Content Provider for Newsweek
Gautam Thakkar

Gautam Thakkar

CEO
Unifi Aviation
12 July 2024

Unifi Aviation is the largest ground handling & aviation services company in North America with stations in more than 200 airports with nearly 40,000 employees. It was formed in late 2018 and is jointly owned by Argenbright Holdings and Delta Airlines.

Given your background is in software technology, you are relatively new to the aviation industry. What appealed to you about joining the sector in 2021? 

Honestly, when somebody reached out to me, I thought they had made a mistake since I have absolutely no background in aviation. When I started talking to the executive leadership at Unifi, especially coming out of COVID, it was clear that there were a lot of challenges ahead, and no one knew what was needed

The idea was to get someone from outside the industry to challenge the status quo, implement new strategies, and drive change. There were three objectives: to scale the business, make it more predictable, and ensure employees and customers have an exceptional experience.

One of the company’s main objectives is to make the business more predictable. What exactly does this entail?

In 2020, we had the staff but no flights. By 2021, flights increased, but we lacked staff. Then in 2022, we were investing heavily to bring people back to work. Last year, in 2023, we were finally in a position to optimize costs to create predictability. Predictability means creating a consistent experience for our employees and customers, ensuring stable operations, and maintaining safety as our top priority.

Consistency in operations ensures reliability, which is crucial for safety. For example, having 40,000 employees means we must ensure everyone is well-trained and prioritizes safety. Predictability also involves providing reliable service despite occasional weather-related disruptions. 

How much of Unifi’s recent growth is organic versus through mergers and acquisitions?

Until recently, our growth was almost entirely organic. The growth from $471 million in 2020 to $1.3 billion in 2023 was 95-97% organic. We made our first significant acquisition in North America a couple of months ago, which added about $400 million in revenue. The scalability and platform we built can handle another billion to a billion and a half in revenue comfortably. This acquisition was a strategic move, but our story has largely been one of organic growth.

Unifi is placing emphasis on process and predictability. Given that the company has ambitions to scale at a rapid pace, does this also present a challenge?

We've scaled a lot over the three and a half years which requires a strong foundation: right processes, people, and technology. For example, we started a program 18 months ago, bringing leaders from across the country to Atlanta and Salt Lake City for leadership training. Over 700 people have been trained, resulting in a retention rate of over 90%. This is just one of the programs in place that has allowed Unifi to grow the way it has. 

Can you tell us about the full range of ground services ‘from arrival to departure’ that Unifi claims to provide?

The above wing includes all aspects of customer service from check-in to boarding. It also includes wheelchair operations and airport janitorial services.  Below the wing, we have everything from pushback of the aircraft and other ground handling services to cabin cleaning, and GSE (ground support equipment). In some contracts, like with Spirit Airlines at Atlanta Airport, we handle both above and below-wing services - from check-in to pushback.

For Delta Airlines, we manage 120 regional stations and also offer unarmed security, cargo handling, fuelling support, and in Atlanta we also provide commissary services, which involve preparing and loading food and beverages onto aircraft. 

What are the current pain points you are hoping to mitigate in 2024?

In 2021, many challenges were internal, lacking the right systems, processes, and people, but we've addressed most of these issues.

Now, most challenges are external, like inflation and economic fluctuations affecting our workforce and volumes. For instance, the grounding of aircraft by the FAA or extreme weather conditions impacts our operations. While we can never predict black swan events like a global pandemic, we have diversified to mitigate those external pressures.  

In April 2024, you acquired wheelchair services provider Prospect Airport Services. How lacking are airports in their accessibility for passengers living with disabilities? 

The fact that we push 18 to 20 million wheelchairs a year shows significant demand with each user having their own unique needs. We are trying to meet this need while exploring ways to automate the process to make it easier. Automated wheelchairs are a potential solution, but logistics and technology haven't kept pace with the demand. While technology is catching up, our immediate focus is enhancing the human element by training our staff to continue being empathetic and providing excellent care.

How are you leveraging technology to modernize and improve your services?

We focus on back-office technology and have developed employee engagement apps for paycheck access, leave management, and scheduling. Shift swapping, trading, and bidding are now available, all of which were previously managed manually. We're also gamifying the experience, rewarding employees for good attendance and performance.

This model also identifies those who need improvement. We send automatic reminders for upcoming shifts and manage no-call, no-show situations more effectively. This helps us identify employees who may need additional coaching or not be a good fit. 

Workforce recruitment is a commonly cited challenge for the industry. Can you tell us about Unifi’s initiative to hire 500 refugees by 2027?

As an immigrant myself, I understand the importance of a support system and income structure for refugees. We started this program with one person in Seattle and have since expanded the program nationwide, hiring refugees from nearly a dozen countries including Afghanistan, Ukraine, Myanmar, Somalia, and more. We work with the state and federal authorities as well as resettlement agencies to provide opportunities and help them start their new life in the US. Our refugee workforce has an incredibly strong dedication and their work ethic has been exceptional.