Dominic Tam is business development manager at L’Voyage in Hong Kong

Q&A: 10 things you should know about Dominic Tam

Continuing the Q&A series we talk to L’Voyage business development manager Dominic Tam who is responsible for managing VVIP charter flights, developing new client contact points and maintaining relationships with aircraft operators in the Asia Pacific region.

1. 1. Why did you become a broker for VVIP business jet charters? “I've always had a passion for high performance aircraft, beginning with a fascination with fighter jets since childhood. In 2012 and 2013, I learnt to fly the Cessna 150 and 172 and got my private pilot licence in Toronto, Canada. That really got me hooked. After returning to Hong Kong, getting into the local business aviation industry seemed the most sensible choice, given my passion and the growing opportunities here in Asia. As a broker, you need to have the specifications of charter aircraft at your fingertips in order to select the best fit for your clients. All these factors suited me well.”
2. 2. Where are you based, and why does that work for you? “I am based in Hong Kong, which in my opinion is the best connecting hub between Asia and the rest of the world. When a football team from Europe or a hockey team from the US flies in via a long haul commercial flight, we will help them connect to their regional stops with a jet based in Hong Kong. Hong Kong is always their first and last stop for any Asia tour. “The city itself also has lots to offer in terms of local charm, culture and tourist sights, but more than that it is a global financial capital and home to the second highest concentration of billionaires in the world. That's why there is an exceptionally large number of international private banks here.”
3. 3. Your stand-out operation? “The most expensive charter operation we arranged was for a private tour on a BBJ-787 VIP Dreamliner for a private tour. Eight VVIP passengers were travelling together on holiday from Hong Kong to America and back. To date I believe we are still the only charter broker in the world to have achieved this. “Every detail had to be meticulously taken care of, including personally selecting the menu from 11 different Michelin-star restaurants. This took a lot of late-night calls and negotiation with world-renowned chefs to ensure that the taste, appearance and presentation of the dishes we chose would be as close as possible to the restaurants' own in-house standards. And every course in each meal was from a different restaurant.”
4. 4. Your favourite aircraft? “It has to be Bombardier's Global 6000. It is state-of-the-art, exceptionally quiet and one of the safest. It's the best and fastest option to fly long range from Hong Kong to London non-stop. Personally, I think it looks the best too.”
5. 5. Favourite in-air dining menu? “I would have to say it's the one our team worked together on for the VIP Dreamliner flight. It included scrambled eggs with blue lobster and black truffle, a gourmet dim sum platter, and Thai pandan layer cake.”
6. 6. If you were not a broker what other career path would you have followed? “I don't think I would have chosen another career path. I love the challenge of charter broking with its fast pace, high stress and great rewards. There are so many variables to pull together within a short space of time and so many people you need to work with to accomplish a perfect performance. You can't relax until the client completes the trip. “For instance, some FBOs in Asia have very limited parking lots so you may have to land in one territory but park in another. Some clients may want to be served by crew who can speak certain languages so you need to source them. Or the jet may be grounded simply because an overhead light isn't working. It's like being a conductor in a large orchestra, only with 10 times the stress.”
7. 7. What is the greatest risk to the ad hoc passenger air charter market? “Macro-economics is a risk factor. The region saw a drop in charter orders in 2016 as some economies slowed down. This hit the leisure sector heavily when some clients turned to first class flights on commercial airlines. Things have picked up nicely since then. “The other is the limited number of charter aircraft available in Asia, which creates a problem during peak seasons. When events such as Art Basel, international sports tournaments or holiday seasons come around, you might not find any aircraft available at all. We are safeguarded against this at L'Voyage because we always have aircraft on standby, but other charter brokers can be quite badly hit.”
8. 8. What is the next biggest change that this market will see? “At the moment you will find mostly ultra-long range aircraft available for charter in Asia, even for short haul flights. They have traditionally been prized for their prestige. But the trend now is for buyers to select more mid-sized aircraft so we look forward to seeing more charter choices in the mid-sized and super mid-sized aircraft categories.”
9. 9. Top tip for budding charter brokers “The charter flight industry can be even more fast paced than the stock market. You have to love the adrenalin rush. It takes someone who loves aviation and is able to remain calm under all circum-stances. You need to communicate with different personalities in different departments and get them all to work together, so you need a good temperament.”
10. 10. What might we be surprised to know about you? “I once dreamed of opening a garage to work on classic cars, but my passion for performance aircraft got the better of me. My favourites are classic Ferraris and vintage supercars such as the Ferrari 250 GTO and Lamborghini Miura. I have a collection of car posters big enough to cover the walls of an entire soccer stadium.”