Consulting Services

STRATEGIC PLANNING

One of the most discussed subjects by aviation experts is the future of aviation and the large number of different opinions is extremely confusing. Only a precise planning offers the chance of a promising positioning of business enterprises in this market, in which different open-ended capabilities must be considered. Determination of time horizons for adoption and their adjustments according to changes in the general framework are just as important.

We can support you in the determination of a new, long term corporate policy, with the preparation or update of a strategic managerial planning or with the transfer of your strategy into detailed plans.

REVENUE MANAGEMENT

Hardly any area within a service oriented business requires such an amount of knowledge regarding interdependencies and data flow like revenue management (often also called yield management). The organisation of a revenue management is a long and complex process that involves all departments of the company; either you do it correctly or you better don't do it. With a careful selection of suitable systems and accurate implementation there is a chance to increase revenues by several percent.

Revenue management is one of InAvia's specialities. We design a conception for it's introduction, evaluate the optimum decision tools and ascertain the trouble-free introduction of revenue management in a company.

Should you be among the few companies which already use a revenue management system we are sure to be able to optimise your current system and help increase revenues even further. For airlines this includes the organisation of a "demand driven dispatch".

MARKETING

In today's markets with their cut-throat competition, marketing has to accomplish a decisive contribution to the urgent and long term problem management, i.e., all entrepreneurial activities have to be aligned to offer problem solutions to the different market segments. So marketing takes a leading position in the business enterprise.

Proceeding from a SWOT-analysis, we develop conceptions to enable your business to operate successfully in your market segments, to realise existing potential and to win additional market share. On this basis we support you with product design and pricing as well as in the efficient use of distribution channels (Inventory Management Systems / Computer Reservation Systems / Global Distribution Systems / the Internet).

CONTROLLING

Companies without an efficient controlling will not survive in the long term, since there is no precise management control. Starting from a well organised revenue and financial accounting and with the help of a modern, multi-level short-term profit-/loss accounting, adapted to your companies requirements, we will support you to set up an internal ITbased reporting (MIS/EIS) as a controlling- and early warning system.

Besides our consultancy in setting up a classic management controlling for the company, we are specialists in the organisation of a sales- and marketing controlling, because a profit oriented planning, controlling and management of sales and marketing activities as well as distribution channels has a direct effect on the overall company result.

COST ACCOUNTING

A well organised cost accounting is the most essential precondition to an efficient controlling. The introduction of a cost accounting or the evolution of an already existing actual cost accounting system to the standard cost accounting or the flexible budgeting should have absolute priority within a company.

We advise in the definition and introduction of a cost accounting with our main efforts being in the area of standard cost accounting or flexible budgeting. Should a cost accounting already exist, we can support you setting up a route profitability calculation based on a multi-level contribution costing.

ORGANISATION

In an ever faster changing environment permanent adaptation of organisational structures is one of the most important prerequisites to a well run company. The (re)structuring of the company organisation or the optimisation of existing organisational systems and operational sequences are of utmost importance to any company operating in the complex, competition oriented market which aviation today represents.

Part of this is the development of user oriented ideas to run an airport profitably, also the reorganisation of operational sequences to guarantee e.g., an efficient airport handling or, for a ground operations department of an airline, the determination of a contingency plan to cover flight irregularities.

INFORMATION SYSTEMS CONSULTANCY

In a multitude of companies activities which are still being carried out manually could be handled much faster and more accurately by using modern information technology. Often, additional information can be utilised to improve the quality of the final product.
An increased quantity of work forces companies to have their staff work more efficiently, automation of certain tasks must be the consequence.. We assist you in identifying potentials for rationalisation and to put these into reality by use of information technology; our support includes the determination of suitable software.

Often the existing information systems are only used to a fraction of their actual potential and the expected rationalisation effect does not materialise. We assist you with a SWOT-analysis and give consultancy advise in order to increase economical use of available systems and in the preparation of training programs. As we do not offer training in this sector ourselves, we help you to figure out an appropriate training centre.

PROJECT MANAGEMENT / CONVERSION OF MILITARY AIRFIELDS

On your behalf we assume management for varying projects. We take care to set up a controlling system that accompanies the project from the beginning to secure efficiency of project type organisation and quality of work carried out.

A special point of attention within the area of Project Management are conversions of former military areas for civil use. In order to assess the potential for a successful civil use of these areas in the future, an extensive analysis of their available and useable infrastructure is required. In addition, the demographic data of the region within which the conversion projects are located, must be analysed and taken into consideration. Based on these facts commercial and technical conceptions for future use must be developed. The conceptual design must be optimally co-ordinated with the requirements of future users, potential investors and the region concerned and its people. Variants for future use may be the (partial) transformation of the area into a park or recreation area, creation of a business park or the conversion into a civilian airport for regional or cargo traffic.
Taking all economical, ecological and regional planning aspects into consideration, a future use as a civil airport will often make sense if it can be coupled to a meaningful, innovative development conception. An airport, no matter if a former military airport or not, is always a public asset that should be used best as an economical development tool for the benefit of the region where it is located. Multiplier effects like job or income multipliers superior to most other industries have been proven to exist even at smaller airports. Using these effects to its best is most urgently required in a region that has lost a tremendous amount of buying power by the relocation of the military units.

InAvia Aviation Consultants GmbH is specialised to determine the potential for all kinds of air traffic in the region concerned. Based on our findings, we are able to develop innovative conceptions for future use that can be used to attract interested parties to assess an investment at this site. If desired, we are also able to realise such projects together with our business partners from various sectors of the industry.

We are also able to act as a central co-ordination office for the complete conversion process, based on the final master plan in which the ideas, conceptions and planning results of all parties involved in the conversion (authorities, organisations and companies) are laid down.

CONTRACT NEGOTIATIONS FOR CUSTOMERS

During our consultancy for different airlines we very often experienced that agreements with partner companies are deficient, take advantage of one of the two signatories or both parties calculate (revenue-)data without a common base.

An accurate drafting of all agreements concerning accounting of revenue documents are essential for each carrier, because only part of a sentence may decide about payment or non-payment of large amounts of money. Once a contract is signed, it is very difficult to re-negotiate it in order to achieve better conditions, or to terminate it before the initial period of validity expires.

To avoid losses incurred by any unfavourable contracts, INAVIA Aviation Consultants GmbH offers to support clients in contract negotiations. We analyse draft contracts, calculate their effects on your company, and benchmark them to contracts of other companies known to us.

If we receive a respective mandate, we negotiate agreements and complete contract packages for you until they are ready for signature. Just to give an example: One of our clients saved more than Euro 7 million within five years at just one airport with a new handling contract we negotiated for him. The aim of all agreements negotiated by us is to reduce airlines' costs (Ground Handling Agreement), keep liquidity in-house (Barter Agreement) or establish common and fair accounting practices between the signatories. Regional carriers who operate in a feeder role may achieve additional revenues with carefully drafted and negotiated Special Prorate Agreements (SPA).

TRAINING

During its consultancy for airlines, INAVIA Aviation Consultants GmbH has experienced that many staff in areas like fares, ticketing, commercial, cargo, operations and revenue accounting do not possess the required knowledge for the complicated tasks they are supposed to deal with. Training courses offered by IATA and other carriers are either not taken advantage of, are being considered too expensive by management, involving a long absence of staff from work or are simply not available at a suitable time for the airline.

As a consequence, INAVIA Aviation Consultants GmbH has, in close co-operation with the Airbusiness Academy, Toulouse, France, set-up seminars for airport and airline staff and management which are individually tailored to a client's needs and are being held at any location specified by a customer. Current problems of staff will be addressed and solved during these seminars by INAVIA's skilled trainers. As a result, staff participating in and passing the seminars will be able to cope with their demanding day-to-day tasks more confidently and skilfully.

Several seminars for management and staff in areas like revenue management, marketing and sales for airports and airlines, cargo and ground operations are available at the moment. Additional seminars may be set-up on customer request.