From vegetables to VIPs

“To increase our client base we focused on the three main concerns of air operators, which are safety, security and quality; all of which rely heavily on the calibre of the staff performing the service.” Omar Zarkani

ZAS Airline of Egypt launched in November 1982 with a maiden flight from Cairo to Amsterdam and London. It was the first private cargo operator in Egypt and one of the first in the region. The airline grew steadily over the years and in 1987 ZAS was granted a licence for passenger charter operations.

The commercial airline was successful, and passenger operations and private flights reached a fleet of 26 aircraft at its peak. However, after tussling with government over the business, the pair shut down the airline in 1995.

Modern movers

In 2001, Omar Zarkani, son of the founder, joined the family business. He had arrived back in Egypt with a bachelor’s degree in Aviation Business from Embry Riddle Aeronautical University and four years’ experience working for different aviation companies in ground handling.

He said: “I moved back to Egypt and took over ZAS Aviation as managing director, beginning of 2001. I returned to try to salvage the company, which at this point had financial difficulties and was on a downward spiral after the turmoil and closure of ZAS Airlines. With a setup of 15 staff and two stations (Cairo and Luxor), the only way for the company to survive was to increase its client base and seek new areas for generating revenues.

“To increase our client base we focused on the three main concerns of air operators, which are safety, security and quality; all of which for a service industry, rely heavily on the calibre of the staff performing the service. To achieve this we established an advanced training centre and reshaped our hiring procedures as well as hiring criteria.”

The training centre was essential if Zarkani was to change the way the business worked. He said: “After taking over the company, I was soon faced with the reality that the managerial philosophy of companies in Egypt is very different to what I was exposed to internationally and through my education. Typically, the manager was hands-on everything, and all decisions had to go through him. It was clear to me that in order to expand geographically, and have qualified staff dealing with delicate details, an inclusive style of management was not only necessary, but only way to achieve our goals. Having a strong training programme and hiring process ensured that the right people were placed in the right positions with delegated tasks, proper performance appraisals and continuous mentoring.”

“We believe that Africa has tremendous potential. The aviation industry there still requires improvements in many areas, most notably in the ground-handling sector. We have the required expertise to play a major role in this development.”

To secure new areas for generating revenue, Zarkani identified a previously neglected sector in the business – handling VIP aircraft.  He explained: “Egyptians are known for their exceptional hospitality. However, lacking proper facilities and standards, no one knew how to satisfactorily handle such flights. Today, VIP flights constitute 25 per cent of our revenue, and, most importantly, we have one of the highest levels of positive feedback, placing us not only ahead of our local competition, but on an international level as well.”

With the right staff in place and a growing business base, Zarkani was ready for the company to grow. He said: “Once I felt that our house was in order, and we had a strong, proven and successful platform to duplicate in other locations, I looked to expand. Expansion will always be a continuous target of ZAS as it keeps us competitive and encourages us to always seek better and new ways. Our first international company located in Sudan was established in 2007, followed by a base in the newly independent South Sudan in 2011.”

For the future, ZAS is looking to continue that expansion, by opening new stations in the Eastern African region, as well as providing new types of services tailored towards the various types of flights that call into its stations.

He added: “We believe that Africa has tremendous potential. The aviation industry there still requires improvements in many areas, most notably in the ground-handling sector. We have the required expertise to play a major role in this development.”

Other ambitions

The company has also expanded within Egypt, currently offering ground-handling and flight support at Cairo, Sharm El Sheikh, Hurghada, and Marsa Allam, as well as a number of smaller airports. And it is in his homeland that Zarkani wants to build on the company’s success and diversify.

He said: “We would like to build and operate an independent FBO facility in Egypt. Having been an operator in cargo, passenger and corporate aviation we have an advantage over other ground handlers. We have been on the other side of the table. We know and understand the requirements and concerns of our clients.”