Etihad Airways, the flag carrier of the United Arab Emirates, operates primarily from its main hub in Abu Dhabi.
Proud partner of
Etihad at Schiphol
Marcel van Winsen, Airport Manager Amsterdam at Etihad Airways
The first encounter
“I was asked to have a look at the Viggo operation of the widebody B787. I provided a report on my findings and observations, noting that the handling process was very smooth and rapid. During the observation, I noticed that there were numerous ground activities related to loading and unloading happening simultaneously. It was an impressive, smooth and efficient operation. The initial feedback to the EY headquarters about the operation was therefore most certainly positive.
I had been aware of Viggo since their start at Schiphol as a new player and I was intrigued. I learned that initially Viggo was taking a cautious approach in landing new clients, but when there were plans to expand Viggo’s operations here at Schiphol I found it to be a welcoming notification.”
QUOTE
“When I consider the partnership with Viggo I have observed a lot of eagerness and a strong sense of pride. I could clearly sense the eagerness to start handing our operations and to take on this challenge in handling Etihad Airways. So if I had to sum it up, I would say the words ‘youthful’, ‘dynamic’, ‘eager’ and ‘proud’ definitely describe Viggo.
Sustainable GSE
“A few key factors became evident during my technical assesment: a youthful and dynamic team and short communication lines. Particularly, Viggo’s commitment to sustainable Ground Support Equipment (GSE) caught our interest.
The majority of Viggo’s equipment is electrically powered, which is of great importance to Etihad. Another factor that influenced our decision to award Viggo our ground handling is the seamless alignment of our schedules. From both Viggo’s perspective and our own the operation fits perfectly, essentially creating a ‘perfect match’.”
Well on track
“On November 1 2023, Viggo started the ground handling for Etihad Airways both above and below the wing. The implementation process was always well on track given the fact that we had an extensive preparation. Together with the Senior Manager Airline Implementations, Luc van der Veen, we hit the ground running and started inventorying key players that had to be hooked up within the project.
We created an extensive checklist, we addressed trainings and we resolved IT challenges as we progressed. The implementation proceeded smoothly and our lines of communication were short. The Implementation Team was highly responsive to our needs and they liked to be involved in every aspect. Since I share a similar approach I believe we have a strong match.”
Eagerness and pride
“When I consider the partnership with Viggo I have observed a lot of eagerness and a strong sense of pride. I could clearly sense the eagerness to start handing our operations and to take on this challenge in handling Etihad Airways. So if I had to sum it up, I would say the words ‘youthful’, ‘dynamic’, ‘eager’ and ‘proud’ definitely describe Viggo. We were very much looking forward to getting this started with Viggo and create a fruitful relationship.”
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