Issue link: https://maltatoday.uberflip.com/i/1173510
03.10.19 8 INTERVIEW Malta at risk of losing MASSIMO COSTA You describe yourself as one of the leaders in business aviation. What is it that Comlux does? Comlux is in the business of VIP aviation, which differs from business aviation in that it pro- vides services of a higher grade. VIP aviation's customers are world leaders, businessmen and very high-net-worth individu- als. We are very well-known for operating large air craft, and this is reflected in the people who use our services, since it means they can afford them. Our clients sometimes travel in large groups – such as delegations travelling for meetings around the world – which necessitates the use of a large plane. However, we also operate typical business jets, which is a lesser known aspect of our company. We have around 20 aircraft in total, half of which are big planes and the other half business jets. e way Comlux operates is that it has a mandate from its cli- ents to operate the clients' own aircraft in a professional and commercial environment. We operate their aircraft for their own use, or for chartering – our clients allow us to operate those aircraft both to serve them, and for the charter market. Some clients are more dedicated to the charter market, allowing us to operate in full liberty, while others prefer to use only a por- tion of their aircraft's activity for chartering and reserve it mainly for their personal use. Our company can be described as medium-sized, and we feel this ensures we avoid offering a "mass service" and ensures we give the best service to our clients. It is important for us to have direct contact with our cli- ents, at the highest level, and to offer a tailor-made service which meets their individual require- ments. We listen to our custom- ers and provide the service they require. is also means that our operations change over time, be- cause our clients requirements change. Who is your average customer? Comlux provides exclusive avi- ation services to corporations, head of states, governments, royal families, managers of cor- porations… the top of the chain. We count amongst our clients various well-known musical groups, for instance, which use our services when they are on tour, visiting several countries around the world to perform. One example of a rock band which has used our services multiple times – while touring in the United States, Europe and Australia – is AC/DC. We also serve top level sports team, in- cluding football teams, baseball teams, hockey teams and even golf players, flying them around the world. In fact, we operate, on behalf of Crystal Cruises, a Boeing 777-200 long-range air- craft, which can fly for 19 hours straight, allowing Comlux to answer for any request by and sports team to go anywhere in the world. During the 2018 World Cup in Russia, for exam- ple we flew soccer teams from South America to Moscow. Our service allows clients to travel from their airport of de- parture to the airport closest to their final destination, without having to use another connec- tion, such as a small aircraft or a long taxi ride. Business and VIP aviation brings with it the convenience of not being solely restricted to the major airports serviced by commercial airlines. We also have dedicated termi- nals and a specialised partner which takes care of passengers from the moment they arrive at the airport till when they enter the aircraft. Everything is highly organised so all aspects of travel are very smooth and hassle-free, from customs to security con- trol. is represents another key goal of our services – we aim to not only serve our clients on the board the aircraft during the flight, but also on the ground, before arrival to the aircraft, and after arrival – we take care of the entire flight and travel experi- ence. What is the major focus of the Malta office? Comlux has been in Malta for over ten years, having es- tablished itself on the island in 2007, and obtained its air oper- ator's certificate (AOC) in 2008. In fact, it was the first interna- tional aviation company to set up in Malta, and Comlux's air transport division is based on the island. e Malta office is in- volved in everything to do with air transport for VIP aviation. However, Comlux as a group is involved in three overarching activities in total, with the Malta office being one of three pillars. e first pillar, which is based in Zurich, is aircraft transac- tions – the purchase and sale of aircraft – where we support our clients to looking to purchase a specific aircraft and help those who want to sell their aircraft. We also purchase new aircraft from the manufacturer and sell them to the market. e second pillar is cabin completion, which is based in Indianapolis. Here, Comlux is involved in designing and out- fitting aircraft interiors. Gener- ally, we deal with very large air- craft, such as Airbus A319s and A320s, which are completely empty from the inside before we start outfitting them. We then build the aircraft's interior to aeronautical standards. Malta represents the third pil- lar, which, in a nutshell, involves the handling of all that is needed to fly our aircraft. Our air trans- port operations are all based in Malta. is includes flight op- erations, flight control, finance, sales, aircraft maintenance and human resources How big is the private charter business in Malta? I would say that Malta is the most successful place in the world in terms of growth of business aviation companies. Business aviation has expanded in Malta from involving just one company – Medavia – to close to 40 different companies, over a span of just ten years. And it is so successful mainly because of Malta's entrepreneurial spirit and flexibility, where all the rules are respected, but the business is understood. I think the size of the country also helps. A small size means agility, a quicker un- derstanding of a business which is developing and less bureau- cracy. Moreover, a lot has to do with people – Malta is lucky to have capable, professional peo- ple at the right places in charge of aviation. Moreover, this busi- ness would not grow so fast un- less there was the right strategy and support in place. e sector in Malta is very-well supported. And I believe that, at this stage, the sector is mature and should be consolidated. When it comes to business avi- ation traffic into and out of Mal- ta, this isn't very high. Overall, Malta is a great destination for business leaders and high-net- worth individuals, but in very small numbers. If you compare the numbers with those in Paris, or even to a smaller destination such as Olbia in Italy, these see much more business jets. It must also be kept in mind that Malta can't be compared to big cities, such as Frankfurt and Moscow, when at any one time there are many business jets on the ground. However, I think this aspect of the sector will keep de- veloping locally over time. ere are plans for developing the Mal- ta airport, for instance, and for upping hotel, leisure and busi- ness facilities' standards. is is a good thing when it comes to attracting business flyers to Mal- ta. e future looks bright in this respect, and Malta has a greater opportunity to grow here than the average in Europe. Why did Comlux choose Malta as one of its bases of operations? What is attractive about the jurisdiction? After Medavia, we were the first aviation company to set up in Malta at a time when the local sector was still new. We made the decision to operate in Malta based on a number of factors, and at the time we were actually evaluating a few other countries. One of the factors was the fact that English is spoken in Malta. English is the language of avia- Comlux Aviation CEO Andrea Zaneo speaks to BusinessToday about the VIP aviation business and explains why Malta is crucial to the company's - and industry's - success Andrea Zanetto