The global pandemic, caused by the COVID-19 outbreak, has affected the majority of industries with aviation being shaken significantly. Aviation companies have been challenged, as they have had to adjust their operations and adapt to this unforeseen situation in order to survive. Chapman Freeborn, a subsidiary of Avia Solutions Group and an air charter broker with offices around the globe , chose to remain calm and think “out of the box” in these difficult times.
The company believes that, firstly, it is crucial to take care of the teams and to reinforce management qualities to ensure everyone is motivated and gets the necessary support.. Chapman Freeborn is developing new distinctive methods and services to meet its clients’ needs and exceed their expectations. “We are always looking for new solutions to provide customers with the best service and the right product. We are available around the clock and are always there for the customer. Our global teams work closely together to ensure that we do not miss any opportunities and to ensure that we are able to respond to the questions and demands of our customers promptly ”, says Reto Hunziker, Group Cargo and OBC Sales Director at Chapman Freeborn.
A key challenge in the charter business currently is affordable capacity. As demand increases, so do the prices. However, Chapman Freeborn is able to utilise its longstanding supplier relationships and global network to provide viably-priced capacity, despite the current demand.
According to Chapman Freeborn, individual trade routes are developing well; all routes are currently prospering – there has been high demand from Asia to Europe and the US; also from China to Africa and South America. There undoubtedly has been an increase in the volume of certain commodity types, such as humanitarian aid, yet usual freight is coming back fast. Chapman Freeborn predicts high demand from the US from May as the production companies resume their work.
“We must all continue to work on improving the coordination of each step in the logistics chain. Ground processes must also continue to be improved and optimised in order to succeed”, Reto Hunziker adds.