Whether you are looking to deliver oversized, hazardous, or highly urgent goods, our cargo charter specialists offer quick solutions for major industries worldwide. We ensure reliable cargo transport with direct support for your logistics, regardless of the time-sensitive or complex delivery.
It was a pleasure to sit down with Emir Ozdabak, Regional Cargo Manager for Turkey, Middle East and CIS. An air charter manager for over 25 years, Emir has a wealth of experience handling a wide range of complex and time-sensitive cargo operations. Here, he shares what inspired him to begin a career in aviation, his favourite charter flight, and what keeps him motivated to deliver exceptional service, every time.
Can you tell us about your role at Air Partner?
I am responsible for the Middle East, Turkey and the Commonwealth of Independent States on the Cargo side. So it’s a big part of the world! My responsibilities include supporting our team, taking care of new enquiries, searching the market for new prospects and building effective strategies for our sales plan.
What key industries do you serve?
The main focuses for our region include energy, oil and gas, the defence industry, textiles, automotive, aerospace and construction businesses for large-scale projects in Africa and CIS countries.
How long have you worked in aviation?
I’ve been in aviation for more than 25 years. I started as a ground handling agent in operations, before moving to MNG Airlines as a schedule planning specialist. From there I moved into their commercial charter department where I further developed my business relationships within cargo operations.
I then moved to Airmark as a charter sales manager, which joined up with a leading air charter service company at the time, where I headed up their Istanbul office from 2006 to 2010. I have been with Air Partner since, and the rest is history.
What attracted you to a career in aviation?
When I was younger, around twenty years old, one of my close friends was also working in the aviation industry. We grew up together in the same apartment in the same building. He is now the general manager of a major cargo airline. We started this journey together.
Once you enter the aviation industry, it’s not easy to get out because every day is an exciting new adventure. You always have challenges and adrenaline, and you never stop learning. Every day I learn something new even with 25 years of experience. Regulations are changing, and this changes how airlines operate. People change, so there’s always new talent joining and bringing their fresh ideas.
What is your favourite aircraft and why?
Antonov An-22. This aircraft doesn’t exist anymore and I had the chance to charter it three times in the past. It was a unique aircraft, very similar to the Antonov 124, but it had turboprop engines and a smaller body, able to carry over 88 tonnes. It was good for the projects, and I liked that it was an old and patient aircraft.
During your time spent working in aviation, what changes have you seen within Air Partner?
In our region, particularly in Turkey and the Middle East, conditions are always tough and rapidly changing. When I joined Air Partner in 2010, we did a lot of flights out of Turkey to the Middle East region. This region has always been fast-paced and this means we must adapt. Therefore, we find ways to avoid obstacles and explore other ways of doing business.
What is the real strength of Air Partner?
I would say the brand – it’s strong, with the involvement from Wheels Up and Delta Air Lines, and its financial success is a positive sign for our business. But we also have a very good team full of nice, experienced people who encourage collaborative teamwork, especially within the Cargo department. The company understands that investing in its people always has a positive outcome.
What is your philosophy for delivering exceptional service to your customers? And as a team leader, how do you pass this on?
In aviation, especially in the charter business, you must be prepared to respond to last-minute and urgent bookings. We typically don’t have a couple of months to set up a flight. We always have urgencies, so we know what processes we should follow.
But even when you think you have everything in place, a problem can occur. It can be a permit, a handling issue, or a sudden technical aircraft issue. So, our job as charter brokers is to be the problem solver. We help our clients with that, and in doing so, we stay calm and check every angle to find the right solution for them. We always face problems, but our team is experienced enough to solve those problems.
Tell us about your favourite charter.
There are too many after 25 years. There was a project for a major vehicle manufacturer where we handled 150 charters in 45 days. Every day we fixed flights going from Europe to Istanbul transporting engines. However, we only knew the schedule for two days at a time, so there were instances where the client contacted us requesting five or seven aircraft for the next day. It was an exciting project that we handled well.
What specific advice do you have for companies looking to charter an aircraft for the first time?
When we talk with our clients, we are as transparent as possible about all aspects of the charter to give them the confidence to trust us with our services. It’s all about the relationships we build with our clients, so be as open as possible.
If you would like to find out more about our Cargo services, please get in touch with Emir and the team here.
