Yuki Yeung, Jet Aviation's Ground Operations Manager in Hong Kong, has been with the company for ten years and still enjoys her role, the business, her team and the "wonderful support from the Zurich office." She says being detail-oriented is crucial in her role in scheduling flights for clients, including everything from getting the permits to ensuring the flight plans comply with crew flight time limitations and that the airports are suitable for specified aircraft.

We asked her to describe a typical day.

Each morning our Hong Kong team has a daily briefing with the Singapore team to make sure everyone is aware of what's happening with the different aircraft and what still needs to be followed up on. I then review flights scheduled for the coming few days and ensure permits are in place or attend to any outstanding matters. I'll also check if any aircraft are flying to destinations at which there are any big international events. These require early planning, especially for aircraft parking and hotel rooms for the crew.

“Arranging ad hoc flights for customers is anything but routine. It’s my constant attention to all the variable details that helps ensure a safe and seamless customer experience”

Some of what I do is quite seasonal. In summer, for example, it's important to keep checking for typhoons; these I would track to see if they can affect any of our planned flights. If so, we may need to develop an alternative flight plan and possibly procure backup permits in advance, if needed.

For some long haul flights, especially in winter, we will check the routing and flight times a few days prior to the departure day to see if there are any big discrepancies in routings and/or flight times. We also need to adjust the permits if necessary, and add or remove fuel stops, subject to the latest wind information. Of course, we need to keep the customer informed of any flight time or other important changes. Our work is subject to the flight schedules and we do flight plans according to the departure time. As our clients don't have fixed schedules, nothing is routine.

What’s the biggest challenge of the job?

Keeping a cool head and thinking clearly, particularly when circumstances demand urgent attention. Emotional intelligence is a big asset in this job.