Airline Support

This can refer to consultancy, advising airlines on major commercial decisions, or the logistical support.

Business planning & fleet development
Market appraisals at country, region and city level
Route evaluations (demand, yields, costs, profitability)
Base selection/airport competitions
IT selection, implementation and support

Network development, strategy and alliances...network development to develop the best approach to updating systems and processes, meeting the demands of managing (with minimal staff) a large and rapidly growing network whilst maintaining industry leading network profit levels. Future route structure for the airline and the future number of aircraft in the fleet, by aircraft type (following detailed analysis of performance data for, for example, different Boeing and Airbus aircraft).

Ground Handling

Many airlines subcontract ground handling to an airport or a handling agent, or even to another airline. Ground handling addresses the many service requirements of a passenger aircraft between the time it arrives at a terminal gate and the time it departs on its next flight. Speed, efficiency, and accuracy are important in ground handling services in order to minimize the turnaround time (the time during which the aircraft must remain parked at the gate).

Small airlines sometimes subcontract maintenance to a much larger and reputable carrier, as it is a short-term cheaper alternative to setting up an independent maintenance base.

Some airlines may enter into a Maintenance and Ground Support Agreement (MAGSA) with each other, which is used by airlines to assess costs for maintenance and support to aircraft.

Most ground services are not directly related to the actual flying of the aircraft, and instead involve other maintenance tasks. The major categories of ground handling services are described below.

Cabin service

These services ensure passenger comfort. They include such tasks as cleaning the passenger cabin and replenishment of on-board consumables or washable items such as soap, pillows, tissues, blankets, etc.

Catering

Catering includes the unloading of unused food and drink from the aircraft, and the loading of fresh food and drink for passengers and crew. The meals are typically delivered in trolleys. The empty or trash-filled trolley(s) from the previous flight is replaced by a fresh one. Meals are prepared mostly on the ground in order to minimize the amount of preparation (apart from chilling or reheating) required in the air.

Ramp service

This includes services on the ramp or apron, such as:

Guiding the aircraft into and out of the parking position (by way of Aircraft marshalling),
Towing with pushback tractors
Lavatory drainage
Water cartage (to refill fresh water tanks)
Air conditioning (more common for smaller aircraft)
Airstart units (for starting engines)
Luggage handling, usually by means of beltloaders and baggage carts
Air cargo handling, usually by means of cargo dollies, and cargo loaders
Catering trucks
Refuelling, which may be done with a refuelling tanker truck or refuelling pumper
Ground power (so that engines need not be running to provide aircraft power on the ground)
Passenger stairs (used instead of an aerobridge, some budget airlines use both to improve turnaround speed)
Wheelchair lifts, if required
Hydraulic mules (units that provide hydraulic power to an aircraft externally)
Deicing

Field Operation Service

This service dispatches the aircraft, maintains communication with the rest of the airline operation at the airport and with Air Traffic Control.

Flight support

Companies exist to customise or co-ordinate the full package of physical support services needed as the operators move their aircraft around the globe... One such, Paragon Global Flight Support, offers fast, efficient, cost effective and reliable services. A 24-hour flight support centre provides a client-centred service that operates around the clock.

Ground Handling Set Up
Paragon Global can set up and coordinate ground handling for an aircraft in any location. This includes passenger, cargo, VIP and diplomatic or military flights. They can provide full aircraft handling with all services – such as airstairs, GPU, push back and tow bar – and select handlers appropriate to your flight or client type, whether passenger, cargo or VIP.

They have an extensive network of handling agents to get an aircraft turned around on time. Agents are all IATA approved: they use quality assured equipment operated by personnel who are trained to specification. They are available 24 hours per day or during the operating hours of specific airports.

Fuel Purchase
Paragon Global offers an extensive scheme for fuel purchase. Whether for an ad-hoc or regular flight, they can provide competitive prices.

They calculate costs per US Gallon including all taxes and other charges so you are able to estimate your trip costs more accurately. They use only leading fuel suppliers and approved into-plane agents. All they require are the details of the flight, and they can supply fuel on credit (subject to approval) at any hour of the day or night.

Overflights & Landing Permission
They specialise in obtaining overflight and landing permissions, which are required by individual countries or airports to allow an aircraft to enter airspace legally.

Restrictions must be considered and specific procedures must be followed to obtain these permissions. Whether it’s a short-notice or future request, all permissions obtained are legal releases and when indicated have periods to allow for delays of 24, 48 or 72 hours. They handle an aircraft’s documents, insurances and a full schedule, as this will speed up the whole process.

Flight Watch
They offer a convenient and easy-to-use 24-hour flight watch programme. Simply provide Paragon Global with your aircraft flight and ground handling details and they will watch your aircraft and send movement messages as per your requirements. Even if your flight operates during irregular hours, you need not be disturbed unless it is necessary. You can relax and know that they are looking out for your flight, passengers, cargo for you.

Hotel & Catering
Concerned about where your passengers will be staying? They can book your hotel requirements with preferred hotels. In addition, through their network of preferred suppliers, they can set up and coordinate your catering arrangements whether it be crew meals, a group charter or a very specific VIP request.

Ground Transportation
The journey rarely ends with the landing of a flight. Whether you require a self-hire car or an escorted coach, they can set up and coordinate your transport requirements, getting the best possible connection for your passengers or crew.

Fuel procurement strategy

Many aircraft owners and operators today are taking a very close look at how they procure aviation fuel – at home and on the road. You don’t have to be at the mercy of the fuel price at your destination – you can get lower prices elsewhere. There are six branded suppliers of aviation fuel in the U.S.: Avfuel, Air BP, Chevron, ConocoPhillips, ExxonMobil and Shell. Each offers centralized buying, commonly referred to as contract fuel programs. And there are 28 fuel discount brokers throughout the country, most often operating under one of the major suppliers’ brands. You can secure fuel from one of these brokers – or more directly, from one of the six major suppliers. They can offer better rates and we see more operators taking advantage of them. There is no getting around the fact that jet fuel – traded in hundredths of a cent, four digits out – is part of an extremely competitive, global petroleum market – one that we have very little control over right now. Someone always pays the price for crude oil, no matter how high it is. Until there is a realistic alternative, the techniques described here can help operators manage their fuel equation more productively.

Tankering Storing fuel purchased at lower or bulk-rate cost can have a more significant impact. So can refueling in locations where fuel costs are lower and by taking on more of this cheaper fuel than is needed for subsequent routes. “We see more and more operators tankering fuel from optimal places to purchase, whether that’s at their home base or on the road.

Hedging . Most international airlines hedge fuel costs, but the theoretical justification behind this action is weak. The most liquid markets are in crude and exchange traded contracts. Aviation fuel contracts are possible, but with counter party risk. Most major passenger airlines with sufficient cash and credit now hedge at least part of their future needs. Hedging does protect profits against a sudden upturn in crude prices caused by political and consumer uncertainty leading to slower economic growth. However, if higher oil prices are induced by strong economic growth and oil supply constraints, hedging increases volatility with hedging gains reinforcing improved profits from higher traffic and improved yields. If hedging does not reduce volatility, it may still have an accounting role in moving profits from one time period to another, insure against bankruptcy, and signal the competence of management to investors and other stakeholders.

Mandated cabin emergency equipment

Low-cost airline Flybe is considering attaching radio frequency identification (RFID) tags to onboard safety equipment such as life jackets to speed up the turnaround times of its planes.

The budget carrier has conducted limited trials of the technology on the ground, involving staff using handheld readers to confirm the presence of life jackets and other equipment.

The results proved that the technology worked and achieved sufficient read rates. The company is now creating a businesses case for using RFID on its planes.

Noel Edwards, Flybe project manager, says the technology could improve staff efficiency by replacing manual checks, while cutting costs by speeding up the turnaround of planes.

‘We have to manually check that life jackets, safety manuals and other items are still on board before planes can turnaround. If RFID can speed up this process, we can reapportion staff time to activities such as improving the appearance of the cabin,’ he said.

Some airlines have reported thefts of several life vests on a single flight, which can compromise safety and prove costly.

‘If vests go missing, we have to find replacements, which can mean spending more time on the ground,’ said Edwards. ‘This is expensive because we pay airports for the time on the ground.’

The airline has tested RFID to track high-value tools for plane repairs, but Edwards says the technology is not accurate enough and active tags are not allowed to transmit inside planes.

Analyst Ellen Daley says some airlines have seen success with RFID pilots in the supply chain, and the next generation is to track assets on board planes.

‘There is the potential to realise time savings by reducing the labour required to check safety equipment, which could help airlines get back in the air quicker,’ she said. ‘But there are also potential cost savings in efficiency gains.’