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ROBERT WHITEHEAD | CAT AIR SERVICE<br />
in succession and along with commercial operations<br />
can accommodate all sizes of business aviation<br />
jets. “What is important for our customers<br />
is that they do not need to undergo the main<br />
terminal experience; we take them through the<br />
dedicated GAC facilities for customs clearance,<br />
meeting them and guiding them through the<br />
whole process,” Whitehead says.<br />
“Fixed base operations for business aviation<br />
is always challenging and we compete and differentiate<br />
our business on customer service – that’s<br />
why our customers keep returning. They pay for<br />
that value-added benefi t. Corporate aircraft operators<br />
and passengers don’t want cheap, they<br />
want value for money and expect a quality service<br />
provider. It is important to give that individual<br />
touch, every time – a nice smile, a very big<br />
welcome and a smooth transit. Behind the scenes<br />
everything is being done to maximise their comfort,”<br />
he notes. “We have got a chic, smart facility,<br />
but the most important part is to offer a<br />
fantastic service at good value. We don’t want<br />
to charge high sums of money but if we offer a<br />
fair market price for an outstanding service we<br />
believe we can gain market share.”<br />
Another diffi culty at Zurich Airport, a busy<br />
commercial gateway, is that it is very much ruled<br />
by airport slots. “It is clear that the majority of<br />
traffi c at Zurich Airport is commercial airlines, so<br />
for business aviation slots can be hard to come<br />
by at short notice. Moreover, the airport is often<br />
at maximum capacity and delays can be a regular<br />
occurrence, making operating in and out of<br />
the airport, as a business traveler, challenging.<br />
“There is no doubt that Zurich is a busy airport;<br />
however as a prominent centre for business<br />
and commerce it is very convenient. The closest<br />
airports are over an hour away so Zurich is a major<br />
hub for private jets. Peak commercial times<br />
restrict traffi c from business jets. If you are in Zurich<br />
and you have a business meeting at 8.00am<br />
in Paris, you are not able to guarantee a departure<br />
slot and this can leave no other alternative<br />
but to depart the night before. We can support<br />
our customers to understand the complexities of<br />
slot restrictions and help them to work out viable<br />
fl ight schedules to get to their destinations in a<br />
timely fashion,” he adds.<br />
“We are steadily developing our business<br />
through offering the best service possible, a<br />
memorable customer experience and continuous<br />
personal attention. We’ve got great people<br />
on board with extensive know-how. I myself have<br />
been in this industry for over 30 years and am<br />
well known at Zurich Airport with a reputation<br />
for fi rst-class service. We are very hot on training<br />
standards and quality control and are continuously<br />
improving through SMS,” notes Whitehead.<br />
“Anticipating customer requirements each<br />
and every time is key. Regular visitors have their<br />
particular wishes and we remember what is important<br />
to them for next time. The passenger,<br />
the operator, the crew and the aircraft are our<br />
priority; every visit they will receive unrivalled attention<br />
to ensure they are looked after in every<br />
way,” he concludes. <br />
Autumn 2015 | International 53
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