In the Cabin with...
Dean Tugwell: Group Charter UK Team Leader, at Air Partner
Whether you’re looking to charter your group from A to B or require a complex shuttle programme, Air Partner’s 60 years of aviation experience ensures our experts deliver seamless group charter flight solutions - no matter the destination or group size. Meet the team who go above and beyond to deliver our clients the best service possible.
We are delighted to interview Dean Tugwell, team leader of Group Charter UK at Air Partner. We discussed his time at Air Partner, why he embarked on a career in aviation, and the key industries his team serve.
Can you tell us about your role at Air Partner?
I joined Air Partner in 2011 as an Account Manager. Since then, I’ve progressed up to become the Team Leader of the Group Charter team.
What key industries do you serve?
The Group Charter UK team look after a number of clients from a variety of industries. The industries that we look after are predominantly sports, conference and incentive, and automotive, to name a few.
Why did you choose a career in aviation?
I’ve always had a passion for travelling. To be able to combine that with a career is perfect for me. I’ve enjoyed working at Air Partner for over 12 years and the challenges you face every day – you’re learning something new in aviation all the time, and no day is ever the same – so the years go quickly!
What is the real strength of Air Partner?
The strength of Air Partner is our people, but also the group as a whole. We have the charter side of the business which comprises private jets, group charter and cargo, but also the services side of the industry.
A recent charter we operated was one from Japan during the pandemic. The Japanese government permitted the flight, but we were unable to use the terminal or security. To ensure we adhered to all EASA regulations we needed to carry out security searches on our passengers before they boarded the aircraft.
We were able to pull in our colleagues from Redline Security who train security personnel around the world at airports. They brought security equipment to Japan and security cleared all the passengers on the tarmac, making us compliant with EASA regulations. Overall, it was a great job from the Air Partner Group itself.
