FCG OPS is strengthening its international trip support offering as part of the company’s next stage of growth, bringing 26 years of operational aviation experience to operators worldwide. Supporting this development, FCG OPS has appointed Ilaria Iacobini as Business Development Manager, EMEA, adding extensive industry knowledge and expertise to the team.

For more than two decades, FCG OPS has been known across the aviation industry as an outsourced OCC and ground handling services provider. Behind these established areas of the business, however, lies extensive day-to-day experience in providing international trip support.

Today, the FCG OPS team supports approximately 20,000 flight legs and obtains more than 5,000 permits annually, combining operational expertise, direct relationships with suppliers and aviation authorities, and local knowledge to support flights across the globe. While FCG OPS has a particularly strong local presence through its ground handling network across Europe, Asia and Africa, the company’s operational experience and capabilities extend worldwide.

FCG OPS is now bringing this accumulated expertise to the market through an increased focus on international trip support, positioning the service as an operational support solution for customers requiring experienced, accountable and technically competent support for complex international flights.

“For us, developing trip support is a natural evolution of what FCG OPS has been doing for many years,” said Yuri Nadezhdin, Director of Business Development, FCG OPS. “Every year, our operations team manages thousands of flights, permits and ground services around the world. Operators are not simply looking for another supplier — they need a partner who understands the operational pressure, takes responsibility and knows how to find a solution when plans change, or challenges arise. We see ourselves as an extension of the customer’s team: we don’t just work for them, we work with them. We have the right size to deliver and the right mindset to care – the company is large enough to provide the capabilities and expertise expected from a global provider, yet agile enough to stay personal, responsive and flexible dedicated partner. Ilaria joining FCG OPS is an important part of this development. Her experience and industry knowledge will help us bring our operational expertise to more customers and further strengthen our presence, particularly across EMEA.”

The appointment of Ilaria Iacobini strengthens the commercial side of this strategy. As Business Development Manager, EMEA, she will focus on developing relationships with operators, introducing FCG OPS’ trip support capabilities to the industry and identifying solutions tailored to their operational requirements.

“I am thrilled to join FCG OPS as Business Development Manager at such an exciting stage of the company’s journey,” said Ilaria Iacobini, Business Development Manager, EMEA. “This is a great opportunity to join a company with a highly experienced operations team and a strong commitment to delivering first-class aviation handling and trip support services. I am looking forward to reconnecting with many familiar faces, building new relationships and contributing to the next stage of FCG OPS’ growth.”

The service model is flexible by design. Customers can use FCG OPS for selected operational services or rely on the team as an extension of their own flight operations, with one accountable partner coordinating the trip end to end. This support combines global operational capabilities with in-depth regional knowledge and local expertise, allowing the team to understand both the broader requirements of an international mission and the realities of operating at a specific destination.

The foundation of the service is an experienced 24/7 operations team, with specialists trained in accordance with ICAO Doc 10106 competency-based training standards for flight dispatchers and operational control provisions of EASA GM1 ORO.GEN.110. Beyond arranging requested services, the team brings an operational perspective to each assignment, identifying relevant operational restrictions and, where appropriate, advise on alternative solutions.

Technology also supports this approach, with FCG ATOM providing customers with live operational visibility and continued investment in automation, including AI-supported tools, providing better oversight and helping to streamline processes.

Combined with a strong 24/7 operations team, in-depth expertise across multiple regions, flexible service delivery and personal accountability, FCG OPS offers one experienced partner capable of seeing the whole trip, anticipating challenges and addressing them before they arise.