Case Study - Enter Air Seasonal Recruitment
Rishworth Aviation has partnered with Enter Air since 2010 to provide seasonal Captains on the B737NG. This program was specifically designed for Enter Air and has led to many efficiencies for the airline.
Enter Air's Seasonal Charter Operations
Enter Air operates charter flights out of its main bases in Warsaw and Katowice airports in Poland. The airline's business model creates fluctuations in staffing requirements throughout the year, needing to quickly scale staffing up or down.
How Rishworth Aviation Supported Enter Air
In consultation with the airline, we developed a seasonal staffing model where pilots were leased on short-term contracts to bolster higher seasonal demand. The airline typically required over 30% more Captains over the busiest period, and needed to engage these pilots in a flexible way to effectively scale costs up and down with fluctuations in demand.
We developed suitable terms and conditions for pilots to ensure high interest in the market for these roles and a continuous supply of experienced pilots. This included establishing part-time Captain roles, which provided even further flexibility to engage individual Pilots on an as-needed basis.
Outcomes
1. Cost Savings
Significant savings are made on operational, training-related and staffing costs during the low season. Seasonal crews allow Enter Air to operate as a lean organization, and to maximize crew utilization with seasonal variations.
2. Agility
From ad-hoc charters (including high-profile PSG football team) to long-term cooperation with major tour operators (TUI Poland, Coral Travel, Itaka and more), the increased seasonal capacity has allowed Enter Air to take a lead in the charter market with a clear focus on popular holiday destinations.
3. Flexibility
Pilot assignment periods will often include extension options, which the airline can utilize should they realize mid-season that additional resources will be needed into late summer/early winter.
4. Scalability
Enter Air CEO Grzegorz Polaniecki stated (30-Apr-2021) the airline's business model was resilient during 2020 and the company survived the year relatively well. While Enter Air incurred considerable losses, its losses were smaller than those of competing airlines. Mr Polaniecki said Enter Air strengthened its position compared to its competitors. The airline also used the crisis conditions to restructure its costs, creating the opportunity to quickly return to 2019 volumes.
5. Pilot Retention & Satisfaction
Seasonal pilots were exceptionally pleased with the contracts, with many returning for several consecutive years. This helped create continuity and efficiencies by repeatedly engaging pilots who were already familiar with and trained in Enter Air's procedures and policies.
Contact us to learn more about how we can assist with seasonal staffing requirements.