This week, Angela Stevenson interviews Wendy Mann, Managing Director of Geraldton Air Charter, to discuss the extent of impact on the air charter tour industry, the reliance by operators on the inbound Chinese tourist market, how GeroAir are tackling the new social distancing measures, and whether ATPL pilots will want to get back in a Cessna 172.
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Were we just taking the inbound Chinese tourism market for granted? Is there anything we should be doing in this space to help it get back on track? What do you think our government should be doing?
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What happens when these businesses begin to recover and start rehiring pilots, will the current awards and entitlements be suitable for an industry that has experienced financial meltdown? Will they recover? Can GA really expect to recover in the foreseeable future?
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What about insurances, rates and leasing agreements, how is your business renegotiating these and should state or federal governments step in to ensure it ends up being fair and reasonable for all parties? Or, should aviation simply get a special deal?
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The insurance question is an interesting one. If you haven’t been flying your aircraft for a few months, then the risk taken by the insurance company is lower. Therefore, the premium (which is based on risk) should be lower. This is different from hangarage, where the costs to the hangar owner pre-Covid is presumably identical to it during the Covid period. Maybe insurance companies should be a bit pro-active with this, advising their customers on options.
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Wendy shared some really good ideas, including on hygiene. A simple idea like disposable seat covers can do a lot to give passengers confidence. And the “sneeze guard” device to separate the cockpit from the cabin is another great simple idea. And I agree that many of the hygiene practices could well continue beyond the current crisis.
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It was nice to hear Wendy say that AOPA and RAAus are doing a lot of lobbying, because GA is often an unknown in the corridors of power, and can be easily forgotten. (I loved the bit about “we couldn’t help putting all our eggs in the one basket, because there were no other eggs around!)
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