Charting a better way to fly in the MENA Region
Victor’s strategic relocation of its global HQ to Abu Dhabi in April 2024 a mere 6 months after its acquisition was a very clear statement of intent that the GCC and in particular the UAE is starting to take significant aviation market share from the more established, mature markets in Europe, the Americas, Asia & Africa. The region’s carriers consistently lead international awards and such dominance is now being reflected in the number of private jets, operators and brokers that are based there.
As a leading industry in the UAE responsible for employing 1 in 10 people (according to IATA), the aviation sector’s success & importance cannot be overstated, indeed in the words of His Excellency Suhail bin Mohamed Al Mazrouei - Minister of Energy - “the growth and sustenance of the aviation sector are integral to the United Arab Emirates socioeconomic prosperity”. To continue advancing its position as an aviation leader the UAE continues to adopt strategies leading to decarbonisation, an outcome which Victor is proud to support through its own initiatives.
Within our on-demand charter brokerage sector the UAE traditionally leads the GCC markets and has proliferated over the past 10 years given the vast number of start-ups that can be found across the regional trade zones. Victor was specifically attracted to Abu Dhabi as there are no brokers based here and a clear requirement existed to provide a more transparent pricing structure for a greater choice of aircraft & operators to the discerning clientele found in the capital.
The private & business aviation market has been growing impressively with reported growth of 40% over this summer alone, this is set to be augmented further with the nearly 6,700 High Net Worth Individuals relocating here by the end of 2024, 75% more than the next highest country.
Our highly refined business model is proudly specialised in on demand charter, as it has evolved we realised the need for focused departments encouraging greater negotiation, stronger operator relationships and preferable terms enabling the sales team to truly focus on prospecting new clients, closing sales and focusing on building ever stronger relationships with its existing customers.
Victor is the only aircraft charter provider to disclose the operator and aircraft details, at the point of quotation and before the client books. Trust is important to us. We believe that consumers should have the right to know this information. Nobody books a hotel or restaurant for example without knowing exactly who they are dealing with, so why should private aviation be any different? Unlike our competitors in the region, we disclose the operator, the aircraft registration, updated images of the interior, and estimated fuel burn, to help clients make an informed decision when chartering. This is a critical point of difference and one we are certain will be a game-changer for our discerning clientele.
Another clear point of difference lies in Victor’s investment in its people, the on-demand charter brokerage business has long been renowned for burning its employees out as most comparable businesses are operating a 24 x 7 x 365 model whereby the broker is responsible for finding the prospective client, sourcing suitable aircraft for the requested itinerary, preparing the proposal , sending the contract and then managing the whole process once the itinerary is confirmed.
This can be a very demanding process depending on the complexity of the route and often requires operating outside normal working hours as the departure is often in a completely different time zone, Victor’s approach is that the whole process needs to be divided into areas of specialisation, hence we have teams focused on sales & account management, aircraft sourcing and flight management, not only does this result in a superior level of operational support, but it also fosters closer bonds with our key suppliers. Most importantly this approach enables the sales team to delegate over-sight to their colleagues in operations meaning they can actually have a life outside work hours and empowers Victor to retain its most valued talent.
Finally, Victor’s better way to fly strapline is very much focussed on its fundamental approach to the environmental pressure the planet is under. Victor’s progressive climate action initiatives commenced in 2018 when we launched an optional carbon offset programme, a year later we launched an industry first carbon offset program whereby we purchased 2 carbon credits for every tonne of carbon our passengers emitted.
Two years ago in June 2022, in partnership with Neste, we launched the world’s first direct-to-consumer Sustainable Aviation Fuel (SAF) offering, called “Pay Here, Use There” – this commitment has just celebrated its 500th client booking as well as several already in the MENA region. We choose Neste because they are the world's largest producer of SAF, and we know their feedstocks are sustainable – made from renewable waste and residue raw material. Uniquely we made SAF available to Victor customers for every booking, irrespective of aircraft or operator.
Aligned with the UAE Net Zero 2050 strategic initiative, we will continue to consider long-term strategies to reduce emissions that limit the rise in global temperature to 1.5 degrees compared to pre-industrial levels. Over the next few years we will keep leading the business aviation sector, offering SAF directly to private jet customers. Of course, we are most excited now about offering our pioneering SAF solution to flyers in the GCC region.
We will also continue to raise the importance of the voluntary SAF market and encourage other airlines and travel companies to adopt “Pay Here, Use There” through contributing to Associations such as Global; Aerospace Summit, MEBAA, public speaking, SAF ‘experiences’, hosting educational webinars, joining Alliances, business development meetings, and producing more SAF marketing materials.
