Menzies Aviation Group has extended its operations to Ireland with the acquisition of Parc Aviation Handling Limited (PAHL) in Dublin. PAHL will be rebranded as Execair, thereby increasing the company’s network to nine locations.

Execair’s operations director Alex MacDonald told EBAN: “Parc Aviation has provided executive handling at Dublin airport for the last 11 years and has, over that period, built up a very good reputation for quality and service. It’s a key location and Dublin is a growing airport.”

Execair says that traffic at the airport ranges from light aircraft to BBJ-sized jets and that on average, 6,500 movements per year go through Dublin.

Of Ireland’s capital city, MacDonald said: “Dublin’s a very exciting and friendly city. There’s always a lot going on so it attracts the business user as well as the tourist. It’s very much a weekend city.”

Menzies’ acquisition of PAHL, says MacDonald, will have no effect on the present staff. He said: “We retained the manager plus five staff from Parc and it’s been an almost seamless transition into Execair. The people themselves are extremely dedicated to what they do and they are more than welcome in the growing Execair family.

“In due course, we will look to increase staffing numbers as traffic levels increase. As regards the actual facility, we’re planning a lounge refurbishment, an upgrade of the current vehicles and also a revamp of the operations area. What’s more, we’ll be happy to invest in any other equipment that may well be required.”

Asked about Execair’s overall expansion plans, MacDonald said: “We have probably somewhere in the region of 15 projects on the go at the moment; we’re targeting Europe and the UK and we want to keep growing the number of bases we’ve got. It’s a very aggressive expansion plan which will hopefully come to fruition in the next two years.”

Since the terrorist actions of September 11, MacDonald says Execair has witnessed if anything, a slight increase in business. At each of its bases, it has stepped up its security protocol.

Said MacDonald: “Depending on the location and the requirement of the customer, in certain circumstances, passengers and luggage are being screened.”

He added: “I think there will be a rise in business aviation users when people realise that it is a very

flexible method of transport and if utilised correctly, may well be within their budget.”

Meanwhile, in September, Execair officially opened its Cardiff International Airport base. Execair Cardiff is the airport’s first ever business aviation centre and has both airside and landside access, separate lounges and a fully-equipped operations room. In charge of the facility is operations manager David Pearce, reporting to regional manager Craig Middleton.

Said Cardiff International Airport’s managing director Gordon Parsons: “As our first ever business aviation centre, we are delighted to have Execair onboard.

“There has been significant growth in general aviation movements at Cardiff and, as a growing number of companies in South Wales are doing business in international markets, the executive jet is becoming an invaluable tool for many individual and corporate needs.”