Two FBOs, one in Guatemala City and the other in Asuncion in Paraguay, are the latest to become Universal Aviation Certified member locations.

“Business aviation traffic to Latin America and the Caribbean continues to remain strong in most destinations, exceeding pre-pandemic levels,” says Adolfo Aragon, senior vice president, Universal Aviation. “However, the traffic influx combined with the global supply chain issues and staffing shortages presents new operating challenges. To address this, we continue to identify highly successful local handlers that share our commitment to standards and service. Bringing these new members into our network reduces risk and eliminates handoffs, one of the causes of trip disruptions.”

Air Station S.A. at La Aurora International Airport in Guatemala City, Guatemala, has a 20-year track record and can expedite passengers and crew in and out of the airport in 15-20 minutes for international flights.

Consorcio Aviation Srl at Aeropuerto Internacional Silvio Pettirossi (SGAS) in Asuncion, Paraguay has more than 30 years of ground operations experience and supports all types of missions and aircraft, including wide-body, cargo and medical.

As a Universal Aviation Certified member, these locations have proven their commitment to service excellence by agreeing to Universal’s rigorous standards for ground handling quality, training, safety, consistency, customer service and regulatory compliance, including compliance with international laws such as the Foreign and Corrupt Practices Act (FCPA) and the UK Bribery Act. Adherence to these standards will be managed via recurrent training and regular audits.

Universal Aviation Certified members benefit by having access to Universal Aviation’s industry-recognised training and safety programmes, position as Universal’s preferred ground handler for all missions managed by Universal Trip Support Services, operational and global traffic insights, and global sales and marketing support.

The addition of Guatemala and Paraguay expands the Universal Aviation network to 29 locations in Latin America and the Caribbean.