Stress-Free Support

Q: How is Universal Weather and Aviation adapting its business model to Mexico?

A: Universal Weather and Aviation works with large European, Asian and American companies, facilitating the flight plans of executive aviation companies. It offers services ranging from scheduling, weather forecast, fuel provision, organizing the aircraft’s reception at its destination, landing permits, customs and immigrations processes, crew transportation and catering. In Mexico, we have operated under an extremely successful joint venture with Avemex since 2002. Universal Aviation Mexico tends to the needs of the global brand’s clients in Mexico. Our headquarters are in Toluca but we have operations in all international airports in Mexico, including Los Cabos, Puerto Vallarta, Cancun, Monterrey, Mexico City, Cozumel and Tapachula, Chiapas.

Q: How does Universal Aviation Mexico support private aviation clients traveling to and from Mexico?

A: Permits for private aviation and chartered flights vary and are difficult to obtain without support. As soon as we are notified that a flight is arriving, we ready the immigration and customs administration. Our agents are bilingual, as 90 percent of our clients are foreign, and can organize hotels, activities in Mexico and transport to and from the destination for the client and the cabin crew. We have alliances with hotels and golf courses to offer discounts to air travelers. Our goal is to make our clients’ journeys as stress-free and enjoyable as possible on arrival in Mexico.

When a flight leaves Mexico, we do the same in reverse. We collect and transport the crew and often the passengers to the aircraft, manage leaving permits and handle the catering for their trip. This allows executive aviation users to avoid queuing at airports and any problem that might arise because of delays. Between 80 and 85 percent of our clients are recommended by our headquarters in Houston, and the rest are direct returning clients.

Universal Aviation Mexico has another line of business that offers services to domestic customers, helping them to expedite many of the security checks that international flyers are subject to as standard. We offer aircraft storage, airport lounge services and transportation to their final destination.

Q: What factors influence Universal Weather and Aviation’s growth in Mexico?

A: We have grown about 7 or 8 percent internationally every year in the last decade. But the last two years have seen this growth plateau due to slower global markets. Our growth is dependent on Mexico’s economy. When the country prospers more people want to visit. The low price of turbosine has helped keep our clients’ operational costs down, increasing the attractiveness of flying in general.

Executive aviation represents an important proportion of AIT's business. While these operations have dropped in general, Universal Aviation Mexico has weathered the decrease. Our team has developed a strong relationship with the airport’s authorities over 20 years and we have renewed our contract for another 13 years. For this reason, we have happily invested approximately US$1.8 million in infrastructure, such as the renovation of the passenger lounge. Our company also has acquired more hangars over the years and we now have four. We can receive up to 60 aircrafts at a time, many of which are stored in our facilities or undergoing maintenance.

Q: To what extent do you expect NAICM to affect your future operations?

A: Though it is not official, the possibility of a corporate hangar has been touched upon by the NAICM. We think this should be a given for the new airport, as it opens opportunities to attend to clients traveling to Europe. This would catalyze expansion for companies like ours. Nonetheless, we are very happy operating in Toluca and we have not suffered as expected after moving from Mexico City. We are focusing on this emerging aerospace hub and we plan to construct a new hangar at AIT. Though we have personnel at all the airports, we are evaluating which other airport would justify installing FBO infrastructure. We primarily want to continue increasing the quality of our support, to distinguish our company as the market leaders in customer service.