, Emerald says. The aviation division includes AirTwo, which is dedicated to the operation and maintenance of aircraft based at Luanda Airport and to charter flights and executive or private jets flying to or in Angola. This operation is in the process of becoming certified as a commercial air transport operator with Angola’s CAA. It also comprises AirTravel, a business corporate travel services agency and private concierge, and Best Fly Flight Support, which has a team of experienced professionals, with 8,000 flight hours and previous experience with NetJets. “Bringing together synergies to improve areas such as flight operations dispatch for domestic and international flights, it operates in the area of handling, management of terminals and catering,” the company says.
Bespoke services bring Falcons to Amjet’s door Amjet Executive SA has added a managed Greek-registered Falcon 900DX to its AOC, bringing its fleet of long-range and large aircraft up to four in total. It will be based between Europe and Africa, and has already entered service. The company is gaining a reputation as a specialist Falcon operator and is growing fast. The latest addition joins a 2000LX and 7X alongside an MD-83. A Falcon 50, another 900 and another 7X, all in vip configuration, are expected to be included soon in the company’s AOC. Amjet has also been extending its maintenance capabilities. It can provide contracted and subcontracted CAMO services, as well as line maintenance, to other operators of the MD-83, Falcon 2000LX, 7X and 900DX aircraft types.
Amjet’s Falcon 900DX is the fourth longrange aircraft in its current fleet.
Christian Loiseau attributes the company’s success to its modest size. “We are still a boutique-sized company,” he says. “As a consequence, we are able to maintain a very close relationship with our owners, offering them dedicated and bespoke ownership programmes.”
ExecuJet Africa teams up to add helicopters to its charter fleet ExecuJet Africa has teamed up with Acher Aviation, the South African offshore helicopter operator, to offer a range of services including helicopter management and charter, as well as specialised support to the oil, gas, mining and resource exploration sectors. ExecuJet’s fleet now includes three helicopters from Acher Aviation, including a Bell 407, an Agusta 109 Power and the Eurocopter EC130, plus access to other models. The sixpassenger Eurocopter EC130 is currently based at ExecuJet’s Lanseria facility and completed its first charter flight during November. The specialised services available to the oil, gas and mining sectors include hoisting operations, oil
Helicopters join ExecuJet Africa’s roster.
pipeline inspections, equipment and cargo transportation, and remote location support. “ExecuJet is continuously exploring solutions for the business and private charter industry and the inclusion of helicopters within the fleet is a welcome addition to our world-class business and private
charter services,” says Chris Frost, charter business development manager, ExecuJet Africa. “We believe our helicopter charter and management services will be of particular interest to our customers in the mining sector, due to the remote areas and harsh conditions in which employees have to operate.” The company says that its clients will have access to all the benefits of helicopter ownership without the time-consuming management responsibilities. The company ensures that matters such as aviation legislation compliance, aircraft maintenance coordination, staff recruitment and productive aircraft operation are effectively and efficiently managed.
DECEMBER 2012 5
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
Murray Law and Dustin Dryden shake hands on the acquisition deal.
International JetClub acquisition takes Hangar8 fleet to fifty Hangar8, already one of Europe’s largest operators of privately owned aircraft, has acquired established aircraft management company International JetClub. The company, which has announced yearend results showing a 32 per cent increase in gross profits to £4.9m, acquired Farnboroughbased IJC for a total consideration of £1.1 million in cash and the issue of 500,000 ordinary shares in Hangar8. The acquisition takes the company’s number of aircraft under management from 40 to 50 (four of which are helicopters), 44 per cent of which are heavy, long range jets. The acquisition will also see IJC’s staff complement, including experienced flight support teams, flight crews and technicians, incorporated into the Hangar8 team. Dustin Dryden, Hangar8 ceo, says: “This development is hugely significant for our owners, passengers and shareholders as it further moves the company towards its goal of providing maximum global reach and scale, more long range, heavy aircraft, and enhances the expertise and capabilities of our business. “As our results have shown, Hangar8 has delivered consistently on its targets of increasing its global bases and destinations, bringing engineering provision in-house and increasing the size of its fleet while delivering a healthy, profitable business. The acquisition of IJC will ensure that we continue to deliver this and more in the coming years.” Chairman, founder and owner of IJC Murray Law will become vice chairman of Hangar8 and will play an ongoing role in the business, with specific responsibilities surrounding management development, systems and integration. The two businesses will continue to operate as they are both successfully doing for a period of no less than six months during which period there will be an assessment of the two infrastructures to determine best practices for the combined company. Commenting on the acquisition Law says: “This development brings together two already successful and complementary businesses, each with their own skill sets, different fleet
profiles and technical expertise grown over 14 years of experience in hands-on operations. IJC has been operating and managing long range aircraft worldwide for many loyal, longstanding client owners. The bringing together of these two operations gives us a perfect opportunity and combined skilled resource to give both the benefit of leading edge practices in areas such as safety management systems and international network growth. We will be focussed on raising the bar in our industry – not about cutting costs and corners in a tough global economy. All our clients will benefit from the greater strength, scale and depth of the combined businesses.” IJC has provided high-end management and charter services to ultra-high net worth owners of large private jet aircraft since 1998. Hangar8 has bases in the UK, Malta, Nigeria, DRC, Kazakhstan and South Africa and offers jet operation and management, charter and inhouse aircraft engineering services. It has recently entered into a commercial agreement with Jersey airport to construct a fixed base hangar operation there. The development, which is subject to planning permission, will involve the construction of a new 55,000 sq ft hangar that will enable Hangar8 to provide handling and maintenance operations to private jet customers on the island. The planning application is likely to be submitted in the first quarter of 2013 and the facility will commence operations in 2014. Further updates on its progress will be made in due course. “This agreement represents a significant revenue and growth opportunity for Hangar8 and is in line with our strategic objective of growing profitability into economically advantageous geographical areas,” says Dryden. “The presence of a state-of-the-art fixed operation in Jersey will not only allow Hangar8 to further expand its offering to its existing global client base, but will also facilitate incremental growth in our aircraft management, charter and maintenance business through relationships with Jersey’s significant private aviation market.”
Swedish SAR AW139s equipped for icing and all-weather conditions The Swedish Maritime Administration is to add seven AW139 intermediate twin helicopters to its fleet providing maritime and aeronautical SAR from five bases across the country. First delivery of the SARequipped aircraft is scheduled for spring 2013, with the final one arriving in 2014. AgustaWestland md for international business Geoff Hoon says: “We are delighted that the Swedish Maritime Administration has chosen
Over 500 AW139s are now in service.
the AW139 following a detailed evaluation process.” More than 500 AW139s are now in service performing many roles including SAR, air ambulance, offshore trans-
port, vip/corporate flights, law enforcement and military transport missions. For SAR missions, the aircraft’s long range and allweather operational capability are key advantages. The Swedish organisation’s AW139s will come equipped with a unique full ice protection system allowing flights into known icing conditions and enabling all weather operations, when other types might be confined to the hangar.
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General Aviation
6 DECEMBER 2012
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
Starlite focus is on Europe with latest Super Puma Starlite Aviation Group has ordered two AS332 C1e helicopters, the latest version of the Eurocopter Super Puma medium-weight helicopter, with options on two more. Acquired as part of a fleet renewal and expansion programme, first deliveries are expected before the end of 2013, following EASA and FAA certification. Based in Ireland and South Africa, Starlite offers helicopter services to international clients such as UN agencies and NGOs for peace keeping or logistic support missions involving transportation of passengers and freight, heavy load aerial work, surveillance and executive transport. “After 12 years of Puma operations in austere environments all over the world, Starlite is convinced that the Super Puma AS332 C1e is the only new product on the market able to meet the requirements of the commercial medium-heavy utility market,� says ceo Slade Thomas, pictured on the front cover. “It is an honour to be the launch customer of this new version.� It includes a specific configuration offering shorter lead times and competitive operational and maintenance costs. Long range capabilities, power, speed and large useful payload of up to 4.3 tons make it suitable for missions such as equipment and passenger transport as well as SAR. Fabrice Arfi, Eurocopter Group head of business development, says: “Starlite has demonstrated a high level of expertise carrying out very demanding missions in difficult environments and we know that they will continue to be successful with this high-performing helicopter.� Thomas adds: “This year has been exceptional for Starlite and has seen the company secure new contracts on a global basis, including Europe.�
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ABI to play its part in the revitalisation of Athens Air Business International is not taking the economic problems currently self-evident in Greece lying down. Instead it plans to introduce a helicopter charter initiative for Athens during the winter months. Aircraft charter coordinator Danae Tsadila says: “There is a major project of re-designing Athens to become a major city destination and in line with this, ABl is organising a coordinated project for helicopter sightseeing flights over the city for the first time.� Tsadila believes that Greece may have earned a negative reputation through the media due to its financial recession and concerns regarding the tourist season: “Such projects taking place under these circumstances, and how businesses from the tourism and aviation industries respond to them, could be of interest to the European aviation sector. “In a time of deep economic recession, Athens must find a different way to solve its problems and claim a place among today’s major European cities.� She adds: “Within the framework of its public charitable activity, the
Danae Tsadila aims to bring tourists to the skies above Athens.
Onassis Foundation is responding to the present need for a revitalisation project by funding and organising a European architectural competition for the creation of a new city centre. Supported by the European Union, the objective of this initiative is to improve the everyday life of Athenian citizens. Its main goal is to stop the increasing downgrading and revive the historically and
culturally highly valued centre of Athens in a more people-friendly, sustainable place. Apart from increasing the quality of Athenian life, this project will add value to the tourism sector of the city, highlighting its archeological, historical and cultural heritage.� In line with this project, Air Business International, a company with more than 30 years of experience
in the aviation sector in Greece, is aiming to enhance tourism in Athens by organising a coordinated network for helicopter sightseeing tours all over Athens. “It is well-known that Greek tourism suffers from seasonality,� says Tsadila, “being busy during the three summer months from June to August, but with the rest of the year falling into hibernation. “However, Athens has a lot to offer to its visitors the whole year round, taking also into consideration its mild climate, clear sky and sunshine most of the time, giving the perfect opportunity for helicopter rides all over the city.� Visitors will have the chance to have a panoramic view of the most important monuments of Greek civilisation, such as the Acropolis, the Olympic stadium, Panathinaikon stadium and Lycabetus Hill, as well as of the stunning Athenian coastline in sightseeing flights of 30 minutes or 60 minutes. For the first time, says ABI, organised sightseeing tours will be at the disposal of any visitors who wish to experience something different.
Bond puts AW139 to work from Humberside Bond Offshore Helicopters has been awarded a new contract with Perenco Oil and Gas, worth in the region of UKÂŁ37 million, for the provision of crew change flights to Perenco’s newly-acquired assets in the southern North Sea. Operations are due to commence from Humberside airport in January, with a new-to-fleet AW139 medium category helicopter, for an initial contract period of three years with options to extend. It is expected that up to 15 new posts will be created at Humberside for the provision of the service. Luke Farajallah, newly-appointed md of Bond Offshore Helicopters, says: “This is an exciting new win, and reflects in no small part the focus on service provision and customer support in our existing work with Perenco Oil and Gas. This will be our first aircraft operating out of Humberside airport and we very much look forward to further growth in order to establish a significant presence in the area.â€? Farajallah brings with him 25 years of aviation experience leading different functions in a number of airlines both in the UK and
internationally. Most recently he has been working in Barcelona with a new low-cost airline called Volotea and prior to this he held senior roles in Wizz Air, Spanair and at easyJet. “I believe that Bond Offshore Helicopters has a fantastic business proposition combining safety, operational excellence and customer service to provide reliable mission critical services of the highest calibre. Its role in crew change transportation and search and rescue is critical to the oil and gas industry and the local community in Aberdeen and I am proud to lead the company forward through its next stages of development,� he says. Interim managing director Malcolm Paine has returned to his role as director of flight operations. Richard Mintern, ceo for Northern Europe and Australasia of parent company Avincis, says: “Luke takes over at Bond Offshore Helicopters at a time when the industry is facing significant logistical challenges. His solid industry experience and creativity will be of great value as the company finds customer solutions to the current lack of capacity in the North Sea.�
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Nas Holding group ceo Sulaiman Al-Hamdan congratulated the NasJet team for driving growth.
NasJet reveals financial success despite adverse factors Despite continued political instability in the Middle East and high oil prices, NasJet has seen revenue improve by six per cent in 2012, with an expected increase of 20 per cent for 2013. NasJet, the largest private jet company in the Middle East, announced revenues exceeding 500m SAR (approximately $130m) for 2012. These results follow 13 years of operation, built on a solid foundation supported by a managed fleet of 65 aircraft exceeding a retail value of $1.5 billion. “Regionally, we are recognised for our operational excellence and longstanding track record for delivering tangible economy of scale financial benefits to our clients,� says James Dailey, NasJet coo.
The company employs more than 300 aviation experts of which 120 include full-time pilots based at its Riyadh headquarters. Sulaiman Al Hamdan, ceo of Nas Holding, congratulated the NasJet team for driving growth in a sector which continues to remain challenging, compounded by escalating operating costs. As part of a core strategy, the company will continue to focus on managing long range, wide cabin aircraft. “We are strategically positioned to operate a significant proportion of new aircraft deliveries into the Middle East over the next five years and to rival the large international operators in terms of fleet size,� says director of marketing Hardy Sohanpal.
DECEMBER 2012 7
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
Starspeed orders vip AW169s
FAI’s innovative approach to patient safety and worldwide service earns air ambulance accolade Winners of the prizes given annually by the International Travel Insurance Journal, in eight distinct categories, were revealed during a gala ceremony at the International Travel Insurance Congress in Barcelona. FAI rent-a-jet AG was awarded the prize in the ‘Air ambulance provider of the year’ category in recognition of its quality focus and its forwardlooking overall business concept. The construction of the new FAI hangar, which brings together a workforce composed of a variety of specialist staff under a single ecologically unique roof, was especially recognised. Among the other items highlighted by a jury of international experts in the field of air ambulance operation were the successful launch of the Middle East air ambulance operations base, the in-house development of medical innovations such as the mobile patient transport system with a view to improving patient safety, as well as a worldwide service capability, including regular air ambulance flights from crisis areas. “This prize goes to all the workers in our company, to the medical teams, the pilots, the technicians, the dispatchers, and all the others who have worked hard for a long time in order for us to reach our current performance standards,” says Volker Lemke, a member of FAI’s board of directors, in his acceptance speech after receiving the prize from the newly elected co-chair of the European Aeromedical Institute, Dr Bettina Vadera. FAI’s video trailer on the theme of
Volker Lemke, centre, celebrates FAI’s award with Dr Bettina Vadera on the left.
air ambulance services was shown during the celebrations. FAI rent-a-jet has offered its services to the insurance industry, to governmental organisations, to hospitals, to major corporations and
to private clients for more than 25 years. With its growing fleet of 20 aircraft, six of which are permanently configured as air ambulances, and its own certified maintenance department FAI has become one of the
largest business aviation companies in Germany. Aside from its activities in the air ambulance sector the company also offers vip charter, air transport logistics for the United Nations, and aircraft management.
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Starspeed has signed a preliminary sales contract for one AW169 light intermediate helicopter plus an option for an additional aircraft. The helicopter will become the first to perform vip transport missions in the UK. Gary Butcher, md of Starspeed, says: “The history of corporate helicopters has so far been a story of finding acceptable compromise, with no single helicopter really standing out as the ideal combination of price, performance and maintainability for the market. In the AW169, Starspeed recognises the start of a new chapter in the story of corporate helicopter services, one where there is no compromise and every performance indicator and success factor is built in, through design and an emphasis on customer requirements. The AW169 is just the product we have been waiting for.” More than 70 AW169 helicopters have now been ordered for a wide range of missions including corporate transport, air ambulance, law enforcement, utility and offshore transport. With three prototypes already flying and the fourth prototype expected to take to the air for the first time in early 2013, the AW169 is on schedule to achieve certification in 2014. The AgustaWestland plant in Yeovil UK is set to play a crucial role in the manufacturing process of the AW169 and the company sees growing business opportunities in the future for civil rotorcraft in the UK helicopter market.
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8 DECEMBER 2012
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
Charter ops extend reach with Canadian FAOC
In London, celebrating the deal, are Bombardier Business Aircraft svp for sales Bob Horner and president Steve Ridolfi, with VistaJet founder and chairman Thomas Flohr and chief commercial officer Ian Moore.
VistaJet places largest-ever order for Global business jets With a list value in excess of US$7.8 billion, VistaJet is hailing its order for 56 new Bombardier Global aircraft plus 86 options the single largest transaction ever placed with an aircraft manufacturer in business aviation. The value of the firm order is approximately $3.1 billion at 2012 prices and comprises 25 Global 5000, 25 Global 6000 and six Global 8000 jets. Deliveries are set to begin in January 2014 with one a month arriving thereafter. A policy of retiring aircraft in the fleet as they reach just three to four years old means that many from this new order will be replacements. “This is the most significant milestone for CJ2 is a departure for Global Jet Two additions to the Global Jet fleet, a Global Express XRS and a CJ2, will enable the sales team to offer customers a wider choice and newer aircraft. The XRS will be the third of the type in its commercial fleet and has a high tech cabin accommodating up to 10 passengers in comfort. Something of a departure for the company, the CJ2 is the smallest aircraft in the fleet with seating for six passengers. Sales and marketing assistant Héloïse Faury explains: “We actually seized an opportunity. This kind of cabin was perfectly adapted to some of our clients’ charter needs. “Broadening the type of aircraft we operate is a way to achieve our main goal of meeting our clientele’s wishes.”
VistaJet and is a testimony to our strategy that focuses on global coverage,” Flohr says. “Earlier in the year we announced landmark agreements with partners in China and Russia and, since then, the level of demand we have seen in growth markets around the globe has been unprecedented. Such customer success allows us to place this historic order and will enable us to base more new aircraft in these growth markets.” Another major order this year came from fractional operator NetJets, as reported in July’s EBAN. However, Thomas Flohr, VistaJet founder and chairman, believes fractional ownership to be a broken
business model, stating in a Fox News interview that people do not want to invest into such assets anymore, but would rather invest their cash and liquidity into growing their own businesses. Flohr has also revealed that VistaJet’s huge order was driven by growth of 25 per cent in 2012, in no small part due to the decision to fasttrack fleet growth to provide point-topoint global coverage for growth markets including Russia, China, the Middle East and Africa, connecting them to the rest of the globe. VistaJet is doubling its dedicated sales force for the emerging markets to establish further presence during Q1 2013.
CEGA adds in-flight blood storage and transfusion capability CEGA Air Ambulance has invested in a bespoke state-of-the-art blood storage system, enabling it to carry out air transfers for critically ill patients that are in need of blood transfusions. CEGA’s use of Cool Logistics’ thermal carrier units for the transport of blood and blood products allows its air ambulance crews to store and transport blood at a stable temperature for up to 144 hours and, if necessary, to give patients midflight blood transfusions – wherever they are in the world. “CEGA is one of the first fixed wing
Enabling it to operate flights to, from and within Canada, Gama Group has been granted a Foreign Air Operator Certificate (FAOC) while Marshall Executive Aviation is also working towards the certification. Gama says the development is part of its programme of continuing investment in the expansion of the range of products and services for clients. Recent enhancements include adding additional aircraft to the charter fleet and expansion of operating bases and regional offices. Earlier this year, Gama was awarded by the US Federal Aviation Administration Part 129 approval, giving it the ability to conduct unlimited commercial operations into the United States. “These accreditations actively demonstrate Gama’s continued developments in enhancing the service we are able to offer our clients. These developments go hand in hand with the highest standards of safety, security and a very strict attention to detail in all aspects of our operation.” says Paul Cremer, commercial manager. “Critically, we are now able to meet many of our customer’s more challenging needs, such as last minute flight requests to North American and Canadian destinations.” Marshall Executive Aviation, part of the Marshall Group, is advancing work to obtain a Canadian FAOC to enable the company to operate flights in Canada with its Stanstedbased Challenger 300. The move also follows hard on the heels of the operator being granted an AOC extension this summer enabling its Challenger to operate to North and South America, Africa, the
Middle East and Russia, as well as the popular European destinations. “Our goal is to widen our AOC internationally as our business expands and also add to the managed aircraft fleet,” says MEA managing director Steve Jones. The Challenger is one of three executive aircraft MEA operates, the others being a Citation XLS and a C550 Bravo, which it says are ideal for charters in Europe, north Africa and western Russia. Jones adds: “The extension of the AOC will enable us to operate over a much larger area and offer MEA’s clients our excellent service virtually worldwide.”
Marshall draws services together In a separate development Marshall Aerospace has launched JETability, a business aviation solution that combines the company’s resources into a customer-focused, ‘one call, one team’ centre of excellence for the business aviation sector. Services available include aircraft management, maintenance, MRO, charter, sales, concierge and consultancy; all available through a bespoke call centre. Steve Fitz-Gerald, ceo of Marshall Aerospace, comments: “JETability is our commitment to develop further business aviation in Cambridge, expand our portfolio of services and develop a top-ranked FBO in conjunction with our partner ExecuJet.” The JETability brand was unveiled at the Royal Aeronautical Society in London and will operate under the leadership of Steve Jones, who has overall responsibility for business aviation across the Marshall Group.
air ambulance providers to use these thermal carrier units. It extends our critical care transfer service to patients who would in the past have had to break their flight if they needed a blood transfusion, or not have been able to fly at all,” says CEGA’s chief medical officer Dr Tim Hammond. “Having access to an in-flight blood bank will allow us to carry out potentially life-saving action on the longest of flights and in the most remote of locations, enhancing our seamless aeromedical care,” concludes Dr Hammond.
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NetJets’ first Signature Series Global 6000 is now on its way to entering service. Chairman and ceo Jordan Hansell says: “This is the first all-new aircraft of the 670 we have on order. “We have been successful in selling all the shares in this Global 6000 aircraft and we are excited because it kicks off the overall renewal of our fleet. Our customers expect the very best and we are confident that the Signature Series Global 6000 will exceed their exacting expectations.” Bombardier says that the jet’s cabin size and levels of comfort
combined with an optional stand-up shower and the Bombardier Vision flight deck mean no other purposebuilt business jet comes close in terms of high speed range capability and traveller comfort. NetJets Signature Series is a range of new aircraft to enter the fleet that are customised from design through to production and include advanced cockpit and cabin technologies to ensure maximum safety, reliability and operating efficiency. Amongst others, the series includes the Bombardier Global jet family and the Challenger 300 and 605 series jets.
DECEMBER 2012 9
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
AIRCRAFT NEWS... Learjet 85 gets its wings The first wing shipment for the Learjet 85 has arrived at the Wichita assembly line and is now in the process of being readied for mating to the fuselage of the first flight test aircraft. The Learjet 85 will have a range of 3,000 nm and will be equipped with the Vision Flight Deck.
Gulfstream makes first delivery of G280 Gulfstream has delivered its first super mid-sized G280 business jet. The company says it becomes the only super midsize aircraft that can reliably fly non-stop between London and New York.
Piper puts G1000 into the Seminole
New Gama team members Laura Malisani, Yasmine Howell and Adeline Stohler join Capt Hamish Ross at Gama Aviation SA.
Gama Aviation opens Geneva base Gama Group has established a new operating base in Geneva, and located a Gulfstream V and a Learjet 45 at the new facility. These aircraft join another Gama Swiss-based Learjet, currently located at the company’s Zurich base. On November 9th, Capt Hamish Ross, general manager of Gama Aviation SA, hosted more than 50 Swiss business aviation guests during a celebratory opening event at its new offices, located within Geneva
airport’s executive terminal. He introduced key members of the new team, including commercial manager Yasmine Howell, operations manager Laura Malisani and office manager Adeline Stohler. With dedicated personnel and the first two aircraft in situ, Ross and his team are aiming to broaden the range and number of aircraft management services to existing and potential customers. They are also working towards a full Swiss AOC by Spring 2013.
“Our new facilities in Geneva complement the recent significant growth in Gama’s global offering, which now comprises over 30 operational bases around the world,” says Ross. “We are in the enviable position of having a highly respected management team already in place, who are committed to offering the highest standards of safety, efficiency and value to our prospective clients, especially those seeking aircraft management or charter services.”
Piper is incorporating the Garmin G1000 avionics suite into new twin-engine Seminoles in 2013. Piper president and ceo Simon Caldecott says: “Building on the system’s success in our M-Class aircraft, the G1000 will put a wealth of flight-critical data at the finger tips of Seminole pilots.” It replaces the G500 suite used currently.
Bucher becomes ceo for Pilatus Aircraft.
Schwenk to oversee Pilatus jet Markus Bucher is to take the role of ceo and chairman of the executive board of Pilatus Aircraft in January, while Oscar J Schwenk moves on to become chairman of the board of directors. Schwenk will also head up the senior project management of the PC-24 twin-engine business jet development.
After netting national title GainJet looks forward to the next stage GainJet Aviation has been named national champion at the European Business Awards 2012/13. The company was put forward to represent Greece earlier in the year and was judged on its innovation, business excellence and sustainability. Capt James McBride, ceo, says: “We are pleased to highlight the vibrant industry that we are a part of and look forward to the next round of the judging process where we can explain in more depth the dynamics behind our industry and how we are achieving business success in these tough trading conditions.” Pictured, left to right, are RSM Stylianou ceo Athos Stylianou, Greek deputy minister of development Notis Mitarakis, Capt McBride and British ambassador to Greece Dr David Landsman.
Legacy 500 test programme gets under way The Legacy 500 has made a successful first flight, marking the beginning of its flight test programme. Deliveries of the first aircraft are expected to begin in 2014. “This is the aircraft that will move us from industry player to industry leader,” says Ernest Edwards, president, Embraer Executive Jets. “The Legacy 500 breaks through the traditional midsize jet envelope to offer something that has never been done before. It is hard to overstate the importance of fly-by-wire technology – it does for business aviation what GPS has done for navigation. It will empower more precision, efficiency, safety and comfort every time the aircraft flies.”
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10 DECEMBER 2012
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
CHARTER BROKER NEWS... in the last six months or so,” says Gilbert. “It is not necessarily that more operators or agents are going bust, it’s more about peace of mind.”
Air Charter Service opens in Kazakhstan
Alexey Zuev has joined Chapman Freeborn.
Chapman Freeborn strengthens Moscow Chapman Freeborn has named Alexey Zuev as commercial director in its Moscow office, with responsibility for expanding the group’s activity in Russia and the CIS. His most recent position was as general manager for SkyLink Aviation where he oversaw largescale aviation projects and government charter contracts for fixed-wing and helicopter operations worldwide. Working alongside Zuev is Dmitri Kourenkov, who has been appointed to the role of operations director. He joined Chapman Freeborn in 2008 and previously held the position of flight operations manager in the UAE. The private jet division has also been strengthened by the recent arrival of London-based Natalia Bazenova to the position of executive charter sales for Russia and CIS.
Air Charter Service has opened a Kazakhstan office in the country’s largest city, Almaty. Evgeny Galkin will be heading up the new operation after moving from his management role in the company’s Moscow office. Tony Bauckham, Air Charter Service’s ceo, comments: “We have been offering aircraft charters in the CIS since opening our Moscow office in 1995 and expanded to St Petersburg in 2010. We have been planning this office in Kazakhstan for the past couple of years. “We will be offering both cargo and passenger charters to Kazakhstan’s buoyant oil and gas industry, as well as the huge metal and mineral extraction business. With a lot of top level executives in the banking world travelling to, from and around the country as well, it was the natural next step for us.”
Stratajet offers free real-time booking A new online charter marketplace, which links in with Leon Software and other third-party systems, has opened its doors to UK charter operators wishing to upload their fleet, performance and pricing details. Stratajet’s developers say it will be the only online brokerage platform that has the capability for real-time booking rather than simply quote generation. It is free for operators to use the service.
BACA reports increasing use of escrow Growing numbers of people booking private charter flights are seeking ways to keep their deposits safe until their flight takes off. “Clients may be asked to pay a substantial deposit to secure a charter flight but there is little protection if one of the other parties – the broker, the agent or the aircraft operator – goes out of business before the flight takes place,” says Dick Gilbert, chairman of the Baltic Air Charter Association (BACA). To help solve this problem, BACA launched an escrow facility last year to provide a secure deposit for funds being paid in advance by customers for air charters worldwide. “We have noticed a significant increase in enquiries about escrow
PrivateFly.com ceo with charity mascot Pudsey bear.
PrivateFly.com supports Children in Need Private jet booking service PrivateFly.com has helped to arrange an ‘8 Go Mad in Monaco’ return trip by Challenger 850 for the BBC’s Children in Need charity auction. Radio listeners bid live on air and the winning bids for the package totalled over £1 million. Four pairs of tickets were auctioned for the four-night trip, including vip tickets to the 2013 Monaco Grand Prix, brunch with the F1 teams from Ferrari, McLaren, Lotus or Red Bull, accommodation at The Columbus Hotel, a party on Radio 2 DJ Chris Evans’ yacht, and an invitation for one couple to Prince Albert of Monaco’s cocktail party. The aircraft, operated by Air X, will make the return trip from Farnborough to Nice Cote d’Azur in May next year. FlyMeNow has added flights on two vip A109S Grand helicopters to the package.
The Middle East’s business aviation event of the year takes place December 11-13, at Dubai World Central (DWC), a purpose built ‘aerotropolis’ at Al Maktoum International airport. For Europe’s leading aircraft operators the event is taking on increasing importance with exhibitors this year to include ABS Jets, Aerovision, Amjet, DC Aviation, Delta Aerotaxi, Gama, PrivatAir, Travcon and Jet Aviation. Reflecting the importance of business aviation and GA to the long-term strategy of the Dubai government, business aviation operations will commence from DWC in 2013.
Business aviation at the crossroads – how the Middle East and Europe interact For operators in the luxury and large aircraft category, the Middle East has always been an important region, and never more so than now. Austerity across Europe may not have affected the heavy metal charter operators as much as the air taxis, but it is causing them to take more serious steps to find business in other parts of the world. Partnerships and deals in Asia, Africa and the Middle East are the order of the day. Comlux Aviation, for example, has announced the relocation of its operations department and crew control centre to the region in a move that allows a wider coverage of the different time zones. Middle East commercial director Claire Brugirard says: “We have a team of approximately 50 people who are all permanently based in our regional office in Bahrain.” Other companies take full advantage of their relative geographic proximity to the Middle East region. GainJet believes its location in Greece is ideal, placing it in the centre of its three major target markets – Europe, Middle East and Africa. Athens-based Amjet Executive agrees that, despite having no aircraft based in the Middle East, its strategic location between the Middle East and Africa and charter operations between the two allow it to be competitive for such routings. Based in Turkey, the crossroads of Europe and the Middle East, air charter broker Apron Aviation clearly benefits from its location. Mehmet Ozdemir, Istanbul region coordinator, says almost half of the company’s air charter business is to or from the Middle East. European companies looking to take on charter work in the Gulf states are increasingly subject to strong competition from local operators. But companies such as Doha-based Rizon Jet complain that the playing field is not level when it comes to foreign operators looking to provide charter services within the EU. “Legislation protecting EU operators has not been fully thought through in terms of the charter client and
Dr Mustafa Atac fears unrest puts lives at risk.
Comlux’s Claire Brugirard suggests cultural knowledge is important.
therefore damages the industry,” says ceo Captain Hassan Al-Mousawi. “Given that most confirmations for charter occur at the end of a request-quotation-contract process prior to applying for permits, an objection in most cases results only in damage to the operator and client, and rarely in a contract for the objecting party.” And there is little recourse to appeal in the event of an objection, he says: “We recently had a flight where we received an objection for a wet lease client on a seventh freedom flight to France and upon engaging the operator to explain the situation were simply told that they neither believed our explanation or would consider withdrawing the objection.” Rizon Jet sometimes has to chase up requests for non-objection which, given the last minute nature of much
of its business, can cost it the booking. “It would be very helpful if a cut-off time could be enforced unilaterally as it is in some member states,” suggests Al-Mousawi. Others complain about the relative costs of simply flying services to Europe, among them Nexus, a company providing consultancy and flight support services from bases in Bahrain and Saudi Arabia. William Mermelstein, vp safety, quality and training, believes that the costs of handling and other flight-related services at airports in Europe tend to be higher and, in many cases, excessive. He gives an example: based on a 40-tonne aircraft and group three noise at night (corrected to euros), a flight into Paris Le Bourget works out at €429.21+VAT. The same flight into Jeddah comes in at just €165.80. “I imagine the cost is related to excessive taxation, labour rates and overall economic conditions,” he says. “Actually, the internal European aircraft base is shrinking, so they have to charge more to recover these lost revenues.” This drop in the volume of operations in Europe is leading to an influx of skilled staff looking for work with Middle Eastern companies. Riyadh-based NasJet expects this to continue as Europe remains stuck in recession and general aviation movements decrease. Charter sales director Khalil Rachidi says: “On average we get at least 20 prospective European candidates enquiries a day, from crew, management and operations. Many key positions in our organisation continue to be held by both Saudis and Europeans. We launched in Saudi Arabia 13 years ago in partnership with the largest private aviation operator in the world and since then the operating processes have been very much international.” Rizon Jet has a diverse workforce from all corners of the world with Europeans making up around a third. “European staff members – much like the rest of our workforce – have shown great commitment and dedication to the continued success of Rizon Jet and as such are highly valued,” says Al-Mousawi.
DECEMBER 2012 11
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
Zur Banner of Israeli charter broker Lynx Jet believes he benefits from being located in one of the cheapest places to buy on-demand charter. Differences in taxation mean that jet fuel is considerably cheaper than in the European Union.
Overcoming the language barrier Subtle language differences can prove obstructive, a problem NasJet director of maintenance Raghe Hassan has encountered when dealing with aircraft manufacturers. Understanding the local culture or the culture of a particular organisation will inevitably smooth the flow of business. A company operating aircraft governed by European/EASA regulations may find this works in its favour. As GainJet’s marketing director Andrew Hallak reveals: “Due to the strict regulations we must abide by, European-registered aircraft are viewed at a different level in regions like the Middle East. The market generally categorises them as more reliable and has greater confidence in the safety of the aircraft and the integrity of the operator. We believe more European registered aircraft in the region would raise the level of service and safety in the region.” A good indicator of the wealth to be found in some Middle Eastern countries, and their resilience during the economic crisis, is the continuing demand for larger aircraft. Caroline Jongma of Air Charter International notes that, as big jets are preferred even for small trips, prices remain fairly high. “Europe has more small jets than the Middle East, making prices and the choice of aircraft much more interesting and competitive. Europeans are more price-educated and know when they get a good deal. Middle Easterners will always negotiate,” she says. Luxury destinations are still in demand by Middle Eastern clients. Zil Air regularly carries such passengers on its island hopping services around the Seychelles. Ashvin Seeboo, commercial director, finds no problems conducting business with Middle Eastern clients as Zil Air’s service is tailor-made to meet their requirements. However, in 26 years of providing aeromedical services, Turkey-based Redstar Aviation reveals that it has never faced more critical or dangerous missions as a result of unrest in the Middle East region. Accountable manager Dr Mustafa Atac says: “I fear that the connection and cooperation between the European and Arab countries will eventually suffer from these poorly managed problems. RSA has lost count of the aborted missions as a result of the unrest aimed at policymakers locally and globally.” Atac also believes that closer control of the civil aviation authorities from EASA and FAA would contribute to the improve-ment of aeromedical services and cooperation between Europe and the Middle East.
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Cabin crew manager Olga Beglopoulou waits at the entrance of a GainJet vip B757 for the arrival of a Middle Eastern head of state and his delegation.
Spanning the cultural divide Understanding the culture, tradition and behaviours of passengers and their families is vital for medevac operators such as Redstar Aviation. The Middle East is a useful market for the organisation, however, shifting political situations from country to country can present difficulties, while other obstacles prove more critical. “Imposed sanctions may present danger to patients in need of advanced medical treatment and can hamper air medical services; RSA firmly believes that the UN should exclude these services from embargo and sanction criteria,” says Dr Atac. A shared aim of improving air medical services in the region has forged long-lasting partnerships and RSA says it has strategic alliances with almost all countries in the Middle East. “The advantage of being located at Sabiha Gökcen International airport allows us to operate ‘wing to wing’ services with a number of operators worldwide,” says Atac. “Nearly 20 per cent of our business is from the Middle East and more than a third is from the republics of the Caspian and central Asia. The number of flights from the Middle East would increase substantially with the acquisition of a longer range aircraft, which is in the
European handling costs can be excessive, according to William Mermelstein.
RSA growth programme for 2013.” Contributing factors for growth are, says Atac, the increase in the economic and leisure industry between Turkey and Arabia, a rapid development in medical treatments in Turkey and, less positively, the polarisation factors in the region making Turkey the country of choice. Atac proposes that the aeromedical industry as a whole can overcome the problems caused by political upheaval, saying: “Those involved in the industry have reached a common understanding, easing cultural differences for a common cause. There is still much to do and long way to go – the handling and aeromedical services at some airports definitely need further improvements.”
Continued on next page
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Between 30 and 40 per cent of Amjet Executive’s charter business comes from the Middle East and Christian Loiseau believes the ability to meet client needs stretches back to the company’s origins: “Amjet Executive is driven by one man’s lifelong passion for aviation. Captain Abakar Manany founded the company in 2009 with a clear vision, to provide a multicultural background in order to offer services of the utmost quality to clients from the Middle East in particular.” Recognising that the marketplace remains competitive, Loiseau believes Amjet’s offering of latest generation or recently refurbished aircraft aimed at meeting every travel requirement – business, pleasure, government mission, group tours or sports teams – keep the charter sales department busy. “This second part of 2012 is seeing some positive indicators regarding the business aviation industry,” he says. “As we are still in a period of worldwide economic instability, our guidelines remain the same – we conduct partnerships and strategies with pragmatism. EU and ME cooperation could be more
focussed on safety, for example.” Since its beginnings, GainJet Aviation SA too has worked on developing its business in the Middle East and has a vested interest in the region. That lucrative market is one of the reasons for locating its headquarters in Athens, a central point from which to service the EMEA region. Andrew Hallak says: “About 30 per cent of our total air charter business is either to or from the Middle East and of that around 65-70 per cent are passengers from the region.” GainJet has a permanent base in Kuwait where it keeps one aircraft that moves between Kuwait and Europe, usually its Gulfstream G550 or Global Express XRS which are popular with Middle Eastern clients. “We also have strategic alliances, primarily in Kuwait but also in other areas of the Gulf. We are in the process of acquiring several aircraft which we plan to base in the region,” says Hallak. He believes that European/African operators attempting to conduct business in the Middle East may not find it plain sailing. “In general, and especially with a worldwide operation like GainJet’s, when crossing borders and doing business abroad you are bound to find obstacles such as language barriers or different cultural/business practices. And regulations differ, which could be an issue. So it is actually difficult for a European/African to deal with Middle Eastern customers and suppliers, and operate in the region.” GainJet, however, has always invested resources in its Middle East business and, through its experience in the region and multilingual staff, ensures it has the necessary tools to overcome any obstacles. Mehmet Ozdemir of Apron Aviation in Turkey believes that Europe has reached a higher quality service level than the Middle East. “First of all, there is no need to obtain permission for Europe except for some exceptions, and it has much better organised airports.” “I think there should be an organisation to indicate service quality standards and all Europe and Middle Eastern airports should have a place in it, in the same pot,” Ozdemir says. Strong relationships with local operators help those companies without a base in the Middle East conduct business successfully. OMNI Aviation is based in Portugal, and has forged useful alliances with local operators. Pedro Caneira reveals that a significant share of clients for its vip airliners are from the Middle East region and cultural issues have not been an impediment to finding business there: “Currently we don’t feel any barriers and these days we find that a significant part of our counterparts are not locals,” says Caneira. In fact, he does not view the
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12 DECEMBER 2012
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
O P E R AT I O N S N E W S . . . Bristol FBO boosted by Airbus The Bristol Flying Centre group expects a massive upturn in passenger numbers in 2013 with the award of two large handling contracts and a doubling in size of its FBO. The group, which incorporates the award winning charter operator Centrelineair based at Bristol airport, has recently signed a deal with bmi regional to handle the Airbus corporate business as well as agreeing terms with another global brand. Work to expand the passenger lounge facilities is due to be completed at the end of December.
Heli-One to build in Poland Canadian company Heli-One, member of CHC Helicopter and the world’s largest helicopter support company, is opening its next base at Rzeszów-Jasionka airport. The construction of a renovation and repair centre is expected to be started next year. Heli-One (Poland) has already installed itself in temporary premises at the airport, employing more than 30 people. Current plans call for the facility to be open around the end of 2013.
Saudi maintenance first for Flying Colours Flying Colours Corp has picked up its first Saudi-registered aircraft maintenance project, a Challenger 604 which will undergo a variety of major inspections, service bulletins, and interior refurbishment early in 2013. The company received maintenance approval
from Saudi Arabia’s GACA in September and is now permitted to carry out continuous airworthiness for locally-registered aircraft.
EBAA applauds EU suspension of ETS The European Business Aviation Association says it is optimistic about the EU Climate Action Commissioner’s announcement that the application of the region’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) to flights to and from the EU has been suspended. “This at least demonstrates the Commission’s willingness to support the drafting of a global framework tackling CO2 emissions. It shows that Brussels has been listening to members of the business aviation community, alongside representatives from the global aviation industry, who have long argued that a comprehensive market-based mechanism adopted worldwide would be much more meaningful against climate change,” says Fabio Gamba, EBAA ceo. “We only regret that this reasoning did not lead to the application of the same measure to intra-EU flights.”
FL Technics Jets marks first year Lithuania’s FL Technics Jets has carried out maintenance for 20 business jets since obtaining its Part 145 certificate and opening for this type of business a year ago. The company is now planning to expand into commercial aircraft conversions for business use, says ceo Darius Saluga.
Signum Aviation’s operations controller Anthony Evans, md Jonathan Gill and ops manager Kevin Greenwood.
Signum expands into China Signum Aviation, the flight planning and operations support specialist, is celebrating its fifth anniversary by expanding into the Chinese market. The Chester, UK-headquartered company provides a trip-planning and operations support service to the corporate and business aviation sector and will be opening its new Beijing facility in the first quarter of 2013.
Captain Hassan Al-Mousawi seeks a level playing field. Continued from preceding page
region as presenting its own specific challenges: “Today the market is global so the competition we face in the region is common to the other parts of the world. We believe that today’s standards are quite close, so every operator is aware of the client’s profile from every region in the world. For us, as a Portuguese company, we have a strong Arab influence from centuries ago, so there is a natural historic bond between our cultures.” OMNI has an EMS Learjet 45 based in Abu Dhabi for an aeromedical contract. Zurich-headquartered Comlux has a base in the Middle East and around 30-40 per cent of its business is either to or from the region, a reflection of its growing importance to the company and business aviation in general, reports Claire Brugirard. “This was the major factor for investing more there; a regional office was opened in Bahrain two years ago to cater to a higher demand from this area with the objective of being closer to our customers,” she says. “Currently we have an Airbus ACJ320, ACJ319 and Boeing 767 BBJ in vip configuration which operate out of the Middle East. All three are very much appreciated by Middle Eastern customers, especially with the luggage capacity the aircraft offer.” Brugirard points out that doing business successfully in the Middle East requires an understanding of the market, its players and, most importantly, an understanding of the culture. “The way that people do business there is simply different from the way that people do business in Europe,” she says. “European and African businesses can definitely be successful in the Middle East, as long as they have the right expertise and cultural awareness in-house.”
Nasjet’s Khalil Rachidi is seeing growth.
Business aviation within the Middle East has marked its importance and put itself on the world map over the last couple of years and Brugirard agrees that it is an important region that cannot be neglected. “Having said that, the grey market is still a big challenge and a lot of operators in the Middle East have to cope with this phenomenon regularly. “It is clear that the Middle East and Europe need each other; sometimes the supply available in one region does not cover the demand. In such a situation strong alliances between the two make it possible to create flexibility to move the supply towards the areas of demand.” Depending on the season, charter sales director Khalil Rachidi of Riyadh-based NasJet estimates flights to and from Europe constitute around a third of its overall business. “We are beginning to see growth as brokers are beginning to realise our business model is now focused more on aircraft management and charter, whereas for the past 12 years its been fractional.” NasJet has recently listed its charter fleet on Avinode. For all NasJet programmes and
services there are no fixed bases and the company focusses on serving client requirements based on their location. Many of the programmes offered guarantee aircraft availability, including block charter, in which case an aircraft has to be available within a specified time frame. “Currently our strategic alliances are with internally audited, approved European operators and in the US we work with Jet Aviation,” says Rachidi. “Ideally, we only request support from operators with similar aircraft types to our core fleet, ensuring clients are familiar with the aircraft.” According to Raghe Hassan, Nasjet director of maintenance, dealing with the EU from a commercial perspective presents a few issues, including time zone differences and the fact that weekends in Saudi Arabia are Thursday to Friday. “Both parties effectively lose two days in the week. This has an impact on efficiency if you are dealing with administrative or banking issues.” Europe is a useful market for NasJet, since many of its Middle Eastern clients have strong ties with the region either in the form of investments, holiday homes or schooling for their children. “We would like to see more activity between the two regions, especially from European and Russian clients flying internally in the Middle East, and particularly from the UAE,” says Rachidi. “The Middle East is also beginning to see new European entrants trying to service the local market, clearly indicating a close tie between the two continents.” Director Hardy Sohanpal believes that the Middle East has become an extension of European business aviation and many countries in the region are looking to Europe in adopting civil aviation regulations. “As charter operators we are all aiming for the Holy Grail of efficiency and this can only come by collaborating with each other. The two associations, EBAA and MEBAA, should consider a white paper on the relationship between the two regions in terms of movements, services provided etc. “NasJet would also welcome more statistical data on GA between the two regions, particularly on movements and the contribution Middle East operators make to the European economy.” Rizon Jet is the only Middle East owned operator to operate an FBO in Europe with its facility at Biggin Hill. It also has an affiliation with Oryx Jet, a UK AOC holder. “In terms of hours, approximately 40 per cent of our business is to or from Europe,” says Captain Hassan Al-Mousawi. “Almost none originates in Europe, although naturally over the summer peak we may drop our regional clients off to pick them up a
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DECEMBER 2012 13
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
month or so later.” Rizon Jet’s multicultural team is experienced in dealing with people from a range of countries, although it rarely secures flights from EU nationals originating from within ECAC member states. Three quarters of the flights for which Nexus provides services originate or terminate in the Middle East and North Africa region, while the remainder overfly. “The demand in the Middle East is for larger and newer aircraft typically, when compared to the general charter market in Europe,” says William Mermelstein. “Everyone has been affected by the economic problems of Europe, but the Middle East not so badly.”
Looking further afield While working hard to extend business connections between Europe and the Middle East, the smart operators are also looking to Africa for business opportunities. And it is no wonder, with figures showing impressive increases in movements across the continent. Lagos-based Evergreen Apple Nigeria has not just noted increasing aircraft movements but also a broader range of originating and outgoing destinations and a growth in demand for its FBO services. “After more than a year of operations we have a firm foothold and can see a variety of client patterns and trends emerging,” says ceo Segun Demuren. Business aviation movements have increased by over 100 per cent year-on-year and daily movements
High levels of service onboard a Comlux flight.
are running at an average of 15 daily. Flights are arriving into the FBO predominantly from Europe with London, Ireland, Germany, Spain, France and Austria all featuring as regular starting points. Driving the growth is the expansion of the oil and gas energy industries which is seeing increased interest from European companies. Flight arrivals from the Middle East are also growing, with Dubai, Saudi Arabia and Aman rating highest in terms of originating destinations. National flights within Nigeria and
from further afield including Gambia, Cameroon, Ghana and Equatorial Guinea all reflect the increase in African business aviation activity driven by the continent’s continued expansion of energy, mineral, agricultural and telecom sectors. Owing to the size of the continent, mid to heavy jets are proving most popular at the EAN hangar. Gulfstream 400/450 models, the Global Express family and Challenger types from 601s to 850s are regularly parking up at the hangar. “Longer range fleets are working much harder
than the shorter range aircraft and we note that our handlers are mainly taking care of the mid to heavy jets on a regular basis,” says Demuren. Charter operators provide the main body of traffic through the airport but, increasingly, privately owned aircraft belonging to local entrepreneurs are contributing to movement figures. However, while Africa may look like an easy proposition from the outside, for those already based there, changing political landscapes can make the going tough. Debonair
(Private) Limited operates out of Harare, Zimbabwe, providing shuttle flights to the mining industry on a daily basis. “We have wanted to develop the aviation industry further in Zimbabwe to include scheduled operations to meet the growing demands of the tourist industry there,” explains director Kevin Smeda. “However, the Zimbabwe government has recently restarted Air Zimbabwe with the support of Chinese participation. Although we have an air service permit for scheduled flights from Zimbabwe, the government is not allowing us to use it.” Debonair operates the King Air 200 series of aircraft which has been the mainstay of its business operation. Its C421 proved too expensive to operate and was no longer competitive, but Smeda says: “It was a delightful aircraft to fly and well liked by our clients. Every dog has its day I guess. “We have always focused on the corporate market with a specific interest in providing a tailored service to clients. It’s because of this concept that we have survived so well.” Smeda sees a need for a reliable flight between Harare and Victoria Falls as a major tourist attraction. Smaller centres such as Kariba, Chiredzi, Hwange and Bulawayo would also benefit from a smaller operation such as his to meet the needs of local industry, he says. “I would sorely love to operate a reliable service on the major routes HarareJohannesburg-Victoria Falls and there may very well be in future if we could encourage the government to permit an open skies policy.” With Smeda currently flying for a commercial airline in Dubai, expanding business into the UAE is also a real possibility. ■
Q&A: International language of great service overcomes challenges to Middle East operations What proportion of your charter business is either to or from Europe including western Russia? Here in the Middle East our charter client base is diverse. Although the majority of clients are based within the region, CIS countries feature heavily. Clientele based in Moscow and Europe presently account for around 10-15 per cent of our total charter bookings. Do you have any permanent aircraft bases or strategic alliances in Europe? Being an international operator with bases around the world has its benefits. Our European charter teams are based in Zurich, Palma, Moscow and Cambridge, so crossselling is fairly common practice. All of the ExecuJet Middle East fleet is based in the region. Do you employ Europeans on your staff? Indeed – I am British! We also employ charter professionals from Jordan, Lebanon and India. So the team is truly international. This is one of the benefits of the Dubai working environment in that we can recruit globally from a pool of skilled individuals. Is it easy for Middle East businesses to deal with European customers/ suppliers, or are there any remaining cultural issues? To be honest, great aircraft and service combined with competitive pricing, is now the international language of the charter business.
Mark Hardman, ops director at ExecuJet Middle East, shares his expertise on working across regions.
Also the fact that both markets are fully established and highly competitive helps. What are your thoughts about how the Middle East and Europe cooperate or interact in business aviation? The playing field is not totally level in terms of charter flying, in that Middle Eastern operators are restricted in their European operations, but European operators face almost no restrictions in the Middle East. However, relations are generally very good. Having worked in Europe, Latin America and the Middle East I would say that the Middle East represents the biggest operational challenge to the charter operator. Permissions and permits are of course both a way of life and a constant challenge. Permissions are
required for almost every country we operate to commercially. The other challenge we sometimes face is regional unrest, requiring constant security monitoring of different airports and countries. In many ways we are blessed by having one of the best security teams in the business, led by Sven Krieger, who happens to be German. The developing situation in Syria created a challenge recently for a charter trip from Beirut to Baghdad. At the time of quoting and confirmation the trip was straightforward, with a direct ATC routing over Syria, but as time progressed and the conflict worsened we made the decision to avoid Syrian airspace. This increased the flying time by one hour each way, which could have been charged. However, we put the client first and absorbed the extra flying costs internally. Thus neither the aircraft owner nor passengers lost out. Does Europe provide a useful market, or difficult competition, for your charter services? It is actually a mixture of both, as we see both European clients and competing operators in the region. However, the biggest challenge is illegal charter, sometimes termed the ‘grey market’, involving private aircraft that are not approved for charter flying by the regulators. Surprisingly, this is actually on the rise, despite the fact that in the event of an accident the aircraft’s insurance is unlikely to be valid.
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14 DECEMBER 2012
ICELAND REGIONAL REVIEW
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
Optimistic operators expect burgeoning tourism industry to fuel Iceland’s growth
Iceland may be a small country of just 320,000 people, but given its geographical remoteness it is somewhat surprising that there are now no business jets on the Icelandic register. Until Icejet ceased operations mid-2010 there were three Dornier 328 jets in its charter fleet, but now the nation’s 34 business aircraft are all turboprops, piston twins and helicopters. Most commercial operators are predominantly involved in sightseeing and survey business. There is business to be done, however. Bell Helicopters, for example, has had a run of success in Iceland this year, introducing the first examples of the 429 and 407GX to Iceland. The small indigenous fleet is not a reflection of the level of service which visiting aircraft can avail themselves of at the country’s leading airports. There is a facility owned and operated by SouthAir (Sudurflug) at Keflavik, which it says is the only purpose-built FBO there. The complex boasts two fully appointed vip lounges, crew rest rooms, fully computerised planning and weather facilities, Jet and Avgas fuel service and beverage and meal services. The geothermally-heated hangar keeps aircraft warm on overnight stays. Indeed, short tours to the
Business aviation in Iceland by the numbers 18 business aviation airports Major business aviation airports* 1. Reykjavik 2. Keflavik 3. Akureyri 4. Isafjordur 5. Egilsstadir
BIRK BIKF BIAR BIIS BIEG
RKV KEF AEY IFJ EGS
* ranked by the number of handler, charter, maintenance, sales and training organisations based at each.
12 business charter operators Leading fixed-wing charter operators** 1. Eagle Air 2. Norlandair 3. Myflug Air 4. Gardaflug 5.Atlantsflug
Leading helicopter charter operators** 1. BlueWest Helicopters 2. Helicopter Service of Iceland ** ranked by number of aircraft for charter
business aircraft on the TF 34 Icelandic register
Atlantsflug’s Jon Gretar Sigurdsson believes that the company is ready to take on more business.
geothermal plant, the Blue Lagoon, and the rugged Icelandic coast can be offered to passengers during stop-overs. Meanwhile at Reykjavik BIRK Flight Services has been looking after transit and visiting traffic for 40 years. “We pride ourselves on having one of
the smallest full service terminals on the planet,” the company says. “It has all you’ll need and nothing else. A few feet of conveyor belt, wireless internet, free international telephone services, access to flight planning software, a small selection of refreshments and some very friendly
staff. Nothing else. Heaven!” After a turbulent period of banking and financial crisis, Iceland’s dozen or so business charter outfits are preparing themselves for recovery. Atlantsflug is working on improving the utilisation of its operation certificates, namely its AOC, Part 145 and CAMO approvals, as it believes it is in a position where it has secured its foundations to take on more activity than at present. “This, of course, will mean adding aircraft to our operation and that will mean adding personnel as well,” says Jon Gretar Sigurdsson. The company is working on expanding its customer base with tour operators and those who are selling Iceland to travellers, and is seeing an ever-increasing number of visitors coming to Iceland each year. “To handle the growing number of visitors the country must have sufficient activity available and infrastructure must be in place; we are wanting to take part in that work,” he says. “The company is now looking for aircraft that would fit into our tourist operation, and we are mainly looking at those that can carry up to
Comprehensive data for Iceland online free-of-charge The 2012/13 EBAN Handbook of Business Aviation in Europe is out now, and gives details of many more Iceland charter operators. It also lists business aviation facilities and services including airports, FBOs and maintenance centres. The details can be accessed online through a search of aircraft operated or the airport bases. For more information please visit www.handbook.aero
Data extracted from the Handbook of Business Aviation in Europe, and the EBAN reader roster.
nine passengers and either powered by Jet A1 or 100LL fuel. The biggest difficulty we are faced with is our seasonal operation. Even though our main season is getting longer each year we are still faced with several offseason months that are hard for us in regards to lease or rental payments, and that has been a barrier so far – or perhaps we have not been talking to the right people!” Sigurdsson continues: “It is my
“We pride ourselves on having one of the smallest full service terminals on the planet belief that the Iceland tourist sector, that is to say those who are providing a variety of services to travellers once they are in Iceland, are just about to break away from the pioneering work of the openminded and hard-working forerunners. We are now seeing a more professional approach in the tourist industry as more of our highly educated younger people are getting involved and bringing in new ideas and practices, and by taking over the torch they are seeing the huge potential that can be to put into play in years to come. “I believe that we will need to see more cooperation between different operators and even that they join forces to gain momentum. It is essential to keep on building up the infrastructure in a way that only a large organisation can do.” Service providers such as Global Fuel, based at Reykjavik, are also seeing future growth potential. “We have seen year-on-year growth since our establishment in 2007,” says Thorsteinn M Bessason, operations and business development manager. “In fact, we had our best month to date this October. We’re excited about the future and as always, aim to provide our clients with outstanding service at the best possible price. Global Fuel is looking into new and exciting options regarding fuel-orders and how we can make them as efficient as possible. We are also working on expanding our supplier base, which will result in a better price and even more savings for our clients.” ■
EUROPEAN BUSINESS AIR NEWS
DECEMBER 2012 15
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ISSUE 232
DECEMBER 2012
Perfect Aviation launches AOC support service
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Business aviation at the crossroads – how the Middle East and Europe interact Pages 10-13
Iceland regional review
Starlite focus is on Europe with latest Super Puma
This has been an exceptional year for Slade Thomas, whose Ireland and South Africabased Starlite Aviation has become the launch customer for the latest variant of the Super Puma helicopter. See full story on page 6.
The ongoing financial crisis affecting most of Europe, coupled with the mass of new regulations that continue to emanate from Brussels, is placing more and more financial pressure on the small and medium size AOC operators. So says UK charter operator Perfect Aviation as it urges its peers to consider the benefits of collaboration. Perfect Aviation believes that, if operators are to survive, the time has come for some innovative thinking. It has therefore announced a new flight planning and AOC support service. Business development manager Paul Forster explains: “We are pleased to offer this service to third-party operators who are seeking to reduce or contain their costs. “We have a highly trained team of professional and fully licensed INAC/EASA aircraft dispatchers who are available on a 24/7 basis to oversee all aspects of flight planning, flight following and operational support. Our concept is to provide an AOC competent dispatch department to third party operators pursuant to a service level agreement.” Forster adds: “Flight planning and flight following and reporting functions will be provided to operators as if it were being made through their own flight dispatch department. With full competency in respect of EASA flight crew regulations and other relevant regulations, Perfect can provide a real cost saving to operators requiring a 24/7 flight operations function but perhaps struggling to justify the costs of employing staffing to cover it. “Since I joined Perfect one of the most impressive areas that I have noted is our dispatch team, they have never failed to obtain permits or over-flight clearances, some of which have been in very remote or difficult areas. The team has always been totally up-to-date on everything that is happening around the globe and this type of service is vital for every flight crew member and to the operator wanting to ensure the very best levels of service to the client.” Continued on page 3
Alliances may be key to unlock charter success A panel of leading charter operators at the CEPA Expo in Prague recently agreed that the air charter market in the central European region is set to grow in coming years, but pondered whether cooperation between operators would help to increase efficiency. London Executive Aviation’s Patrick Margetson-Rushmore reported having already seen a 70 per cent increase in its business in CEE countries in recent years, and a 25 per cent increase in 2012 alone. LEA operates a Challenger 300 and
a Legacy into the region. The most common destinations are Poland, Croatia, Montenegro and the Czech Republic, he says, and the direction of travel is east to west, rather than west to east. Bernhard Fragner of GlobeAir pointed out that around two thirds of bookings come via brokers, and identified the routes attracting increasing traffic as Bucharest, Budapest and Croatia, rather than the most established destinations. Indeed Jaroslav Malinsky of
CEPA Chairman Brendan Lodge and founder Dagmar Grossmann.
VR Jet, which is based in Bratislava, reported that his company is taking business
from Vienna due to the lack of restrictions at Bratislava airport. Vienna is a very competitive location and operators not already based there would not attempt to enter the market, he believes. VR Jet has found that passengers are currently downgrading the size of the aircraft required for aircraft charter, and that price seems to be the driving factor – with operators differentiating by providing good service and a good relationship between the passengers and crew. Seventy
per cent of the company’s services are corporate flights with the rest short-term bookings and ad-hoc. The panel looked to the future to see how air charter operators might develop services to increase business. It was suggested that operator alliances could be formed in the region to help reduce costs, and that the standard of onboard catering should be one of the main focuses when considering passengers’ quality requirements.
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Page 14
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