UAS Launches Africa Headquarters Johannesburg South Africa

UAS International Trip Support has announced the opening of a new African headquarters in Johannesburg, South Africa. In an effort to extend global reach, UAS is building new facilities, opening offices, implementing training programs, and recruiting staff in Africa. Having operated in Africa for almost 15 years, UAS recognized the emerging potential of the continent and made the decision to commit to a permanent, fully staffed continental headquarters to serve the growing demand for uas south africa operations.

The opening of the Johannesburg headquarters marks a significant step in UAS's long-term Africa strategy and reflects a clear commitment to building local capability at the heart of the continent's most developed aviation market. For operators requiring support, the headquarters represents a single point of coordination for end-to-end international trip management across Africa.

Building on the Promise of Local with Global Reach

We have been operating in Africa for almost 15 years and recognize the emerging potential of the continent. The aim is to build on the promise of being a local partner with global reach, and to build a regional staff that will leverage local experience and knowledge alongside UAS's global resources to provide a full range of international trip management solutions.

This philosophy is central to what the Johannesburg headquarters represents. It is not simply a support office. It is a full operations center, capable of providing flight plans, weather services, overflight and landing permits, ground handling, catering, fuel, and aircrew ID services under one roof. For clients based in South Africa, UAS Africa Headquarters in Johannesburg accepts payments in South African Rand (ZAR) for a more convenient and hassle-free experience.

Working with AfBAA

UAS has worked closely with the African Business Aviation Association (AfBAA) to identify how aviation can be used to support growth and development across the continent. The priority has been to overcome emerging market hurdles and deliver the VIP experience that clients expect from UAS. A formal gala dinner was organized in association with AfBAA as part of the official launch, bringing together industry representatives, clients, regulators, and guest speakers to mark the occasion.

As AfBAA's Executive Director noted at the time of the launch, the Association actively encourages international aviation companies to consider the potential for Africa and is pleased to work closely with those making investment and growth commitments to the continent. The uas south africa launch and the partnership with AfBAA reflects exactly this kind of structured, collaborative approach to building aviation services capability in Africa.

Leadership: Wynand Meyer as Regional Director

Industry veteran Wynand Meyer leads the UAS African Headquarters as the newly appointed Regional Director, Africa. Meyer brings extensive regional experience and a deep understanding of African aviation operations. His appointment signals the seriousness with which UAS is approaching the continent, bringing someone with the specific knowledge and relationships needed to deliver the quality of service that UAS clients expect from UAS Johannesburg.

Training and Development

To overcome emerging market hurdles and deliver the VIP experience clients expect, UAS has initiated an aggressive training and development program for its African employees. UAS trains all staff to fulfil its customer-centric approach to service and provides intensive workshops on safety to ensure standards are recognized and maintained. Staff are also equipped with the tools and skills needed to enable communications and maximize networking opportunities.

The training program also includes an IATA certification course on station ground handling management. This course can contribute to an IATA Diploma in Ground Operations once completed successfully. This is a unique opportunity for all trainees, and particularly for recipients of the UAS Africa Scholarship program from the Ethiopian Aviation Academy who participate in the training.

It is anticipated that UAS's investment in training will generate ripple effects that help increase service and safety standards across Africa more broadly, not just within UAS's own network.

Regional Expansion: Lagos and Nairobi

The Johannesburg headquarters was complemented in the first quarter of 2014 by the opening of regional offices in Lagos, Nigeria, and Nairobi, Kenya. The Lagos office coordinates UAS representatives and services in West and Central Africa, led by Abdul Oricha, an industry veteran with more than 15 years of experience in West Africa. The Nairobi office recognizes Kenya as one of the continent's fastest-growing business jet markets and extends UAS' on-the-ground capability into East Africa.

Together, these three locations, Johannesburg, Lagos, and Nairobi, form the backbone of UAS' African network, providing country-level coverage and the kind of local operational support that aviation trip support services in Africa genuinely require. As part of the continuing expansion across the continent, UAS has been working towards having a country manager stationed in every country in Africa.

24-Hour Operations Centre

The UAS Africa Headquarters in Johannesburg is equipped with an in-house, fully-fledged operations center ready to serve clients 24 hours a day. The Africa Operations Centre functions as a one-stop-shop providing end-to-end international trip support solutions. This round-the-clock availability is essential for aviation trip support services in Africa, where time zones, permit windows, and operational urgencies do not follow a 9-to-5 schedule.

For operators who have previously relied on remote coordination for their Africa operations, the availability of a dedicated, locally-based 24-hour operations center in Johannesburg represents a meaningful upgrade in the quality, speed, and reliability of the support available to them.

Operations Support

Planning a mission to South Africa or anywhere across the African continent? UAS International Trip Support operates from its Africa Headquarters in Johannesburg, with regional offices in Lagos and Nairobi and country managers across the continent. Contact UAS for comprehensive, locally-backed aviation trip support.