By Abel Orukpe / Correspondent, Lagos
As part of its continuing expansion in Africa, leading international trip support provider United Aviation Services (UAS), has recruited a number of industry experts to provide flight and ground support in key nine countries which include Nigeria, South Africa, Ghana and six others.
Other countries where these experts will provide support are Cameroon, Cote D’Ivoire, Ethiopia, Gabon, Kenya and Mali.
Responding to a question on how the nine key countries were selected, the Global Sales Director, Abdul Charafeddin, in an e- mail Daily Independent, explained that the selected nine countries is only the beginning for strategy that eventually we will cover all countries within Africa.
On why Egypt one of the leading countries in Africa was not among the countries, he said, “The reason we choose those first due to the heavy traffic and demand from operators to better services on ground. Egypt has good airport and aviation infrastructure where the level of service is good and does not require immediate attention like other countries.”
Explaining further, the UAS Regional Director of Africa, Wynand Meyer, said the aim of recruiting country managers is to add significant value to the experience of the clients, which include flight operators, VIPs and government officials, adding that they will be responsible for ensuring all flights operate on-time and deliver seamless operations into Africa.
He stated that what this means is that clients can rely on their country manager for reliable and up-to-date Notice to Air Men (NOTAMs), air traffic news and updates, regulatory requirements in addition to any local operational guidance that can affect the success of their mission.
The Regional Director said that UAS country managers will also work with local ground handlers to enhance the safety of operations, minimise language barriers, and coordinate credit for aviation fuel and services.
He said that with access to all ramp activities they can also ensure quality and timely ground handling services and fuel delivery.
Wynand added that having already opened a continental headquarters in Johannesburg and regional offices in Lagos and in Nairobi in the first quarter of 2014, UAS has set itself an ambitious goal; a UAS country manager on the ground in every country in Africa, stressing that the new placements bring it one step closer to achieving this.
According to him, “Appointing country managers across Africa was our way of responding to client demands for quality services in Africa. We are the first international trip support company to take on an initiative of this scale for supervisory support in Africa. We look forward to completing our growth plans to stay in line with UAS’ corporate vision for local support across the globe”.
Source : Independent