D. Papamichael (Goldair Handling): Many Greek airports are living days of 2019

Athens and most regional airports, in the summer season will move at a rate of 2019, estimates the CEO of Goldair Handling Dimitris Papamichael, who emphasizes that there are days of the week and airports where traffic has already exceeded 2019. At the same time, he refers to the lack of staff not only airports, but almost the entire tourism supply chain and calls on the state to facilitate the work of foreigners from third countries, in order to fill positions in areas where there is no domestic interest and available staff.

– How do you expect this year’s tourism and aviation market to move?

Estimates for the summer of 2022 are extremely optimistic and a strong recovery of tourism is expected, both in terms of tourists and revenue. The air traffic is estimated to recover on average 85% -90% of the corresponding traffic in 2019, while we observe that since the beginning of June, there are days of the week and airports where traffic has already exceeded 2019 and this is extremely important, because the initial estimates for the aviation recovery indicated that this would happen in the period 2023-2024. However, I must note that the average recovery of air traffic in Europe lags behind the Greek, as a result of the demand of our country’s tourism product, after significant support from the state.

– In which airports of Greece are performances corresponding to 2019 expected?

I dare say that both Athens and most regional airports, in the summer season will move at a rate of 2019. An exception may be, perhaps, Thessaloniki, due to the crisis in Ukraine and sanctions against Russia.

– In some airports in Europe there are flight delays / cancellations due to lack of staff. Could something similar happen in Greece?

This, unfortunately, is one of the effects of the pandemic and is strongly observed not only in most European countries, but also in the USA. In Greece, it is not only the airports that face staff shortages, but almost the entire tourist supply chain, such as hotels, restaurants, cafes, security companies, transportation, etc.

There are already long delays in Europe, either due to lack of security staff or lack of ground staff or even flight cancellations due to lack of cabin crew.

This shortage of staff is due to the fact that the aviation and tourism industry has been hit hardest by the pandemic, with a large proportion of the workforce opting for other employment activities. However, this global trend is creating arrhythmias in the smooth flow of flights and the state should immediately (following the example of other European markets) facilitate the work of foreigners from third countries, in order to fill jobs in areas where there is no domestic interest. and available staff.

In order not to see corresponding delays at the Greek airports, a series of initiatives has been developed by airport operators and ground handling companies, in order to prepare as well as possible, to communicate directly on the issues that will arise and of course the implementation of specific procedures, in order to decongestion of the system, but also the avoidance of unpleasant experiences for the passenger public.

– What emotions does the CEO position itself cause and how do you manage them?

Obviously emotions vary according to the situations that govern or experience an organism. In that sense, I think I am happy (with a bit of humor) to tell you that I have personally experienced all or at least many things that a CEO manages in his career. Counting already 12 years in this position, I lived intensely the effects of the financial crisis of 2010 and the catastrophic consequences that had on the results of our company, equally intense the events of capital controls and the possible GR-exit, as well as of course the recent pandemic, that such damage we had neither experienced, nor predicted, nor of course had we imagined.

And what an irony… the pandemic happened right after our best performance, since the founding of the company. It was simply the ultimate disaster.

However, I had the good fortune to participate actively in the financial turnaround of the company, in its expansion to 4 more countries and at the same time to experience the absolute prestige of Goldair Handling, both from the domestic business world and from the international aviation community.

– How important do you consider the CEO’s reputation in terms of the value and future of his / her company?

I believe that company and CEO are integral parts of a business puzzle. The success or failure of a business undoubtedly has an impact on the reputation of the CEO. However, the CEO has an expiration date, while the company does not, because the company is the people, it is its history, it is its offer and its performance in the business arena, it is its culture, its principles and values ​​and everything These, a good CEO, must not only promote them, but also pass them on to the next generation and this will probably be the greatest value it will have offered to the company.

– How is a CEO trained, informed and exchanged views and good practices today?

It is a fact that today there are more information and communication networks than ever before. Access to information is a matter of one click, so there is no excuse for a CEO not to be properly informed, at least in matters of responsibility. He must also maintain personal channels of communication with the rest of the market and after gaining enough information and information, to correctly choose which new or better practices he will adopt in his organization.

– What has changed due to a pandemic in leadership-employee relations and how much has this change affected the achievement of the organization’s goals?

There is no doubt that the pandemic has affected employee-leadership relationships. I estimate that both sides were worried about their existence during the first days of the lockdowns and quarantine, as a result of which they “closed” themselves and entered a process of protection and survival. At this point, the lack of personal contact was not substantially replaced by online communication and so we walked unwillingly, separate paths. Today I feel that we are re-introducing ourselves, explaining to each side what they experienced, how they experienced it and trying to operate in a new norm where the safety of workers, the improvement of working conditions, the increase of income, have risen high in the priorities of workers and we owe leadership and employees, to operate in an environment of mutual honesty and communication.

– A new executive who has the ambition to become CEO, what would you advise?

Be sure he knows why he wants to be CEO and not because he likes the title. In general, but also in particular, in large companies apprentices are not justified, there is not much room for experimentation, love of work, vision, open thinking, passion for distinction, diplomacy and readiness to clash even with yourself are required, honest communication with all levels of the hierarchy. It also requires good physical condition, clear thinking and, of course, adaptability to the current data of the time. Above all, every CEO must be reconciled to the fact that nothing, but nothing, is a given.