THAT!
HelloGiovanni! Welcome and thank you for joining us for this interview. You work in Milan Malpensa for the Universal Aviation, an FBO Handling, namely a Fixed Base Operator. Generally, this term means a wide-ranging airport service provided to airlines and to the passengers, but probably this definition is not very clear for those whose work does not require a flight organization. Could you please explain better what are the competences of an FBO Handler, in particular in the company you are working for?

Giovanni
The responsibilities of an FBO handlers and precisely in the company I work for are that of providing the assistance on land to private jets that mostly are luxury private jets and everything that concerns private jets. More specifically it means to provide assistance to passengers and to the crew, taking them from the aircraft to the terminal and vice versa with special vans; to organize the transfer from the airport terminal to the hotel or if required to the different destination and vice versa; to take care of the catering and the aircraft services such as the fuel loading, toilette services, water supply, internal and external aircraft cleanings and even to control the flight plan.

THAT!
So, if I understood correctly an FBO handler is a professional figure that inside of a Business Aviation framework is responsible for coordination and implementation of all ground services, including the catering provision for a determined flight. How it is possible to become an FBO Handler?

Giovanni
Actually, just like for any other job it is enough to send your CV, because this work is the one that you learn on-the-job. No specific studies are required if not for an aeronautical or linguistic culture that constitutes a great advantage…Moreover, our company invests a lot in our staff with constant specific trainings. Considering our high level clients, the employees are carefully selected with a particular attention to the aptitude to the Customer Service in which our company is at a very top level. It is essential to have a perfect knowledge of the English language both spoken and written, while it is considered amust the knowledge of another foreign language. It is important to be able to act elegantly, to keep the client’s privacy – which for us is extremely important! – and to be presentable.

THAT!
What kind of career can you develop in this field?

Giovanni
It is possible to start a career as a normal employee and successively become an FBO Manager, or if the company has more than one FBO in Europe or Worldwide even to become a Country FBO Manager.

THAT!
How many handlers more or less are there in an airport such as Milan Malpensa? Is it a working field of a big competition?

Giovanni
There are four handlers in the Milan Malpensa Airport. The competition in this field as well as in any other is merciless and for this reason the one who provides the best service is the winner!

That!
Giovanni, one of your competencies is that of handling VIP and SUPERVIP clients. It requires great responsibility; how do you manage anxiety? How do you assure that everything goes smoothly?

Giovanni
Fortunately, I never get anxious because I always treat the VIP clients as normal people and that is what they have always appreciated. Because, after all, they are people like us, with the difference that they can have everything they want and therefore, considering the price they pay, it is in their right to get a high level services.Of course I always verify in advance that everything goes perfectly well before their arrival and departure. Moreover, after 16 years of working in this field, considering that all in all the clients who use private jets are almost always the same, I’ve learned to evaluate each client, every need, to understand their necessities and to be always available to satisfy them. Of course, the problems occur also in our field, but the experience acquired has taught me to resolve them in an unnoticeableway for the client.

THAT!
It is true! We can confirm it from our experience,because also That Aviation Italia uses your services and knows you very well!Since you are the trait – d’union between broker, air company and a final client, what are the most frequent difficulties you have to deal with?

Giovanni
Of course the more people are involved the more incomprehension’s you can face. When there is a broker involved, for us he becomes an intermediate between a Company and a handler, therefore he becomes the most important entity. If the broker is a professional, than you will never have problems, or, in case there are, they are absolutely solvable. If a broker is not a professional and does not give us proper information or does not respond to our requests such as schedules, type of passengers etc., there could be some important disservices. In these situations, a broker for us becomes an alter ego of the same client and if we do not know the requests or if they have not been clear, our services fall to zero.Fortunately, we work with the worlds best brokers and I must say that we have never had unresolvable problems.

THAT!
Thank you Giovanni for considering us one of the worlds best brokers! We are pleased to know that our professionalism is being recognized! But tell me, I suppose that your clients make particular requests. Could you please tell us some of those, of course without braking confidentially?

Giovanni
I must say that contrary to what it might seem from outside we do not receive many particular requests. Although, I remember that once we had to reopen a McDonald’s for a famous musical group, because they wished to have this type of food on board of a jet executive before the departure. Than once we had to provide the assistance to a private jet where the passenger was a dog of a very wealthy Russian oligarch, who assuming that the dog was stressed sent him to Moscow so that he could be visited by his trusted veterinarian… But for us such requests are rather normal than particular…

THAT!
So much for being normal! Also we, from time to time, get some particular requests, but we have never had to have a dog as a passenger!But anyway, could we say that for you it is important to work withqualified and prepared brokers such as THAT! in order to do a productive work?

Giovanni
Absolutely! The more the Broker is qualified, careful and precise in giving us all the necessary information, the more efficient andquickerthe operationswill be done. Without incomprehension, time loss and disservices.

That!
Thank you very much Giovanni for your time, willingness and for a very interesting conversation! We congratulate you on your good job and hope to see you soon on the runway with our next flights!!