With more than 30 offices spanning six continents, we arrange thousands of charters for the oil, gas and mining industries every year. Here, we talk to our charter experts from around the world to discuss how we’re fulfilling their air charter requirements.
Our oil, gas and mining specialist charter solutions in action around the world
With over 30 offices spanning six continents, we arrange thousands of charters every year for the oil, gas and mining industries, helping organisations move people and cargo around the world quickly and efficiently.
While our ability to quickly arrange cost-effective charter solutions remains consistent across our global network of offices, specific demands vary from one region to another. Here, we talk to our charter experts in different parts of the world to find out any shifts they’ve noticed since the pandemic, their clients’ transportation challenges and how we’re helping to fill the void.
Africa
“The two significant developments impacting many markets in Africa are the conflict in Niger and the cancellation of scheduled airline services to the continent,” says our chief executive officer in Johannesburg, Lyndee du Toit. “These issues are being felt the most in several West African countries such as Ghana, Sierra Leone and Burkina Faso.
“The conflict in Niger has been ongoing since July, making it very hard to transport cargo through the country and into West Africa by road. Additionally, many European airlines that used to bring cargo into the region in the belly of their aircraft have stopped operating those routes.”
“Ground transportation is getting much worse and security is a massive regional issue,” adds cargo team leader Wayne Barber. “This, combined with the fact that a sea freight charter can take up to 60 days to reach West Africa from South Africa or Europe, means a lot of mining companies have been reaching out for cargo charters.
“We’ve been working with mining clients to help move machinery, tools, conveyor belts, pipes and consumables into the region, whilst educating them on the regulations around chartering explosives for their mines.
“Many companies have procurement centres in South Africa, as it’s easier to ship to the rest of Africa from here than from Europe or China, but sometimes specialist equipment has to be flown in from places like Switzerland. In those instances, we’ve been able to facilitate the secure transportation of these parts for our clients at cost-effective charter rates.”
“We’ve also arranged many cargo charters carrying mining equipment into central Africa this year,” says cargo director Francois Vermeulen. “The Democratic Republic of the Congo, for example, is very hard to get to by road due to internal conflict in the region, so mining companies have been requesting charters to fly in vital machinery.”
“We expect these trends to continue,” concludes Lyndee. “The rising number of carriers discontinuing routes to West Africa has heightened demand for charters in the region. As governments frequently revise their shipping regulations, we stand ready to give our clients timely updates and the latest charter-related information to keep their production lines running smoothly.
“It was great to catch up with so many of our contacts at Aviation Africa in September and we look forward to seeing everyone at BigMove Africa in Ghana later this year.”
Spain
“Spain has a big engineering industry,” says Daniel Martin Rodriguez, our cargo assistant manager in Madrid. “As a result, lots of manufacturers here transport pipes, machinery and explosives all over the world for the oil, gas and mining industries.
“Some of our clients have mining projects in Mexico, Africa, Malaysia and South America that were shut down throughout the COVID-19 pandemic. While work has since restarted, project deadlines haven’t shifted accordingly, so quicker shipping solutions are often needed. That’s where we come in.
“Lately, we've been orchestrating a lot of air charters transporting construction equipment and generators to mining sites. This cargo doesn't come solely from Madrid – project managers source the most cost-effective materials from around the world. Leveraging our global network of offices, we search for the most suitable cargo aircraft and secure the best pricing to align with the client's budget.
“As impending deadlines draw closer, I think we’ll see increasing demand for charters in these industries over the next year or so.”
Canada/USA
“In the past year, we’ve seen a rise in the number of passenger charters we’re arranging for the oil, gas and mining industries,” says Caitlyn Young, our private jets manager in Toronto.
“Businesses stopped sending executives to sites at the peak of the pandemic, but demand is now back to pre-pandemic levels, putting a strain on scheduled airlines and our competitors.
“Mining sites are often located in remote areas hours from the nearest international airport. Many smaller regional airports closer to these mines can only be reached by specific types of aircraft, limiting charter options. But while some of our competitors have struggled, our industry stature and strong operator relationships have allowed us to continue securing the best charter solutions for our clients – even at short notice.”
“Additionally, our group charter division has completed a few multi-stop group charters of late,” adds director Stephanie Ste Marie. “We recently transported a group of 60 investors and managers to three different sites in Kirkland Lake, Wawa, and Timmins. Complex charters like this involve multiple flights and strict schedules, but we were still able to organise the charter within just one week.”
Australia
“Our team has been arranging a number of cargo charter flights moving equipment like turbines, drill bits and generators for onshore and offshore oil and gas projects,” says Jack Emanuel, our cargo assistant manager in Brisbane.
“Australia’s strict COVID-19 regulations meant most of these sites stayed open throughout the pandemic, so we’ve had a steady stream of charter requests aimed at minimising operational disruption. We source all kinds of aircraft, from small turboprops to Antonov An-124s, depending on the cargo and the client’s requirements.
“We’ve also organised domestic and international charter flights for mining clients, usually to help ensure a project starts on time or accommodate an increase in production needs.”
“We’ve noticed a significant increase in demand for group and private jet charters, too,” says charter sales director Melissa Rogers. “There’s always been a need for charters in the mining and resource sectors, but the uptick is being driven by small- to medium-sized businesses trying to retain their employees by offering paid travel.
“Many of these companies have started sharing charters to save money, something we’ve been able to accommodate. Through our technology partnerships, we've also empowered our mining and resource clients to access more budget-friendly solutions by allowing them to on-sell surplus capacity on their charters, lowering their overall travel expenses.
“Our team is currently supporting weekly charter flights into regional Queensland and Western Australia, with the capacity to organise more if needed. The cost-effective Bombardier Dash 8 Q400 and ATR 72 tend to be the most popular aircraft for these routes.”
Wherever you are in the world, if you need a cargo, private jet or group charter our specialist teams are available 24/7 to help. Contact us today.