CEO Oscar Trujillo defends the fact that he did not take a fee and discloses that the initiative began with a call from Antonio Olivera
SANTA CRUZ DE TENERIFE, 8 Jul. (EUROPA PRESS) –
The CEO and founder of One Airways, Oscar Trujillo, affirmed on Monday the “undeniable success” of the three direct flights that landed on the islands at the start of the pandemic amidst the “disorder” in global commerce and aviation.
Speaking before the commission of inquiry of the Canary Islands Parliament regarding the procurement of medical supplies, he narrated that the coordination of the flights kick-started with a phone call from Antonio Olivera, Deputy Minister of the Presidency of the Canary Islands Government, on March 18. Trujillo clarified that Olivera was not a personal acquaintance, despite having had three friendly meetings previously.
He acknowledged that the call was made out of desperation to find solutions at a time when no one else was willing to take on such a substantial aviation task. One Airways, however, stepped up, given their experience in medical aircraft operations with the governments of the Canary Islands, Andalusia, and the Balearic Islands, as well as their expertise in organizing transplantation operations.
Trujillo described the decision as “risky” but felt compelled to accept due to the life-saving nature of the flights. “These are your people,” he remarked while expressing no regrets and confirming that he would make the same choice again.
He clarified that his involvement was not in mediating the procurement of medical supplies, but rather in orchestrating the logistical structure due to the exigencies of the situation.
Emphasising the need to engage all stakeholders and maintain round-the-clock communication with Shanghai, Trujillo highlighted that acting solely as an intermediary would have resulted in failure with empty flights, leading to questions about the use of public funds for the flights.
Trujillo stressed that the logistics industry was in dire straits, with passenger planes even being authorized to carry cargo on seats during a period of overwhelming demand and scarce available aircraft.
The requirement for the Airbus A340-600 model for direct 16-hour flights from China to the Canary Islands was evident from the onset, with only Iberia and Plus Ultra possessing such aircraft.
Iberia declined the operation due to the inability to guarantee direct flights, a service that Plus Ultra provided at a cost of 375,000 euros per flight, a reduced rate attributed to lower oil prices at the time and a capacity exceeding 20 tons of cargo per flight.
COSTS REMAINED LOW, ALMOST “PYRRHIC”
Trujillo underscored that the costs were kept minimal and that he did not levy a “commission” for the service. Nevertheless, he clarified that despite not being a non-profit organisation, his company generated revenue which he opted not to disclose.
He described the operations as conducted “amidst chaos,” requiring processing diplomatic permits, facing a shortage of accommodation for crews, and necessitating manual loading of cargo onto the planes due to uncooperative Chinese personnel.
Stressing that these actions were not motivated by profit or personal gain, but negotiated to serve the public interest at remarkably competitive rates in Spain, Trujillo highlighted that the third flight on May 16 included medical supplies from the Tenerife Island Council that were held in China at no additional cost.
He characterised the endeavour to bring medical supplies as akin to operating in a “war zone,” describing the efforts as “epic.” Despite not seeking public accolades, he lamented facing unwarranted attacks from the media and social platforms. “We did not expect a medal, but a few words of appreciation would have sufficed,” he expressed.
Trujillo lauded the Canarian Government for its integrity in pursuing the common good through the procurement of medical supplies, highlighting Antonio Olivera’s pivotal role in grasping the magnitude of the operation, evolving amidst changing conditions while the flights were en route.
Trujillo clarified that the collaboration with the Canary Islands Emergency Service during the pandemic was exclusive and affirmed that he had no communication with the former Minister of Transport, José Luis Ábalos, his former advisor, Koldo García, or representatives of the company Soluciones de Gestión y Apoyo a Empresas SL.
NO GOVERNMENT OFFICIAL RECOMMENDED CONTRACTING
He further disclosed that no official from the Canary Islands Government proposed a specific contract with any company, and he had no discussions regarding the health emergency committee.
Trujillo asserted that Olivera did not suggest promoting the logistics operation through Plus Ultra because the Government lacked awareness of the optimal choice at that time, or whether the airline operated at a financial loss.
Responding to the Nationalist Group’s representative, Vidina Espino, in a tense exchange during the commission meeting, he remarked, “I am an expert but not a prophet,” addressing queries about the prompt registration of One Airways in the ZEC following Olivera’s call.
Trujillo dissociated this registration from the China operation, attributing it to a failed business endeavour of establishing a new Canarian airline for passenger transportation to the Peninsula and Europe via the Tenerife South airport.
