Educating a new generation of industry professionals and ensuring the wider society has a balanced understanding of private aviation were identified as key challenges at the Air Charter Expo (ACE), held today at London Biggin Hill Airport. Kevin Ducksbury, chairman of ACE organizer Air Charter Association (ACA), said the industry needs to ensure it is an attractive and lucrative career option, while also defending this mode of transportation in the face of growing hostility on environmental grounds.
“The environmental challenge is making our work harder,” he said during the event’s conference session. “Incorrect messaging over luxury travel [and its impact on the climate] is overshadowing the good work the industry does.”
In an interview with AIN, Ducksbury said recruiting and retaining skilled human resources is now one of the charter sector’s greatest challenges. He pointed out that supply-side difficulties are also still found in areas such as the availability of aircraft parts for maintenance.
So severe are these challenges that Ducksbury suggested that a recent softening in demand for charter flights has proved to be something of a relief for some operators. The UK-based ACA now has 450 member companies from 53 countries, including business and private charter operators, commercial airlines, and cargo operators, as well as many companies that support operators. It has just established a board of directors to lead its U.S. branch and is taking the same steps in the Asia-Pacific region.
At the Air Charter Expo, 15 different aircraft were on display with a “no-invitation-only” policy that was intended to give employees from across the industry a chance to get more familiar with charter options. The ACA also provides training for brokers with its level one entry program now available online to widen access.
Internship Program Launched
This year, the association has introduced a new internship program that is giving 18- to 26-year-olds initial training and opportunities to work with member companies. Participants complete a project on a chosen topic, and their details are shared with members looking for new employees.
“Every one of our members has a [human] resource challenge,” Duckbury said. “We are trying to address the disconnect between what employers want and to get a better understanding of what [prospective] employees want.”
In Europe, ACA is also looking to address a variety of regulatory disconnects, many of which stem from the UK’s Brexit departure from the European Union. For instance, new passenger screening requirements expected to be rolled out in October are causing anxiety for operators.
In the UK, the limited availability of licensed maintenance capability is escalating as aircraft and equipment manufacturers are deterred by the expense of having to secure approvals that are now separate from the more widely-used EASA documentation. Ducksbury also offered the example of a new UK Border Force rule that names on passenger manifests for charter flights cannot be changed within two hours of departure, which further impinges on the flexibility of charter services.
As the UK’s new government supposedly seeks improved relations with the EU states, Ducksbury suggested that ACA is inclined to leave the political environment to others. His team has had more success in resolving lower-level problems such as a recent situation in which they were able to help a Croatian operator secure block flight permits to fly in and out of the UK.