Dubai-based flight support services company Hadid International Services has seen a strong first half this year, its top U.S.-based official said on the eve of NBAA-BACE 2023.
“We are anticipating the trend will continue through the fourth quarter,” Jacqueline Simmons, Hadid’s business development manager for the U.S. and Latin America, told AIN. “If current indicators continue for the remainder of the year, we will reach our productivity goals for 2023. The outlook for 2024 is yet to be seen, but I am optimistic that the growth momentum will continue.”
Enthusiasm in the current U.S. market had seen airline financial performance beating expectations and a number of positive international developments and drivers this year. The latter includes China lifting its Covid restrictions, jet fuel prices easing, and high passenger demand for travel, despite inflation, she said.
“With all the enthusiasm in our current domestic market, we do need to keep in mind and respect the geopolitical climate and its effects on the aviation industry,” she said. “We are confident that 2024 could be our best year, provided global markets do not dip into recession, geopolitical tensions ease, and restrictive markets continue to open.”
Hadid is encountering certain challenges that, while offering valuable opportunities for growth, require creative solutions. “One such opportunity lies in addressing our staffing needs, both locally and internationally,” she said. “At Hadid, we pride ourselves on our commitment to cultivating and developing exceptional talent, yet the process of identifying the right individuals is challenging, both in the U.S. and beyond.”
U.S. air charter operators have kept Hadid busy this year with significant requests for international support. “If the activity we are seeing is any indicator, you can surmise that the charter business is alive and well,” she said.
”Once the traveling public has experienced private flights and the flexibility they bestow, the rigidity of commercial flights no longer meets its needs. I can’t speculate with certainty, but I don’t foresee the charter trend losing momentum in 2023.”
Asked to identify a national market outside of the U.S. where Hadid sees significant growth, Simmons referenced India. With a substantial and expanding airport infrastructure throughout the Indian subcontinent, the Asian nation continues to see greater demand for support.
“It can be a difficult country to navigate, and we have Hadid personnel locally assigned to facilitate the logistics in the region,” she said. “We continue to expand our capabilities and we stand ready to assist at a moment’s notice.”
Two years ago, Simmons said Brazil, Colombia, and Mexico were the Latin American markets to watch. Today, she maintained that Hadid is still very much committed to Latin America and the Caribbean.
“We are constantly looking and expanding our network to better serve our clientele,” she said. “In addition, we plan on increasing our presence year-over-year to be a strong competitor in the region.”
Looking back, Simmons said Covid was a “double-edged sword” for Hadid’s international operations. As a fully functioning organization and having responsibility for many employees, it had to make difficult decisions within a short time frame from the start of the pandemic to address the unknown factors that continuously erupted.
She noted that company leadership provided the sales force latitude to accommodate the shifting market, empowering staff to make difficult decisions at the regional level to continue driving the business forward.
“We were able to adapt and leverage the situation to some extent,” Simmons said. “The pandemic accelerated changes in the aviation industry, creating new opportunities for flight support services. Hadid responded proactively by adjusting its operations and services to align with the changing needs of the industry.
“In this sense, Covid-19 prompted us to innovate and explore new avenues, which, in the aftermath, may have provided a boost or ‘shot in the arm’ in terms of reshaping and enhancing our position. Some of the new concepts we are developing came directly from the Covid shutdown. It gave us a license to fast-track ideas,” she concluded.