Brandon O’Reilly has faced a number of challenges at TAG Farnborough Airport. One of his most important achievements has been to gain government approval to gradually increase the number of aircraft movements from 28,000 to 50,000 by 2019. In today’s climate this is quite an accomplishment, but is one attained by his passion towards everything aviation.
O’Reilly’s love affair with the industry started with his father, an aviation engineer at British Airways. “My dad sparked my curiosity and influenced my career choice greatly,” says O’Reilly. He recalls one crucial memory: “I was 15 years old when it suddenly hit me during a flight to Malta. I remember the professionalism of the pilots and the crew. That really struck a chord with me. I knew then that this was my industry. Sadly, my eyesight did not prove adequate for the tests a pilot faces, and so I had to reassess the options available to me.”
Making passion a business
British Airways offered three apprenticeship schemes at the time. With flight operations no longer a viable choice, O’Reilly was left to choose from the engineering and commercial apprenticeships. “Engineering is not really my thing, so I chose the commercial route,” he says. He undertook a diploma in business studies with a specific focus in transport at Thames Valley University in 1977 and began working during his holidays at BA to gain experience. O’Reilly had given 11 years of his career to BA as an overseas commercial manager by the time he left in 1987. He occupied two managerial positions, first at ICL Fujitsu and then at AT&T, which both helped him hone his management skills. But it was the two positions after leaving AT&T in 1992 that really defined him.
O’Reilly spent just over three years as the general sales manager at American Airlines, after which he left to work at United Airlines. He has fond memories of the 11 years at United: “I had some truly fantastic times there but also learned some valuable lessons when the industry went through some tough times in the early 2000s, which led to some bankruptcies in the sector,” he says. That experience he was able to take with him to TAG Farnborough Airport when he arrived as CEO in 2006.
“My diverse career path enabled me to bring various skills to the table. Coming from a leading airline has its rewards. Global carriers have to consistently meet the needs of thousands of customers every day and do so by using a rigorous and disciplined approach to managing their businesses. Bringing this direction to TAG Farnborough, which is a bespoke aviation company, where every customer is unique, has proved invaluable.”
The evolution of business aviation
O’Reilly, who is married with a daughter, describes the move from United to TAG Farnborough as a “once in a lifetime opportunity”. He says: “This was an exciting chance for me to lead a bespoke company for the first time in my career. I relished the opportunity to be able to manage and be accountable for the entire performance of an aviation company.”
O’Reilly has observed a positive trend recently in the business aviation industry. TAG Farnborough, which is one of Europe’s most glamorous business airports, is increasingly attracting clients from the BRIC nations. However, a large proportion of its custom still comes from the US and the Middle East. Of course it helps that it is so close to London.
“Aviation as a whole has felt the effects of the economic downturn. But over the last year it has started to inch up again and our earnings have continued to grow. We have experienced continuously growing profit in 2011 with larger aircrafts coming in, which means a greater source of revenue. Our business travellers are looking for excellence. We aim to deliver distinction in everything we do because we appreciate that we are operating a custom-built business rather than a commodity one.”
O’Reilly has contributed profoundly to the success of the airport. But he remains modest, saying: “The entire team has worked hard to execute the shareholders vision of creating the perfect business airport.” He knows the airport’s client base is interested in making the best use of their time. “Time is their enemy. They require speed of access and exit. There are no check-in desks or security lines. The team’s aim is to provide a calm, efficient, functional and pleasant environment. There simply is no compromise.”
The success of quiet flying
But it was not an easy road. When in 2009 the company submitted its application to increase the number of flights at the airport, the request was met with opposition. People complained about the potential noise such an increase would create. The local government, whose officers recommended acceptance of the planning application, ultimately turned it down and TAG Farnborough appealed against the decision. In 2011, the government granted permission to the airport to increase its annual movements to 50,000 by 2019.
“This will give us a bright future. Compared to larger commercial airports, which can become saturated, TAG Farnborough Airport can accommodate this rising demand. Business travel is our business and we are pleased that from this development the airport will create over 1,200 local jobs,” says O’Reilly.
TAG Farnborough Airport has worked closely with the local community to overcome public objections. In May 2007, O’Reilly introduced a trial initiative called the Quiet Flying Programme. It included measures designed to lower the noise impact on local residents.
Along with local community representatives and other interested parties, including air traffic control, pilots and commercial managers, TAG Farnborough Airport formed a working group. The group was given the task of creating a programme aimed at reducing noise by redesigning flight paths.
“I am committed to ensuring that we develop our business responsibly and in a sustainable way. I believe that it is vital that we work closely with our neighbours and local residents. Achieving this balance is vital for TAG Farnborough Airport to develop as a business. The Quiet Flying Programme was an outstanding success and complaints are down by 50 percent – an all time low for TAG Farnborough. But we will not stop there. We will do everything in our power to reduce noise and any other type of aviation pollution,” says O’Reilly.