Aviary flies high to support Covid struck industry

In Egypt, one of the prominent ground handling companies is Aviary. CEO Mahmoud Farrag said: “The past 18 month have been the hardest, even though I have been through many other crises, but this pandemic had been the most challenging. For Aviary, continuous innovation, especially in such unprecedent times, is essential as the company has managed to keep its business afloat with diversification strategies and agile management. We have also implemented a cost leadership strategy to reduce expenditure while maintaining quality and efficiency and without letting go a single employee of Aviary family,” he said.

During the pandemic Aviary managed to serve more private jets and cater them with short notice ground handling services , fuel arrangements, last minute landing and overflying permits, not only at Egyptian airports but at several locations in Middle East and Africa.

“This came along with keeping our customers up to speed with rapidly-changing border controls, airport closures and passenger restrictions,” Farrag said.

For the aviation industry to recover not only quickly, but sustainably, all its stakeholders, from ground handlers to airports to governments, must rally forces to support this global crisis, Farrag added.

Aviary has applied considerable discounts on ground handling charges, landing and overflying permits and fuel arrangements aswell as the discounts offered from Egyptian government. “These special charges were instrumental in the fight to survive the pandemic,” Farrag said.

Farrag praised his “agile” workforce and management team.

“The team was critical in devising new strategies to come through the crisis. The most immediate was supporting our aircraft chartering team to work together with business aviation, commercial and cargo operators to secure aircraft at very short notice to repatriate stranded citizens to their home countries, support humanitarian medical supply missions and transport all types of cargo,” he said.

Farrag remains optimistic. “The industry is fighting for profitable growth and I have no doubt that our industry will bounce back as it is a resilient sector,” he said.